World War II Woman

One of Thirteen

Ann was the youngest of 13 children – 9 girls and 4 boys. Interestingly enough, none of her brothers served in the military during World War II. Being older than Ann, they were married with families.

Although Ann had a job already, she heard there was better money to be had at the Synthane Corporation in Oaks, Pennsylvania. Synthane, like most industries, had switched to defense work and was in need of female workers as the men went off to war. Their main product was Bakelite, used in panels on ships, and to encase radios, and other electrical items.

Ann’s job was to spray paint little panels that locked into talking radios or walkie talkies. She and her fellow workers were in a booth that removed the fumes as they worked. They all wore uniforms – light blue pants and shirts. Jean showed me her badge from those years. It’s a circular metal badge with the words Synthane Corporation surrounding her photo.

From the windows of the building, they could see the trains marked with a large Red Cross, bringing wounded soldiers to the Valley Forge General Hospital. Occasionally the trains would lay over awaiting a train to take them the soldiers the remainder of the way to Phoenixville. (For more on the hospital, check out Jeanne’s story on page 27 of We Knew We Were at War: Women Remember World War II)..

Like many others of us during that period, Ann wrote to a number of servicemen. She recalls particularly three men - one in the Army, one in the Marines, and another a paratrooper in France. She would also go to the Valley Forge Hospital under the auspices of the Red Cross to help entertain the troops.

Of course, when the war was over, all the women were let go at Synthane as the men returned to the jobs. Being a good worker, Ann always seemed to be able to find employment rather quickly.

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