A writing instrument like no other

World War II ended in 1945, and the writing revolution began with the advent of the ballpoint pen. Arriving from overseas combat duty in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II in February 1946 at the Bremerton U.S. Naval Base in Seattle, Wash., I made a beeline to its ships service stores facility. The product that made the biggest impression on me was the “Reynolds Ball Point Pen.”

I bought a maroon colored one for $12. In terms of today’s dollars it would cost about $100. Today a ballpoint pen costs $1. At the time, I still had my beautiful green Eversharp fountain pen with gold filled cap, purchased at Great Lakes Naval Training Station Ship Service Store in May 1943.

I had written many a letter home from all parts of the USA. and foreign lands with it. It had a lever and rubber bladder and the pen was called a fountain pen. I have attended thousands of garage sales in my 29 years of retirement, and finding an old fountain pen is like finding a needle in a haystack. Parker and Waterman fountain pens are highly collectible but virtually impossible to find. To me old- time fountain pens were a work of art, and some had a marbleized finish with bright colors. They were certainly a thing of beauty and a joy to hold.

As a youngster in the Great Depression, I could never afford one of those status symbols. I finally received a beautiful Parker P-51 fountain pen set as a graduation present when I graduated from YSU (then Youngstown College) in 1951.

As a columnist for The Vindicator for the past 24 years I use an inexpensive ballpoint pen to write all my stories for them to this day. The Vindy has no problem transcribing them.

World War II and the Great Depression have been my main focus for my past 275 Vindy columns. Hopefully, my readers young and old can walk away with something tangible.

Michael J. Lacivita is a Youngstown retiree and member of the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame and the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.