Robert Parks enlisted in the state of Pennsylvania, his home state
Robert Parks enlisted in Daulfin County Pa, his county of residence at the time(The county lies to the right of the Susquehanna River and contains Harrisburg)
Pennsylvania In the War
Pennsylvania was a major contributor to the War effort due to the abundance of factories that produced the needed materials for the war such as coal and steel. The state also gave a substantial amount of men to fight in the war, 1.25 million Pennsylvanians served in the war (33,000 of them died in action).
Help From the Home
Due to the amount of men being sent over seas for the war, many people in Pennsylvania had to find ways to get the nutrients they needed to live. The typical American meal of meat and potatoes, with a salad and veggies was almost impossible to have to due the rationing. So, many people began to grow their own "Victory Garden" as a way to supply themselves, with the food needed for their family. During the war almost half of an Americans vegetables came from their "Victory Gardens".
WWII Poster Promoting the use of the "Victory Garden"
Pennsylvania's Manufacturing production
Steel, the export for which Pennsylvania is famous for, was one of the states greatest contributions to the war. The state supplied 31% of the U.S steel production, and 20% of the worlds steel production. Along with steel, PA was a leader in the production of portland cement, lubricating oil, and 100-octane gasoline. The cement, a cheap building material; oil, a way to lubricate guns for protection; and 100-octane gasoline, needed for aircraft to fly. Pennsylvania worked very hard to supply the U.S. with its needed war materials. Along with steel, PA was gave its weight in anthracite and bituminous coal. Pennsylvania's coal production skyrocketed at this time, increasing by 69.9% and producing 130 million net tons of coal from 1938 to 1945. In December of 1943, 2.5 million Pennsylvanians worked in industries.
Weapons Production
With all the factories residing in Pennsylvania during WWII, many of them were open to be turned into weapons factories. The Sun Shipbuilding Company produced 281 T-2 tanker oil carriers, almost 40% of the oil tankers in the War, and the Bantom Car Company in Butler, PA, produced the first jeeps. Though those were not the only places in PA with a massive industrial production; Berwick, PA, also had its fair share of weapons building. During the War the Berwick Industrial Plant was able to produce more then 15,000 Stuart tanks with its 9,000 workers from all over PA.
Jeep prototype from 1940 created for WWII in the Bantom Car Company in Butler, PA, as a way to replace motorcycles for transportation. They were used in the D-day invasion carrying allies across enemy lines.
T-2 oil tanker, used during the war as both oil carriers and Naval vessels as necessary. The most common classification of T-2 tanker was the T2-SE-A1. This picture is of the SS Gettysburg, the first T2 tanker from Sun Shipbuilding Company.
The Berwick plant producing its Stuart tanks to be used in battles all across Europe. However, the first appearance of the Stuart tank was in the North African campaign by the British.
Bases in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is home to seven Military bases: the Carlisle Barracks, Fort Indiantown Gap, Harrisburg Military Post, Letterkenny Army Depot, New Cumberland Army Depot, the Coast Guard Station Philadelphia, and Tobyhanna Army Depot.
An Image of the U.S Army War Collage in the Carlisle Barracks.
Robert Parks went to the Medical Field Service School on the Carlisle Barracks.
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