Pennsylvania Homefront

The Pennsylvania homefront was one of the biggest contributors to the WWII effort. With about 900,000 Pennsylvania men and 22,000 women serving in the armed forces, the people left behind had to rally to support in any ways they could. 

One of the biggest ways Pennsylvania contributed was through the industry. The state was home to many factories which helped to produce steel, munitions, and military vehicles. 

The Pittsburgh region alone produced $19.3 billion worth of products, including 52 million shells, 1.7 million bombs, 2.3 million pounds of chemicals for explosives and 245,000 small parachutes for flares and bombs. 

 

Overall, Pennsylvania provided 31 percent of America's steel and 20 percent of worldwide production. 

Pennsylvania was also home to more than forty military bases and depots that helped to train and recruit soldiers for the needs of the military. 

Kaczmarczyk was from Schuylkill County, an area close to the Philadelphia region. Like many smaller homefront areas, Schuylkill contributed to the war with less impactful, but still important means. 

Families would ration food and plant their own "Victory Gardens", so more food could be sent to soldiers. They also would collect scrap metal and paper for the war effort. Those who could worked in factories, helping to produce crucial materials.