Six months after Pearl Harbor, Chuckie was 20 years old when he registered for the draft as required under the 1940 Selective Training and Service Act. Between 1941 and 1943, there were five draft registrations for WWII as the ages changed to 18-44. I found his draft card on the National Archies. It is the only known record of Chuckie’s signature. He’s listed as being 6 Feet tall and 145 lbs. which sounds about right for an active, healthy 20 year old.

Employer: American Bridge Company in Ambridge, Pennsylvania

At that time Chuckie was working at American Bridge Company, a legendary heavy/civil construction company founded in 1900. A modern fabricating and manufacturing facility in Western Pennsylvania was completed in 1903 and became the largest such facility in the world. It was the place where steel was fashioned into the skeletal framework of many of the nation’s ships, bridges and buildings.

A entire town grew around the plant and became known as Ambridge, a conjunction of “American” and “Bridge”. Many of our family, friends and neighbors worked at that plant.

American Bridge’s entire capacity was utilized for National Defense projects from 1941-1945. American Bridge manufactured 199 LST’s as well as four Aviation Repair Vessels, major components for 11 Essex Class Aircraft Carriers, one Super-aircraft Carrier, and 31 Auxiliary Converted Aircraft Carriers, 77 C Type Cargo Ships, four Tankers, 20 Cargo Lighters, and 348 Knock-down Barges.