The late 1930s were times of great excitement in aviation and Barbara followed the events as new records were set almost daily for speed, altitude, and other achievements. But she was almost too busy with her airport business to even telephone Jackie Cochran to talk about them, much less visit her at the ranch again.
Despite Barbara's success at the airport, she became more disappointed that Gail never moved to California as she said she would. Gail did not remain with her parents, however, but rented an apartment in Chicago and became a stewardess with United Air Lines. While she worked, her son was looked after by a baby-sitter who was a retired nurse.
Meanwhile, when Barbara had time to read the newspapers or listen to the radio, she learned that war was spreading over Europe. Nazi Germany had seized Austria in March, 1938, and Czechoslovakia the following April. After Germany and Italy signed a full military alliance in May, 1939, Germany invaded Poland on September 1.
Three days later, Britain and France declared war on Germany and World War Two in Europe began. But the two countries spent an inactive winter behind the Maginot Line in France and blockaded Germany by sea.
The following spring, Hitler's armies overpowered Denmark and Norway, then overran Luxembourg and invaded the Netherlands and Belgium. Outflanking the Maginot line on May 13, Nazi armored columns raced to the English Channel and cut off Flanders. Hundreds of thousands of British, French, and Belgium soldiers were forced to retreat and were almost miraculously evacuated from Dunkirk. Ferried across the English Channel to Britain, they were rescued by ships of the Royal Navy and 665 civilian craft ranging from small fishing boats and trawlers to sleek yachts and motor cruisers.
By June, the Germans had raced through France. Britain's Prime Minister Winston Churchill warned that the Battle of Britain, to defend the island nation against Nazi bombings, was about to begin. As winter approached, Londoners and those in towns and other cities prepared as best they could for bombing raids and, what they feared was inevitable, invasion.
Despite the horrors Barbara had learned of during the early months of the war, their reality did not hit home to her until she received a surprise letter from Gail. It was postmarked: London, January 6, 1940.
"Everything happened too fast for me to tell you, and you were out when I phoned two weeks ago," the letter began. "I had been in a terrible depression since Paul died. You know that.
I began to almost fear for my sanity, and worried that if anything happened to me, little Timmy would be without a mother.