14. The War Ends

The war in Europe ended when Hitler killed himself and Germany surrendered in the spring of 1945. May 7 1945 was celebrated throughout the United States as “VE day” (Victory in Europe). But the Japanese continued to fight.

As Allied forces achieved one victory after another and moved closer to Japan, the Japanese resistance stiffened. Surrender was forbidden by the Japanese code of conduct. Many Japanese soldiers, and even some civilians, committed suicide rather than surrender. The invasion of Japan was planned and it was estimated that 2 million Americans and 10 million Japanese would die in the final fighting. The nuclear bomb was used for the first time on August 6 1945. A B29 bomber dropped the bomb on Hiroshima, destroying the city (that historic aircraft, the Enola Gay, is now in the Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia). Yet the the Japanese still did not surrender. On August 9, a second nuclear bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, destroying that city also. The next day Japan announced that they would surrender and World War II finally ended. The formal surrender was signed in Tokyo harbor on the deck of the US battleship “Missouri” on September 2 1945. That date was celebrated throughout the world as “VJ day” (Victory over Japan). World War II was finally over.

The first child. of Erick and Violet Kyro, Judith Marilyn (Gates), was born in Orlando, Florida, August 1, 1945. Erick was still on active duty.

After the war ended in September 1945, war production stopped, rationing was discontinued, and metals became available once more. Aluminum replaced wood in production of the storm windows. Aluminum had several advantages. It was lighter in weight, lasted longer and did not require painting. As the business developed, a desirable, vacant store location on a prominent, trafficked street was found at 1560 Fort Street in Lincoln Park, Michigan, and the business was moved from Wyandotte and renamed as the Lincoln Supply Company. Lincoln Park is the town just north of Wyandotte. Business was good. Paints and painter's supplies were added to the sales inventory.

Erick Kyro continued to serve in the Army Air Corps until he was separated from active duty with the rank of Major on January 6, 1946 Erick returned to civilian life, but continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve at Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan.

On September 1, 1946 Erick provided a wonderful present for John Dixon’s 12th birthday. A light airplane, a Piper with three seats, was rented at the Wyandotte Airport. John was treated to his first airplane ride. (That airport has since been sold for commercial real estate development.) Around this time, William Kyro took John Dixon to see a performance of Blackstone, the Magician. Although John had seen hundreds of movies, this was the first live stage show he ever attended.

It has been said that a good salesman first sells himself. William Kyro did have that ability. One day William and John Dixon were discussing the merits of various movie projectors. William asserted that one brand of projector was the best because of one feature -- the projector would stop if it failed to properly engage the sprocket holes in the film. John allowed that this was a very good feature, but suggested that in certain situations other features such as ease of operation, brightness of image, or quiet operation might be more important. William insisted his favorite feature was the only one that counted. John realized that William had sold himself on one type of projector and brushed aside all possible objections.

When the war ended, military production stopped and the war plants were converted to produce civilian goods. The Willow Run Bomber plant was purchased by west coast industrialist Henry J. Kaiser. It was converted to the Kaiser-Frazer automobile factory. The company produced three models, the upscale “Frazer,” the cheaper “Kaiser” and a small economy car called the “Henry J.” As soon as they became available,William Kyro purchased one of the new Frazers. He was not entirely pleased with his first new post-war car. Kaiser’s lack of experience in automobile design resulted in several defects. The most obvious was the shiny chrome decorations mounted on the instrument panel near the windshield. In bright sunlight these items reflected a blinding glare into the driver’s eyes, a glare that could not be blocked by the sunshield. William covered the chrome gewgaws with tape to block the glare. He decided that the vehicle was a poor investment and resolved never again to buy an upscale car. (A few years later he purchased a modest Chevrolet)

William Kyro was the only member of the extended family to smoke. He smoked only cigars, never a pipe or cigarettes. He was also the only one to drink alcoholic beverages. William did not drink very often, but occasionally he would bring a drinking buddy home and they would consume six or eight bottles of beer. Although William drank enough to have some effect, he never became drunk.

At the end of the war, William Kyro set himself the goal of seeing that each of his three children and their families were financially secure in businesses of their own.

