World War II in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania showed a mixture of perspectives and levels of participation during the Second World War, serving as a home to not only industry critical to the war production effort, but also home to many who would fight overseas and others who spoke in favor of pacifism.
28TH Infantry Division, Pennsylvania National Guard
28th Infantry Division Association
Over 1.25 million
Pennsylvanians fought for the United States during World War II. Among the ranks of the Army’s highest generals were Pennsylvanians such as Chief of Staff of the Army George C. Marshall, Commander of the Army Air Corps Henry “Hap” Arnold and his second-in-command Carl Spaatz, the Chief of Naval Operations in the Europe Admiral Harold Stark, and the“daredevil pilot” Colonel Phil Cochran (“The Arsenal of America”). Most of those who enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard (PNG) 28th Infantry Division were the urban working poor, although about 97% of the enlisted men had at least an 8th grade education. And although a soldier’s pay was more than the average urban worker’s wages, 89% of those who enlisted in the PNG were employed, showing that they did not enlist simply to have a steady job (“World War II”).
The 28th Division was federalized early in 1941 –months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. In contrast to the U.S. Army, about 99% of those who enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard were U.S. natives and born in the state, in contrast to the composition of the U.S. army. Many men who had spent their entire lives in Pennsylvania now fought in the Aleutian Islands, Burma, Guadalcanal, North Africa, Italy, France, and finally Germany. The PNG also had no African American soldiers--although President Franklin Roosevelt wanted the army to be at least 10% African American, they were not allowed to enlist in Pennsylvania (“World War II”).
Pennsylvanians fought for the United States during World War II. Among the ranks of the Army’s highest generals were Pennsylvanians such as Chief of Staff of the Army George C. Marshall, Commander of the Army Air Corps Henry “Hap” Arnold and his second-in-command Carl Spaatz, the Chief of Naval Operations in the Europe Admiral Harold Stark, and the“daredevil pilot” Colonel Phil Cochran (“The Arsenal of America”). Most of those who enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard (PNG) 28th Infantry Division were the urban working poor, although about 97% of the enlisted men had at least an 8th grade education. And although a soldier’s pay was more than the average urban worker’s wages, 89% of those who enlisted in the PNG were employed, showing that they did not enlist simply to have a steady job (“World War II”).
The 28th Division was federalized early in 1941 –months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. In contrast to the U.S. Army, about 99% of those who enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard were U.S. natives and born in the state, in contrast to the composition of the U.S. army. Many men who had spent their entire lives in Pennsylvania now fought in the Aleutian Islands, Burma, Guadalcanal, North Africa, Italy, France, and finally Germany. The PNG also had no African American soldiers--although President Franklin Roosevelt wanted the army to be at least 10% African American, they were not allowed to enlist in Pennsylvania (“World War II”).
28th Infantry in World War II
28th Infantry in Paris, National Archives
The Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division saw action in Europe, and Pennsylvania soldiers fought in all theaters of operation, including those in the Pacific, North Africa, and Asia. They participated in the D-Day campaign, helped to liberate Paris, and fought at the Battle of the Bulge. The high casualty rates and red "keystone" insignia earned the division their nickname as the “Bloody Bucket” (“Historical Highlights…”). Of the over 400,000 American soldiers who died in World War II, over 33,000 of them were from Pennsylvania (“World War II”).
Pennsylvania Industrial Production
Bethlehem Steel, c1936
Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania mirrored the change in industrial production that swept the country: its industrial production shifted from domestic peacetime output to output specifically designed to aid in the war effort. Both Midvale Steel in Nicetown, PA and the Budd Company in Northeast Philadelphia transformed their automobile body and
steel plants into full-force factories of armored vehicles and Naval armory.
Bethlehem Steel and its subsidiaries produced more steel during the war effort than all of the Axis Powers combined, contributing significantly to a war with two naval theaters. Pennsylvania’s steel mills also produced about one-third of all steel in the U.S. and accounted for one-fifth of all steel production in the world during the war (“World War II”). Pennsylvania was also a source of anthracite coal, mining 209 million tons of coal in 1944, the highest amount mined before or after (“Coal in
Pennsylvania”).
steel plants into full-force factories of armored vehicles and Naval armory.
Bethlehem Steel and its subsidiaries produced more steel during the war effort than all of the Axis Powers combined, contributing significantly to a war with two naval theaters. Pennsylvania’s steel mills also produced about one-third of all steel in the U.S. and accounted for one-fifth of all steel production in the world during the war (“World War II”). Pennsylvania was also a source of anthracite coal, mining 209 million tons of coal in 1944, the highest amount mined before or after (“Coal in
Pennsylvania”).
Defense Industry
USS New Jersey
Explore Pennsylvania History
Pennsylvania provided a wartime labor force in the defense industry with nearly 350,000 workers in Philadelphia alone, with thousands more across the state and in the steel industry centered in the Pittsburgh area. Because Philadelphia ha been a productive area for the defense industry during World War I, the federal government again focused on Philadelphia, including the Philadelphia Navy Yard and the Frankford Arsenal, which hired 20,000 workers to produce munitions for
the war effort.
Industry revived after years of decline during the Great Depression to operate at full capacity, providing employment opportunities for Pennsylvanians. Enormous growth was seen in the shipyards of Philadelphia, whose employment numbers jumped from a few thousand workers before the war to nearly 58,000 workers at the height of wartime production (“World War II”).
