The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-09
TOOL COMP ANY
 GETS EMDLEMS
Army.Navy and Navy 'E' EmbIenls Climax ExCel-
 lent Production Record

One of the outstanding "comSA backs on the local production front in connection with the war effort was officially recognized yesterday afternoon at the plant of the Wa terbury Tool Division of Vickers, Inc, when o Army-Navy F award flag was flown from the staff above the organization which turned out $2,060,O0O worth of war material during the month of March, 1923.
 Simple but impressive ceremony. marked the restoration of the orig inal Navy 'E' lost by Waterbury Tool last October when its production fell below standards required by the United States Navy. The naval 'E' was not only won back, by increased accomplishment of Watco employees, but replaced by an Army-Navy 'E'; officially recognized yesterday by Captain A. K. Atkins of Hartford, district inspector of naval mate- rials; and Lieutenant W. B. Harri- man United States Army, of the Waterbury sub-ofilce of the War Department.
 P. P. Hodgkinsor, assistant gen. eral manager of the Waterbury Tool plant, presided as master of cere- monies; at the outdoor assembly of several hundred Waterbury Tool employees; official presentation of the Army-Navy 'E' being made by Cap- tain Atkins to Walter E. Pohl, vice. president and general manager of the local institution; which has been manufacturing gear equipment for the United States Navy since the turn of the century. Captain Atkins recalled Q Waterbury tool gear in. stalled on a naval vessel in 1902 when he was a midshipmail. Calling the Tool company employees Ship. mates" the naval offlcer laudec them for their production efHoru since loss of the Navy F last Octo' Der; stating that: when the flag came down, production went up" quoting 8 figure of $1,072,0OO worth of equipment in September, 1922, as against the March, 1943, figure ot $2,068,0 ,000. MT. Hodgkinson referred to the loss of the first Navy 'E' won by the company: T had hoped our humility would be of short dura- ton. It was exactly one year ago yesterday, April 8, 1922, that the original award for excellence in pro- duction was won by the Waterbury Tool division of Vickers, Inc, whose president, Harry Vickers sent con- gratulatory telegram to the erll' ployes yesterday, stating his regret at being able to attend the cere- mony marking the hoisting of the Army-Navy service award for pro- duction.
 Lieutenant Hartman of the Army presented E lapel pins and buttons to the employees; John Mitchell and Esther MacAllister, the two oldest employees in point of service accepC- ing in behalf of the workers. MT. Mitchell, a night foreman, and Miss MacAllister, an office employe have worked in the plant for @ com" bined total of 54 years.
 Vincent Ippolito led the Water. bury Tool band in series of must- cal selections; Joseph Lezotte sing" ing the national anthem and Amer ica during the ceremony, which be- gan about 3:30 p. m. Tn his remarks, Captain Atkins, who has heard from his sons and other Navy men now serving overseas, told his audience that the men in service expressed "amazement relative to lack o, maximum production in some part of the nation; and also of the "Ab' senteeism" reported in connection with the war effort.