Today in the United States of America they are celebrating their Independence Day 4th of July. In 1944 Aunt Daisy visited these United States on a mission to promote New Zealand. She was invited to a tea with the first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, where she passed on messages from the American troops and nurses stationed in New Zealand. She continued to record morning shows informing New Zealanders of what she encountered in the United States. The results of her American tour were published in Aunt Daisy and Uncle Sam (pictured above).
Aunt Daisy’s war-time journey to the United States landed in San Francisco in April 27th 1944 where upon arrival “Everybody crowded the decks, thrilled to pass under the wonderful Golden Gate Bridge – it always looks as though the mast must knock against it, until you really do pass under it – with room to spare! Loud groans from the troops greeted the nonchalant announcement through the loud speaker – “Now you can all take it easy, because nobody’s going’ ashore to-night.” So we had to content ourselves with the lovely sight of the brilliantly lighted city of San Francisco, the long Oakland Bridge with trains passing along its lower deck like lighted snakes, and losing themselves in the tunnel; and the beautiful graceful sweep of the Golden Gate Bridge across the harbour; and then away to bed, to dream of tomorrow’s new adventure.”
Aotea Utanganui 