Philadelphia’s shipyards produced heavy battleships, including the USS Washington, USS New Jersey, and the USS Wisconsin. The Philadelphia Navy Yard’s fleet was augmented by 20% in 1938 in order to support the construction of a heavier fleet outfitted with larger battleships and aircraft carriers and high-capacity marine railways. These additions expanded the construction and repair potential of the shipyard between 1938 and 1945. Power production, storage, and shop facilities expanded along with the construction of the fleet and the basic infrastructure of the Philadelphia Navy Yard in order to meet the influx of demands (“World War II”).
the war effort.
Industry revived after years of decline during the Great Depression to operate at full capacity, providing employment opportunities for Pennsylvanians. Enormous growth was seen in the shipyards of Philadelphia, whose employment numbers jumped from a few thousand workers before the war to nearly 58,000 workers at the height of wartime production (“World War II”).
Philadelphia’s shipyards produced heavy battleships, including the USS Washington, USS New Jersey, and the USS Wisconsin. The Philadelphia Navy Yard’s fleet was augmented by 20% in 1938 in order to support the construction of a heavier fleet outfitted with larger battleships and aircraft carriers and high-capacity marine railways. These additions expanded the construction and repair potential of the shipyard between 1938 and 1945. Power production, storage, and shop facilities expanded along with the construction of the fleet and the basic infrastructure of the Philadelphia Navy Yard in order to meet the influx of demands (“World War II”).
LABOR Strife
August 1944, Philadelphia
Explore Pennsylvania History
While Pennsylvania played a
key industrial role and helped to supply the U.S. war effort, it also suffered
war-related problems at home. Migration to the cities for factory jobs caused a
severe urban housing shortage, especially in the cities of Pittsburgh and
Philadelphia. Many African Americans migrated from the south to northern cities
looking for factory jobs, causing Philadelphia’s African American population to
double in size between 1940 and 1950 (“World War II”).
This strain inflamed racial tensions; a 1944 strike by white
transit workers in Philadelphia to protest the hiring of African American
workers resulted in President Roosevelt taking ordering the U.S Army to take
over the Philadelphia transit system and protect the African-American workers.
When President Franklin
Roosevelt ordered the integration of defense industries, the Philadelphia
Transit Company reluctantly responded by promoting a few existing
African-American employees to trolley car drivers.
The strike that followed shut down what was at the time the
“largest transit systems in the country, carrying 2,500,000 passengers
daily.” The strike lasted one week
and reduced war production.
Knowing that Philadelphia was essential to the war effort (it was the
third largest city for war production), President Roosevelt sent the Army to
Philadelphia. The strikers had two
choices – either return to work or they would be immediately drafted into the
U.S. Army. This was the largest
racially motivated strike during the war (“Philadelphia Transit
Workers…”).
key industrial role and helped to supply the U.S. war effort, it also suffered
war-related problems at home. Migration to the cities for factory jobs caused a
severe urban housing shortage, especially in the cities of Pittsburgh and
Philadelphia. Many African Americans migrated from the south to northern cities
looking for factory jobs, causing Philadelphia’s African American population to
double in size between 1940 and 1950 (“World War II”).
This strain inflamed racial tensions; a 1944 strike by white
transit workers in Philadelphia to protest the hiring of African American
workers resulted in President Roosevelt taking ordering the U.S Army to take
over the Philadelphia transit system and protect the African-American workers.
When President Franklin
Roosevelt ordered the integration of defense industries, the Philadelphia
Transit Company reluctantly responded by promoting a few existing
African-American employees to trolley car drivers.
The strike that followed shut down what was at the time the
“largest transit systems in the country, carrying 2,500,000 passengers
daily.” The strike lasted one week
and reduced war production.
Knowing that Philadelphia was essential to the war effort (it was the
third largest city for war production), President Roosevelt sent the Army to
Philadelphia. The strikers had two
choices – either return to work or they would be immediately drafted into the
U.S. Army. This was the largest
racially motivated strike during the war (“Philadelphia Transit
Workers…”).
Explore Pennsylvania History
This strain inflamed racial tensions; a 1944 strike by white transit workers in Philadelphia to protest the hiring of African American workers to drive trolley cars resulted in President Roosevelt taking ordering the U.S Army to take over the Philadelphia transit system and protect the African-American workers.
When President Franklin Roosevelt ordered the integration of defense industries, the Philadelphia Transit Company reluctantly responded by promoting a few existing African-American employees to trolley car drivers.
The strike that followed shut down what was at the time the “largest
transit systems in the country, carrying 2,500,000 passengers daily.” The strike lasted one week and reduced war production. Knowing that Philadelphia was essential to the war effort (it was the third largest city for war production), President Roosevelt sent the Army to Philadelphia. The strikers had two choices – either return to work or they would be
immediately drafted into the Army. This was the largest racially motivated strike during the war (“Philadelphia Transit
Workers…”).
When President Franklin Roosevelt ordered the integration of defense industries, the Philadelphia Transit Company reluctantly responded by promoting a few existing African-American employees to trolley car drivers.
The strike that followed shut down what was at the time the “largest
transit systems in the country, carrying 2,500,000 passengers daily.” The strike lasted one week and reduced war production. Knowing that Philadelphia was essential to the war effort (it was the third largest city for war production), President Roosevelt sent the Army to Philadelphia. The strikers had two choices – either return to work or they would be
immediately drafted into the Army. This was the largest racially motivated strike during the war (“Philadelphia Transit
Workers…”).