Sisters

Though this image is somewhat blurry, it is from about 1943. Wanda is wearing her pearl necklace. On the back Wanda wrote “This proves that Reggie does look like me.” Because of the note on the back, this picture was probably mailed overseas to Adrian. There is no indication of where the photo was taken, either through context clues or written on the back; but they look like they are dressed for church. Wanda left, Reggie right

Though no date can be determined for this picture, it seems about the right time period. The location would have been either McCarren Park or Prospect Park, both located in Brooklyn.

Wanda left, Reggie right

From stories Wanda told her children, we know that she and her sister Reggie worked during World War II for Clarostat Manufacturing Company in Brooklyn. In addition to Wanda’s stories, Reggie saved her picture ID from Clarostat. In this picture, Reggie would have been about 20 years old.

Note: The pin has a diameter of about 1.5 inches.

Wanda would have had a similar ID pin, but it did not make it through the past 70 years. It probably died a watery death along with all the love letters that were in a trunk. In the late 1950s or early 1960s a storm flooded our basement resulting in the contents of this trunk containing many things from World War II being destroyed.

Wanda and Regina’s walk to work

To save money, they would have worked within walking distance from home.

It was 0.4 miles

from 146 N 4th Street

at 285 North 6 th to Clarostat Manufacturing Company located Street, Brooklyn, NY.

Wanda often talked about shopping on Havemeyer Street.

So what did Clarostat Manufacturing Company make?

Clarostat Manufacturing Company was a leading manufacturer of rheostats and potentiometers. They were used anyplace a variable control was needed. The development of the potentiometer was significant. A rheostat’s output could change based on temperature and humidity. With the development of the potentiometer, this problem was overcome. Since a potentiometer is not as easily affected by temperature and humidity, it was used to fine tune a rheostat.

How were they used? During the war, changes in gun fire control became more and more automated. Bomb sights were developed that had control knobs for “tuning” in on the target. They made aiming at a target more accurate.

By having controls not affected by the constantly changing environment of the ship or plane’s location, accuracy was vastly improved.

Today we use potentiometers in many places. Dimmer switches, volume controls, tuners, or anyplace we want a dial control.

A Clarostat potentiometer

What did Wanda do at Clarostat?

We have only a few stories we remember from Wanda. She was in charge of a group of women workers. Due to the location of the plant, there were quite a few Polish and Italian women working in the same place. Wanda often talked about spending time keeping the “ethnic” waters calm. She was also responsible for tracking the gold used in the facility. Gold is an excellent conductor of electricity, and therefore important connections were done in gold. This is also true today. Many of the most critical connections in your computer are done with gold as are the jacks on many headphones.

As a manager and troubleshooter, it was often her task to help with machines not working correctly. In one instance, she was trying to fix a jam on some type of machine that coiled wire. She did not get her right thumb out of the way fast enough, and the machine came down on it. Her children remember her scarred thumb and nail.

Wanda also told her daughter, Linda, about being responsible for giving salt injections to workers during the summer months.

We know nothing about what her sister Reggie did, only that they worked different shifts.

This announcement about an “E” award given to the Clarostat Manufacturing Company in November of 1942 appeared in the February edition of the I.R.E. Journal. This was the Institute of Radio Engineers which later merged with AIEE (American Institute of Electrical Engineers) to form the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) of today. John is the source of this information since he used to be a member of IEEE.

Don’t strain you eyes trying to read this – there are enlargements on the next slide.

Since the celebration was held in Brooklyn and the article says there was a banquet attended by “hundreds” of employees, it is most likely that Wanda and Reggie attended. At the time of this party, the Hotel St George was one of the largest hotels in New York. No images of the ballroom from the 1940s can be located. From research, it appears that the décor was based on the use of colored lighting. It was described as “the room of a million moods” and billed as the most beautiful ballroom in the world.

March 20, 1943 Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper Major General Echols mentioned in this article was Oliver Patton Echols. According to Wikipedia: Oliver Patton Echols (March 4, 1892 – May 15, 1954) was an American military officer who brought success in World War II to the United States Army Air Forces by expanding the inventory of America's air arm to meet the needs of the coming war. More than any other man under Chief of the Army Air Forces, General Henry H. (Hap) Arnold, Echols was responsible for the development, procurement and supply of aircraft and aeronautical equipment. Fighter projects officer Benjamin S. Kelsey, directly subordinate to Echols from 1934 to 1945, called him "The Man Who Won World War II."

Life in lean times

By early 1942, the war was impacting the lives of everyone in America. Almost overnight the economy shifted to war production. Consumer goods now took a back seat to military production, and rationing began. In May of 1942, the U.S. Office of Price Administration (OPA) froze prices on practically all everyday goods, starting with sugar and coffee. Below is a chart containing information about some of the rationing. Since the Werbicki family never owned a car, none of those restrictions would have affected them but the World War 2 poster below is very interesting!

Rationed Items Rationing Duration Tires Cars Bicycles Gasoline Fuel Oil & Kerosene Solid Fuels Stoves Rubber Footwear Shoes Sugar Coffee Processed Foods Meats, canned fish Cheese, canned milk, fats January 1942 to December 1945 February 1942 to October 1945 July 1942 to September 1945 May 1942 to August 1945 October 1942 to August 1945 September 1943 to August 1945 December 1942 to August 1945 October 1942 to September 1945 February 1943 to October 1945 May 1942 to 1947 November 1942 to July 1943 March 1943 to August 1945 March 1943 to November 1945 March 1943 to November 1945

In order to help with food rationing, families began growing vegetables on any land they could find including pots on back patios and rooftops. These gardens were called Victory Gardens. Everyone learned how to can food for lean months and nothing was wasted.

Adrian had very fond memories of learning to enjoy food with a “Polish” flair. He always said that Wanda and her mother were amazing cooks. Adrian and Wanda merged Southern cooking with Polish, and no one ever left their table without being impressed.

It became more and more difficult to procure meat. Whenever the Werbicki family got word that a ship with a Fortenberry onboard was coming into the Brooklyn Navy Yard, they would use their rations (even if they had to do without) in such a way as to make sure the “boys” got plenty of good food.

146 N 4 th Street McCarren Park The park closest to where the Werbicki family lived was McCarren Park which appears in many of the war time pictures. It was within easy walking distance since it was about 8 blocks away and less than ½ mile. The Werbicki family lived where the red A is on the map.

The Brooklyn Navy Yard was about 1 ½ miles away. This made the park a wonderful place to relax outside but not far enough to require special transportation to get there.

Look carefully and you can see Wanda’s shadow as she was taking the picture. The type of camera she was using had a viewer from above.

From pictures, it is evident that Adrian and his brother, Don, would occasionally end up at the Brooklyn Navy Yard at the same time. Note what Wanda wrote on the back of this picture.

Front: Don and Wanda. Back: Jennie Cybulski and Reggie.

Picture most likely at McCarren Park.

Don Fortenberry joined the Merchant Marines in February of 1943. He spent from September of 1943 until May of 1944 at the Navy Armed Guard Center in Brooklyn, NY. He was a signalman trained to use Morse Code and signal flags.

This picture and the previous one with Adrian must have been made during this time. Adrian was at the Brooklyn Navy Yard for a short time in December of 1943 and February/March of 1944.

Close ups of previous pictures.

Excerpt from “When He Comes Home” Written by Wanda And waiting always she will be Until that happy day When lovers once again will meet; When he’ll be home to stay.