Target: Akron, Ohio?

As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, it feels like the right moment to look back at the infrastructure that helped shape a young nation into something far greater than the sum of its parts. In Northeast Ohio, that story runs through the heart of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, where the historic Ohio & Erie Canal and the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad trace a shared path through time.

Had Germany and the Axis forces had the capability to bomb the continental United States during WWII, Akron, Ohio would have been a primary target.

Why? Because Akron’s major rubber companies (The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, and B.F. Goodrich) were cranking out critical military materials including vehicle tires for trucks, jeeps, and tanks, aircraft tires, synthetic rubber (since Japan had cut off supply of much of the rubber), life rafts, barrage balloons, aircraft components and numerous other war supplies.

Black and white photo of man looking at large tire with many tires in background

Inspector in rubber factory checks large airplane tire prior to preparation for shipment. Stack of airplane tires for a famous American fighter are shown in background. Goodyear, Akron, Ohio intermediary roll film. From Library of Congress

Black and white photo of man and woman looking at rubber boat.

Building assault boats for U.S. Marine Corps. Supervisor instructs employee in the balloon room in one of the production steps in boat manufacture. Goodyear, Akron, Ohio. Photo from Library of Congress

A flashlight is called into play as these U.S. Navy (USN) inspectors go over every portion of the huge stabilizer just assembled at an Ohio plant. Goodyear, Akron, Ohio. Photo from Library of Congress

Men inspect aircraft parts in a large aircraft hanger.

Full production, twenty-four hours daily, is the schedule on these control surfaces for Martin bombers as well as for many other aircraft parts being turned out in this huge converted airship dock in Ohio. Goodyear, Akron, Ohio. Photo from Library of Congress

In fact, rubber production was considered so vital to the war effort that when the union struck the rubber companies in 1943 involving over 50,000 employees, President Franklin D. Roosevelt got directly involved to try to cool tempers and end the strike.

Things were so dire and people were so worried in Akron that civil defense programs were set up which included blackout drills, air-raid warnings and even aircraft-spotter networks.

Akron was also important in aviation production and the giant Goodyear Airdock (later sold to Lockheed Martin) built military airships and components for aircraft used in the war effort.

It was also for this reason that school children in the 50s and early 60s were taught to shelter under their desks and protect their heads in regular drills just in case a bomb to reach the mainland.

Fast, Efficient Shipping Was Critical

The ability to produce critical products for the war was one thing. Getting those products to market was quite another. That’s where the railroads played a major role. On the production side, rubber manufacturing required huge amounts of raw materials to arrive in Akron including petroleum products, carbon black, chemicals, solvents and so much more.

These products arrived primarily by rail. Trucking had become severely limited because trucks, fuel and tires were being diverted to the military.

By the same token, once products were manufactured, trains again played a major role in getting those products to market whether the destination was army bases, aircraft factories, tank and vehicle assembly plants, or East or Gulf Coast ports for overseas shipment.

A woman mixing ingredients in front of an inspiring poster.

Posters in use. Balloon room worker mixing cement is reminded of the importance of her task by OPM (Office of Personnel Management) poster hanging on balloon room wall. Goodyear, Akron, Ohio. Photo from Library of Congress

Man in large room stacked with rubber boats.

Building assault boats for U.S. Marine Corps. Stacks of boats ready for deflation and packing are shown in the balloon room. Goodyear, Akron, Ohio. Photo from Library of Congress

Black and white photo of 2 men working on metal parts in a factory.

Many strange-looking tools are required to get into the difficult places where rivets must be placed in the modern military airplane. Workers are working on an airplane sub-assembly part in an Ohio plant. Goodyear, Akron, Ohio. Photo from Library of Congress

Fortunately, Akron was already well served with several railroads including:

• Pennsylvania Railroad
• Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
• Erie Railroad
• Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad

These railroads allowed Akron companies to be in the unique position to ship their products throughout the county.

Without railroads, Akron would not have been able to play the key role it did in the war effort that ultimately allowed the Allied Forces to be victorious.

As we celebrate our country’s 250th birthday, we should be thankful that Akron, Ohio was able to play such a key role in the war effort.

Black and White photo of 2 men inspecting large rubber tracks.

Tracks for Army halftrac cars must undergo a careful inspection and be approved before they can be released from the production line of a Midwest tire plant. Goodrich, Akron, Ohio digital file from original neg. Photo from Library of Congress

A man pulls a chain near many sets of rubber tracks.

A huge and rapidly increasing supply of tracks for Army halftrac cars comes from one Ohio tire plant alone. Traveling chain hoists carry tracks from the curing press to trimming racks on which curing plates and overflowing edges of rubber are removed. Goodrich, Akron, Ohio. Photo from Library of Congress

Black and white photo of man placing rubber tire into a cardboard box.

Workman packages airplane tires of type in common use on U.S. military fighter aircraft. Goodyear, Akron, Ohio. Photo from Library of Congress

Learn more about the history of Northeast Ohio in our recent blog posts commemorating America's 250th birthday!