Chuckie was one of more than three million who joined the Army in 1942, the year after Pearl Harbor. At the outset of World War II, the United States Army was short of properly trained and prepared Soldier. To answer the call for more combat troopers, the Army built induction centers all over the country. New recruits and draftees had to be inducted into the Army, trained, and shipped to war as quickly and efficiently as possible. 

Like Chuckie, the new additions were mostly young Americans who would normally have been pursuing jobs, schooling, and family life, but instead were answering the nation’s call to arms. Each were assigned serial numbers. I found Chuckie’s record in the The National Archives. Many of them had never even traveled outside their home state, let alone Europe, Asia, or the Pacific Islands. Preparing these millions of civilians for war would be one of the military’s most daunting challenges.

All new recruits went through a few weeks of basic training, often called “boot camp.” The goal was to turn the wide variety of individuals who entered the service into teams of fighters who could work seamlessly with one another to achieve their objectives. 

Soldiers who needed training to perform specialized jobs, such as mechanics or radio operators, shipped off to special schools to learn their new trade. Soldiers serving as infantry, paratroopers, or artillery went to basic training to learn to be a soldier in their specific branch.

Camp personnel shaved the heads of the recruits and assigned them serial numbers. Platoons of recruits slept, ate, and learned together, and even did hours upon hours of physical fitness training as a unit. Following commands, they practiced the same basic skills over and over— marching, loading, unloading, and cleaning their weapons. Drill instructors used tough methods to force the newcomers to become attentive to detail and protocol. Even the smallest mistakes could result in extra kitchen duty or a challenging physical punishment—sometimes for the entire group.

The Library of Congress holds thousands of images from World War II in its collections — from sources as diverse as the soldiers themselves, civilians, government agencies, professional photographers, and more.  information can be found on the The National WWII Museum’s website.

Chuckie was 20 years old when he was enlisted to serve in United States Army during World War II. The terms were for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law. Chuckie’s official enlistment record notes he is single with no dependents and is semi-skilled welder and flame cutter.

During American involvement in World War II from 1941–45, the government used propaganda through a diverse set of posters to increase loyalty to war efforts and commitment to victory. I do not know why Chuckie enlisted that day. There is no one alive anymore who remembers him for me to ask.

Who me? Yes, You!

Posters were widely used by the United States for propaganda during World War II, so much that there were over 200,000 poster designs created and printed during the war. The posters mostly had a positive message, which differed from other countries. With a stern look and bony finger pointing out, the “I Want YOU” poster was the embodiment of America that pushed all young men to enlist for their moral responsibility. Of all World War II propaganda posters with explanation, Uncle Sam sticks out as one of the most famous. Actually, this poster was first published in 1916 for the First World War recruiting efforts. It proved to be so popular, the U.S. Army revamped it and pushed it out again for the Second World War. With its proliferation and its incorporation into satire throughout the 20th-century, this image continues to reverberate strongly in American cultural memory.

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.