Editor’s note: This is the eighth installment in the West Hills Gazette’s nine-part series that looks at life in Robinson Township during World War II. This series, written by Janet Gonter of the Robinson Township Historical Society, originally ran in the Suburban Gazette in 2017 but is timely now, as the 80th anniversary of the end of the war will be observed later this summer. Check back each Sunday for a new installment.
Part 1 of 10 | Part 2 of 10 | Part 3 of 10 | Part 4 of 10 | Part 5 of 10
Part 6 of 10 | Part 7 of 10 | Part 8 of 10 | Part 9 of 10 | Part 10 of 10
The Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor shook America out of its complacency about World War II. Suddenly it affected Robinson Township in significant ways. Three local industries entered a period of unparalleled activity: coal mining, railroading and shipbuilding.
Coal, used to fuel the railroads and steel mills, was vital to the effort. Trains powered by coal were used to transport goods, supplies and men on a 24/7 basis. Coal kept the steel mills and factories churning out weaponry, equipment and vehicles. And of course, most homes and businesses of that time were heated by coal.
Moon Run was home to hundreds of coal miners who suddenly found themselves in great demand. Many with experience were protected from the draft because they were desperately needed in the mines. The miner’s dark, grueling shifts suddenly went from 35-hour, five-day weeks to 42-hour, six-day weeks. This intense push in the mines lasted for the duration of the war; in fact, toward the end of the war, the work week peaked at 48 hours.
Likewise, Robinson’s railroads never stopped. Some 70% of all freight transported in the U.S. was by rail. More than 75% of all civilian passengers traveled by rail, as well as an astounding 97% of all military passengers. And those trains, powered by steam engines, all depended on coal to keep them running.
In 1944 alone, the Montour Railroad reported 159 million ton-miles of freight transported on its 50-plus miles of track. Trains hauling coal, freight and passengers came and went through Montour Junction like hordes of locusts. How important were the railroads? According to AmericanRails.com, “…without the railroads, World War II certainly could not have been won by the Allies.”
Another vital local industry was shipbuilding. Early in 1942, at the request of the U.S. Navy, Dravo Corp. on nearby Neville Island quickly shifted from building barges to building LSTs (Landing Ship Transports), destroyer escorts and more, and hundreds of Robinson Township residents worked there.
The number of ships they produced in three short years was staggering — 150 LSTs, 75 destroyer escorts, 20 subchasers and minesweepers, and 65 LSMs (Landing Ship Mediums). Each time a ship was launched into the Ohio River to begin its long journey down the Mississippi and across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe, literally thousands of people would gather to watch and cheer. American flags waved, and local bands played.
The patriotism was palpable. The sights and sounds were engraved forever in the mind of the late Bob Glass, who as a small boy attended one such launch. “I’ll never forget it,” he said. “All those people!”
And Dravo wasn’t the only local business involved in wartime production. The Lewis Foundry in Groveton saw its workforce swell significantly, manufacturing 2-inch guns, gun equipment and 16-inch HC (high capacity) projectiles.
Today, few Robinson Township residents can remember the glory days of Dravo, Lewis, the coal mines, and the railroads, but we know that World War II marked a dramatic new era of prosperity for Robinson Township.
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