The Wyandotte news-herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1943-1963, 1945-08-02

NEN%M ago when recalled the many contributions which
aE the men and women of Frestone had made toward
progress civilization during first forty years But little
did realize the problems the sacrifices and the suffering winch
the following five years were to bring.
On this occasion want pay tribute IA 900 members
organization the fighting fronts Tor their
country and to the $500 the home fronts Tor
their loyalty skill and efficiency in performing many miracles Oh
production and distribution essential to the war effort
When the tragedy treachey of Pearl Harbor blasted
our country and America off from its principal
sources rubber the fruits of Frestone pioneering
achievements suddenly became vital to the existence OF our
nation The plantations established by father nearly
twenty Liberia the coast Africa became
one of the few sources rubber which remained
United Nations The of which Frestone
research men spent studying types of synthetic
rubber and learning how to them our Company an
advantage "nowhow" which gladly shared with the
Government and with the rubber industry.
On the day war was declared dedicated all of
resources manufacturing facilities engineering
experience scientific skill to the OF victory Our
existing converted with all possible speed to the
manufacture of materials and additional plants were built
or leased For example erected in just fifty working days
huge new plant which to make Bofors forty meter anti
aircraft guns But before single gun could be built we mao
translate bueprn from Swedish into Englsn ana
from the American standards In record time
we found produce these quicker stronger and at
lower by making changes design and by the use
of welding instead of Since then more than thty
thousand have been built They played leading role in the
defeat of Lufwae and recently received word from the
NAVY Department that guns the most effective answer
to Japanese suicide planes.
Today there are fortyeght Firesone plants in nineteen
states and foreign countries From these hty-elgnt
Firesone factories continual flood OF war materials IN
the past years. have produced millions OF tires for military
vehicles and combat planes We have also built millions Of tires
for civilian cars buses and tractors essential on the
home front for transportation and power farming. -
Products of the plants have service every
heaer from oran oknawa Life vests life belts gas
masks bueseang oil cells, shaerproof cyln
natabe rubber boats like the which rescued
Captain Eddie Rckenbacker and his gallant have saved
countless lives Frestone barrage balloons nave
guarded cities and conveys In General Pattons daring dash
France his asovng tanks rolled on Frestone
tracks and boyle Feson bridge pntons and fired
their guns Frestonebut turets Billions of machine
bullets from metallic belt links made by Frestone
Giant Commando transport planes flying wings built
Fston carried thousands of tons of precious
over the hump India to China and with Frestonebut
elders carried arbo troops their rendezvous with
destiny behind the enemy lines IN Europe n
These are few of the different products made
during rubber metals pastcs and textiles Some of
still secret but tell that Fiesone bombs
and rockets have wrought terrible destruction
enemies.
Our Company the the rubber industry to win
the coveted AmyNavy E Award and many of and
women paid high tributes by the Government and by
professional organizations Our chairman John W. Thomas for
example, recently awarded the annual gold medal of the
Institute of Chemists his outstanding leadership
In the American synthetic rubber program.
Yes the first day of war, Fresone have
about for victory During the woshaterng events Of
past years have learned things which WILL in
postwar world enable make products of greater
quality and value than the past the Government
the word prepared recover factories from
wartime peacetme production When that happy event
will from Frestone hundreds of and better
products for and better world