Re: 1942 Ford's War Effort At Willow Run

From: MV (MV@dc9.tzo.com)
Date: Mon Nov 28 2005 - 19:36:00 PST


I worked at the GM assembly plant that later occupied the old bomber
plant warehouse which was next door to the bomber plant (Now a warehouse
to be shutdown entirely in the next year) I visited the old Bomber
plant next door regularly since I was involved in plant engineering and
the assembly plant shared a power station with the bomber plant.

Earlier, my step-father-in-law worked at Willow Run Airport after the
war and said that at the time the shell casings from the bomber's
machine guns were still along side of the runway where they used to test
fire the machine guns into a dirt bunker.

My wife's mother worked in the cafeteria at the airport, and served
coffee to my future wife's step-father. (Not known at the time obviously)

My wife's grandmother used to call out the flights as they arrived and
departed that airport after the war. She lived in the neighborhood
across from the bomber plant. She still calls it the "bomber plant".

My wife's great Aunt and Uncle worked on the bombers at the plant during
the war. He later served in the Navy during the war. He later died of
complications due to inhaling the paint used to paint the interior of
the bombers. At the time they also lived across the highway from the
bomber plant.

A large part of my wife's family is somehow connected to that plant and
the airport. That plant and airport had a strong impact on the people
that lived near it. And a very strong impact on the US success in WWII.

Dave

Everette wrote:
> November 28
>
> 1942 Ford's War Effort At Willow Run
>
> On this day, the first production Ford bomber, the B-24 Liberator,
> rolled off the assembly line at Ford's massive Willow Run plant in
> Ypsilanti, Michigan.
>
> Everette
>
> wonder if they marked this like they did the Ford "jeep"
>
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