Montgomery in Montgomery County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
World War II / Defense Economy
More than 321,000 Alabamians served in uniform around the globe Some won distinction, including fourteen Medal of Honor recipients. Most simply served with bravery and determination, intent on winning the war and returning to their lives in Alabama. More than six thousand Alabamians died. Those who survived came home as heroes, changed both by combat and by exposure to new ideas, people, and places.
"We'll win this war...for winning the war means returning to home, and home and what it stands for is what we are fighting for."
Lt. Charlie Beavers, Birmingham, writing from Italy, 1944
Birmingham, hit hard by the Depression rebounded to become “the great arsenal of the South A massive influx of shipbuilding workers and troops made Mobile the most crowded pore city in the U.S. Even small towns bulged with workers who build and worked in critical wartime factories such as a gunpowder plant in Childersburg.
With so many men serving in uniform, women stepped in ta perforin industrial jobs traditionally not available to them, Although black workers faced discrimination in wartime plants, the need for more workers created new opportunities that challenged the status quo.
Among one hundred T-2 tankers built in Mobile was the SS Tule Canyon, launched on May 31, 1944, it was constructed by an all-black crew in 79 days, breaking all previous records for production in the shipyard.
Erected 2019 by the Alabama Bicentennial Commission.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • War, World II. A significant historical date for this entry is May 31, 1944.
Location. 32° 22.633′ N, 86° 18.105′ W. Marker is in Montgomery, Alabama, in Montgomery County. Marker can be reached from Dexter Avenue east of Decatur Street, on the right when traveling east. Located in Alabama Bicentennial Park in front of the Alabama Attorney General's Building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 500 Dexter Ave, Montgomery AL 36130, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Segregation / Civil Rights (here, next to this marker); Made in Alabama / Space Race (a few steps from this marker); Great Depression / New Deal (a few steps from this marker); Rural Life / Agricultural Economy (within shouting distance of this marker); Globalization / 21st Century Economy (within shouting distance of this marker); Professor John Metcalfe Starke / Starke University School (within shouting distance of this marker); Alabama's Third Century / Alabama Voices (within shouting distance of this marker); Populism / 1901 Constitution (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Montgomery.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 27, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 27, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 143 times since then and 39 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 27, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.