As a result of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941, the United States entered World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt would rally the nation with his inspiring “Day of Infamy” speech as war was declared on Japan. The Selective Service Act of 1940 (the draft) continued to induct young men into the military. The draft board No. 2 was headquartered at the Northampton Post Office. Some of our neighbors who answered the call to serve were John Husak, John Sylvester (who later operated John’s Photo Studio), John Paul, John Ifkovits and Louis Skok, who was fullback on Northampton’s 1937 Wonder Team. Draftees would walk to the Siegfried train station and board a Central of New Jersey train going to a training site. A familiar sight was seeing servicemen, tanks, trucks and military equipment on trains moving through the borough.

On the home front, our local communities organized civil defense agencies. They met and organized at the Fred A. Snyder 353 American Legion in Northampton. Air defense arrangements were approved for Northampton. There were many residents who volunteered their services for the defense program. The borough was divided into four wards, with a captain in each ward. Blackouts were held throughout the United States. In Northampton, when the fire alarm rang, all lights were turned off. Air raid wardens and other volunteers patrolled the neighborhoods, making sure homeowners were following the law. An eerie silence fell over the communities during a blackout.

The Northampton captains were George Cole in the first ward, Russell Bilheimer in the second ward, Arthur Miller in the third ward and William Clewell in the fourth ward. My father-in-law, Raymond Shoemaker, volunteered to patrol his neighborhood in the third ward.

The Northampton School District organized the schools for civil defense.

The school district rules stated, “All Elementary students, Junior High and Senior High students who could reach home in 5 minutes will do so when an alarm is sounded.”

Residents in the vicinity of the schools who do not have children in schools were asked to accommodate groups of students of no more than five in a raid. The program was well received in all neighborhoods. Any remaining students would be assembled in main school corridors. Paul Lentz of Lentz Motors was the civil defense director.

In North Catasauqua, residents assembled at the Charotin fire hall to discuss home defense. Burgess Edgar Bartholomew presided at the meetings. James Watson, a veteran of World War I, was appointed deputy air raid warden. He was assisted by William Kennan, of the first ward, and Urban Smith, of the second ward.

In Coplay, the large siren at the Coplay Cement manufacturing plant was the official air raid signal in the borough. Dr. James Weres was the chief air raid warden in Coplay. This plan was devised because men at the Coplay Cement plant had access to the switch and were on duty 24 hours daily. Firemen would go to the fire department when the air raid began and remained there until the air raid was over.

The Coplay Cement Company and other cement companies were given war defense contracts to produce defense equipment in their machine shops. Our local cement plants were very important during the war. They produced thousands of barrels of cement for military bases and naval yards. For example, our neighbor — Giant Portland Cement Company of Egypt — shipped 60,000 barrels of cement to be poured in the new docks under construction at the Philadelphia naval yard. Our citizens, businesses and industry all worked together to make America the great arsenal of democracy.

See you in two weeks!