Tampa woman recalls terrors of being German child of war: 'Shakin' in my boots'

The Brief Tampa resident Rita Fordham survived the devastation of World War II in Germany before rebuilding her life in America. More than 80 years after the fighting ceased in Europe, the world is rapidly approaching a milestone in human history where there will be no living memory of World War II. For 95-year-old Tampa resident Rita Fordham, however, those years remain vivid — marked by terror, survival, and the ultimate triumph of starting over. World War II survivor in TampaWhat we know:Born in Stuttgart, Germany, Fordham grew up under the constant threat of air raids as Allied bombers targeted the city's industrial hubs. Fordham turns 96 in September.