As the business expanded, Lincoln Supply Company needed additional help and capital. After his release from the army, Erick was offered a share in the business. Erick purchased the partnership and the business was expanded to include assembling of the windows from knocked-down kits custom ordered from the manufacturers. Wholesaling of specialized paint products to other paint and hardware stores was added to the business. A distributorship agreement for the newly-introduced pre pasted Trimz wallpaper was signed and Erick became the outside contact and salesman for the wholesale activity.

In the spring of 1946, Helen, Harri, and their daughters Marja and Helle arrived in Detroit from Finland. They lived in the William Kyro house in Wyandotte until they found a place to live. Little Helle suffered from a childhood form of diabetes and required daily injections of a special type of insulin imported from Sweden. Helen’s third child, Kristi Virjo, was born soon after Helen’s arrival in the United States.

Harri then became a partner in the Lincoln Supply Company and established a formal accounting program for the concern. The Delco Heat line of products was added. Erick was sent to the Delco Heat school in Syracuse, New York, for training in the installation and servicing of coal stokers, conversion oil burners, and oil furnaces. Erick took the Michigan State Heating Contractor's licensing examination for the Lincoln Supply company and passed it.

William Kyro liked to read. One of his favorite books was “How to Make Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. First published in 1936, this book sold over 10 million copies and is still in print in 2006. The book explains how to make a favorable impression on a person by taking an interest in that person. One rule from the book is “Don't criticize, condemn or complain.” Another rule is “Believe that you will succeed and you will.” It is a book that every salesman should read. There were about a dozen copies scattered around the Kyro home. Perhaps when William was out on the road on a selling trip, he often felt the need to refresh his selling skills and bought an extra copy.

John Dixon noticed the many copies, borrowed one and read it. Since he knew that William was an expert salesman, he formed the opinion that William had no need for such a book. He was puzzled by the fact that William Kyro had so many copies while other men who were poor salesmen had no copies. A few years later, when he became older and wiser, John came to realize that William was a highly successful salesman because he spent so much time improving his skills.

William Kyro was always on the lookout for new business opportunities. When John visited “grandpa’s house”, he often found William reading “Business Week” or “Salesmen’s Opportunity” magazine. When William found an item that interested him, he would write to the manufacturer and negotiate a discount price for a sample of the product and perhaps ask for an exclusive sales territory. He enjoyed haggling and often would go through three or four rounds of negotiation before ordering a sample.

In 1947 William became interested in a folding boat made in Sweden. This boat was made of plywood with canvas covered hinges so that it could be folded flat. It would hold four people and was propelled by oars or by a small outboard motor. A sample boat was purchased along with a 3 horsepower motor. William engaged his grandson, John Dixon, to operate and demonstrate the boat. During the summer it was often carried on top of William’s car to the Finnish summer camp, Kalava Park at Cass Lake. John would unfold, launch and row the boat while William would give a sales pitch to anyone who showed interest. During summer vacation, the Dixon family rented a cottage at Cass Lake and John was given full custody of the boat and motor for two weeks. John, then 12 years old, had a great time motoring about the lake, giving rides to friends and relatives, and exploring all the creeks and canals connected to the lake. It was a three mile trip across the lake to the town of Keego Harbor where gasoline could be purchased. No folding boats were ever sold and in later years John often wondered if Grandpa Kyro had purchased the sample boat as a profitable venture or for John’s enjoyment.

William Kyro often received telephone calls from brokers in Canada pushing stock. On one occasion, Laura Dixon came home from a visit to the Kyro house and announced excitedly that Grandpa had realized a profit of $500 on some stock. This was the only time that a profit was discussed. Canada is the home of stock swindlers since a Canadian broker talking to an American customer is in a regulatory no man’s land and can get away with much more than an American broker. It seems likely that William made a number of other Canadian investments that lost money. It is perhaps an occupational hazard of a good salesman to be easily sold by other salesmen.

In the fall of 1947 Helen Virjo began teaching music at Lincoln Junior High School in Wyandotte. John Dixon was one of her students.

Among William Kyro’s friends was Dr. George Sippola, president of the Michigan Finnish American Historical Society. Around this time, Dr. Sippola purchased a farm in Canada which he used as a summer place. He constructed a Finnish sauna on the property. William and other members of the Kyro family were often invited to drive across the Ambassador Bridge to enjoy Dr. Sippola’s sauna.

The second child of Erick and Violet was Ralph Eric Kyro, born in Highland Park, Michigan, on May 24, 1948.

In early 1948 Erick and Harri purchased William Kyro's share of Lincoln Supply Company.