We Can Do It!: Fayette County connections found in new WWII exhibit
"We Can Do It" exhibit which features Pittsburgh's impact on WWII. The 10,000 square foot exhibit at Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh, includes several Fayette County connections. Details: heinzhistorycenter.org
The personal items, including a compass and its case, belonged to Oliver native Victor Gallik, who served with CCC Company 343 in Camp S-136-PA in Galeton, PA 鈥� Cherry Springs State Park. While in the war with the Coast Guard, Gallik took part in four major invasions, including Normandy and Southern France. Gallik's war journal is included in the Heinz History Center's exhibit "We Can Do It!''
Houze Glass of Point Marion joined the war effort by building radio and antenna insulators, as well as aviator glasses out of blown lens spheres that were used by the Navy for WWII. Artifacts can be found in the cases in this gallery at the Heinz History Center.
Sgt. Michael Strank, of Conemaugh, Pa, is now memorialized in a life-size replica at the Heinz History Center's new exhibit, "We Can Do It!". Strank led a squad up the flanks of Mount Suribachi at Iwo Jima, and was photographed raising the flag which later became an iconic image. He was killed in combat on March 1, 1944.
Amanda Steen | 缅北禁地
In this 缅北禁地 file photo, a life-size replica of Uniontown鈥檚 Gen. George C. Marshall was unveiled at the 鈥淲e Can Do It!鈥� exhibit at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. Marshall became the U.S. Army Chief of Staff the day Hitler invaded Poland and dramatically transformed the army.
A photo and aviator mask and helmet of Lt. Carl J. Woods of Mars and Homewood, Pa., are displayed at the "We Can Do It!" exhibit at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. Woods, a combat mission pilot with the 100th Fighter Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Corp's Tuskegee Airmen, died when he was shot down over the Adriatic Sea while on a bombing run to Austria in October 1944.
An "Uncle Sam" uniform is featured at the new "We Can Do It" exhibit at the Heinz History Center which features artifacts, life-size replicas, interactive displays and photography that commemorates the 75th anniversary of the start of WWII.
A jeep which was produced by the American Bantam Car Company in Butler, Pa, is one of many featured American inventions at the new exhibit in the Heinz History Center that helped bolster war efforts during WWII.
Leslie A. Przybylek, curator of history for the Heinz History Center, speaks to the press during a tour at a new exhibition which features Pittsburgh's impact on WWII. The 10,000 square foot exhibit includes several Fayette County connections.
Andy Masich, president and CEO of the Heinz History Center, welcomes the press to a tour at the new "We Can Do It" exhibit which features Pittsburgh's impact on WWII. The 10,000 square foot exhibit includes several Fayette County connections.
Victor Gallik, from Oliver, (far right) who served with Civilian Conservation Corps Company 343 in Camp S-136-PA in Galeton, PA 鈥� Cherry Springs State Park. Many CCC members, like Gallik, went on to serve in WWII. While in the war with the Coast Guard, Gallik took part in four major invasions, including Normandy and Southern France.
Employees of Houze Glass in Point Marion are shown blowing a glass sphere. Houze made several products for the Navy during World War II, much of it classified. This photograph is on display at the Heinz History Center's new WWII exhibit "We Can Do It!''
Details:
鈥淲e Can Do It!鈥� exhibit
Where: Heinz History Center, 1212 Smallman St., Pittsburgh
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily through Jan. 3
Admission: 聽$15 adults; $13 senior citizens; $6 military, students with school ID and children ages 6-17; free for members and children younger than 5 years.
Information: 412-454-6000 or www.heinzhistorycenter.org
A lifelike figure of Gen. George Marshall sits in contemplation at his desk at the Heinz History Center where visitors can learn about the Uniontown native鈥檚 important role in World War II in the new exhibit 鈥淲e Can Do It!鈥�
鈥淢arshall ended up with a difficult challenge because he became chief of staff for the Army on the day that Germany invaded Poland,鈥� explained Leslie Przybylek, curator of history. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e looking at a local son and his role in turning the Army into a fighting force.鈥�
Marshall is one of several Fayette County connections found in the recently opened exhibit that explains western Pennsylvania鈥檚 impact on World War II.
