More Than Just the Wing
by Frances E. Kawiak Baran
Member of the ARRA Chapter in Sun City, Arizona
Upon graduation from Hamtramck High School in Hamtramck, Michigan, I became eligible for a new government program through the National Recovery Act. The U. S. government was trying out a new idea to train graduates for production work. Eligibility criteria for the program was easy to qualify for, one being twelve hours of work per month, after completing the course.
Managers of the training course were contacted by some of the larger manufacturing businesses in the area to utilize their students. The businesses assumed responsibility for the trainees and production in their plants. The plants were located all over the Detroit metropolitan area.
My first assignment was learning the art of welding. It was difficult learning how to work on demand on such large machines. Safety rules were of utmost importance. Several months were spent working in this area of the plant, producing war materials for our European Allies.
Another fascinating experience came with the study and means to inspect a gas mask. This was followed by inspecting the incendiary bombs coming off the production line.
All of our training was soon to be needed to help our own country, in addition to our Allies. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. We realized our country was now at war. Once our country was at war, we were hired to work full time. We were assigned to make wing spans for military planes.
I didn’t work on a typical assembly line. We worked in teams of two to rivet the wing span. Each wing span was inspected, quality was important. We worked ten to twelve hours a day, six to seven days a week, for over two years. Because the Corsair plane that we worked on was such a successful plane, there was a lot of demand for it during World War II. Production was continually ramped up.
After the wings were no longer needed, the plant returned to the manufacturing it had been doing prior to World War II. The Briggs Manufacturing Plant began making auto parts for the automobile industry once again.
I recently saw the Corsair plane for the first time at the Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California. This was the first time I had seen the entire plane. It was more than just the wing.
Description of the job performed: We worked on riveting the wing span of an aircraft and inspected the closure. That was necessary, or else the rivet would have to be removed and replaced. The quality of work was very important, to make sure our troops were safe when flying the planes.
Dates worked: From 1942 to 1944. I worked before and after the war at the Briggs Manufacturing Plant in Detroit, Michigan. During the war, I worked as a riveter on the Corsair airplane.
Why did you join the workforce? After graduation from high school, there weren’t many jobs available. The economy was so bad at the time, just like it is now. I signed up for a training program through the National Recovery Act. I was trained to do manufacturing work in several plants around the Detroit area. Once the war started, the plants were converted to manufacturing, just for the war effort. It was then that I worked as a riveter.
Did you have to move for the job? No, I remained at home. It took two transfers on the street car, which allowed me to get to work by 6:00 a.m. each day.
What were your living conditions? Things were very tight at our house because many things were rationed. We just had to make do with what we had. The bad economy impacted my family a great deal. I was busy working long hours, seven days a week. A typical shift was from 6:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. My leisure time was spent standing in long lines for rations. Living conditions were tolerated, the war was the first consideration. So many people we knew were serving either at home or abroad.
How did your parents feel about your working situation? My parents were very appreciative I had a job and could help contribute to the family.
What do you remember about your first paycheck? My family and I were thankful I had a job and a paycheck. I felt good that I was able to help my family with their finances during a difficult time. Things improved at home as a result.
Describe the difficulties you had during the war years. There were long lines for everything that was given out. The lines for 5 gallons of gas were the longest. Being from Michigan, the weather in the winter is very cold, and made standing in long lines very uncomfortable at times. We did what we had to do for the war effort.
My transportation was by streetcar, and this involved many transfers to get to the various manufacturing plants while I was in the training program. We had never experienced the conditions we were going through, and as tough as it was for our family, there were many other families that experienced discrimination, poor housing conditions, many housing regulations, shortages of food to feed their families. There were the Haves and the Have Nots, just like you hear about today.
What other family members were in the war? My youngest brother was drafted and spent the war years as an aircraft mechanic.
Did you lose any family members in the war? We did not, all came back to civilian life, some a little worse due to health problems.
Where were you when the war ended? I found myself working in auto production, since the Briggs Manufacturing Plant was turned back to civilian projects. I had some health problems that affected my breathing. At that time, my doctor suggested that I look for a warmer climate to live and work in. I applied for a leave of absence from my job and got a new job in California at a Veteran’s Hospital. The hospital was a staging place for GI’s returning from the war, many with all types of physical injuries, and some had come there for rest. Some of the regular Army troops were stationed there to help run the hospital.
Did you marry someone you met during the war? No, I was engaged prior to the war. I stayed in California until I got a telegram from my fiance stating that he was home, but in the hospital. My fiance received a medical discharge as the war was ending, having served his country for four years. I then returned back home to Michigan to be reunited with my fiance. We did not marry for a year and half after the war ended. Wedding halls and churches were difficult to find, with so many servicemen returning at the same time. The servicemen wanted to get married to the girls who had been waiting at home for them to return. Many things needed for weddings were in short supply, due to the number of soldiers returning at one time.
Any special memories or experiences during the war? My memories of the war years were numerous, but one thing that stands out is the “Citizen Blackouts.” At a signal from the War Department, all homes had to pull down all shades, turn out the lights, and not go outside for any reason. Men were appointed to patrol neighborhoods for violators of official orders. A fine was given if we were not conforming to the rule of law.
After Pearl Harbor was attacked, the War Department suspected the Japanese would attempt to attack the Mainland next. It never happened. So after a few months of blackouts, it was discontinued. It was a scary time for us all, to find everything all over town pitch black as night fell.