The exhibit also contains a wartime journal and other memorabilia that belonged to Victor Gallik, a native of Oliver, North Union Township, who served with the Coast Guard off Utah Beach as part of the D-Day invasion; artifacts from Houze Glass in Point Marion that made products for the Navy and an oral history from Walter J. Vicinelly of Masontown, who served as an Army medic.
鈥淲e Can Do It!鈥� looks at the roles played by individuals and companies throughout the region.
鈥淚t took a whole society 鈥� men, women and children were involved in the war effort,鈥� said Andy Masich, president and CEO.
Highlights include lifelike figures of regional heroes. Besides Marshall, there are two men who died in combat 鈥� Tuskegee Airman Lt. Carl Woods of Mars and Homewood, and Sgt. Michael Strank of Conemaugh, who is a figure in Joe Rosenthal鈥檚 iconic photograph of a flag-raising at Iwo Jima. There鈥檚 also Rosie the Riveter, a cultural icon representing American women working on the home front, who became a 1943 poster by a Westinghouse artist based on a popular song and, Masich said, may have inspired Norman Rockwell to create his own for the cover of Saturday Evening Post.
Components include an Army Air Corps uniform jacket worn by actor Jimmy Stewart, an Indiana, Pa., native who became the first Hollywood star to enlist; the oldest known jeep in existence, which was produced in Butler; and a Hall of Industry that displays products made by companies throughout the region.
Local residents may be especially touched to see the roles played by Fayette County in the war.
Best known is Marshall, whom history center staff said may be better recognized for his later work as Secretary of State when he created the Marshall Plan to revitalize Europe鈥檚 post-war economy and for which he received the 1953 Nobel Peace Prize.
But Anne Madarasz, museum division director, said, 鈥淎 lot of historians see Marshall played a major role, not just in building the Army and the way war was waged, but as a council to both Roosevelt and Truman at all major Allied conferences held throughout the war. He is in a seat of power when the new world order is decided and the presidents looked to Marshall for his leadership and wisdom through the end of the war and after.鈥�
Another Fayette County face is found in the beginning of the exhibit which starts in the 1930s as the world deals with the aftermath of World War I and the Great Depression.
Oliver native Victor Gallik joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, serving with Company 343 in Camp S-136-PA / Galeton at Cherry Springs State Park in Potter County. On display are Gallik鈥檚 compass and case as well as two group photos that include Gallik wearing a white shirt and fedora with his arms crossed.
As the war began, Gallik was working at Westinghouse in Pittsburgh.
鈥淒uring the 1940s, it was hard to keep people on the job,鈥� said Przbylek. 鈥淏ecause Westinghouse had a close relationship with the Navy, Victor Gallik had to get permission to enlist. Westinghouse told him no because he was an essential war worker. So he quit and joined the Coast Guard.鈥�
Victor Gallik Jr., of Pittsburgh, said his late father was an electrician鈥檚 mate and movie projectionist for the USS Bayfield APA 33. Gallik鈥檚 war journal is also on display in the gallery about local ties to combat. He was off the coast of Normandy, France near Utah Beach on D-Day.
鈥淚t was an attack transport that moved men and loaded them off unto landing craft,鈥� explained Gallik Jr. 鈥淎fterwards, they took the wounded and POWs to England and brought supplies back.鈥�
Many local businesses were involved in the war effort, including Houze Glass of Point Marion, which manufactured products, such as the first infrared lenses for the Navy. Much of their work was classified.
Houze artifacts on display include a lens ball, which is a glass sphere from which lenses were cut; glass insulators used by the Navy for radios and photographs of Houze factory employees at work.
鈥�(Houze) is now known for its art but they were doing crucial work,鈥� said Przybylek.
The final Fayette County connection is found in one of the last galleries where visitors can hear veterans鈥� oral histories of the war, including that of Walter J. Vicinelly, of Masontown, who served as a medic with the Army鈥檚 47th Infantry Regiment of the Ninth Division in Europe.
Walter G. Vicinelly, said his late father served in Normandy on D-Day Plus Three, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe. He was wounded twice and received the Purple Heart with one oak leaf cluster and the Bronze Star.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 wonderful there鈥檚 an exhibit that brings their memories back to us,鈥� said Walter G. Vicinelly. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 realize what they endured until you hear about it and to hear him talk about it would be quite emotional.鈥�
鈥淲e Can Do It!鈥� runs through Jan. 3. More information is available at www.heinzhistorycenter.org.