'He really had no idea': Daughter shares her fathers' involvement in making the atomic bomb
WEST ALLIS, Wis. (CBS 58)--The Edward P. Allis company was a large Milwaukee-area manufacturing firm in the late 19th century. In 1901, they merged with Chicago-based Frasier-Chalmers Company, Gates Iron Works and Dickson Manufacturing to create the industrial giant known as 'Allis-Chalmers Co.'
"Chances are if you lived in West Allis, you were in some way involved with one of the companies but most especially, Allis-Chalmers," said Steve Schaffer, lead archivist at the Milwaukee Historical Society.
Schaffer said when Allis-Chalmers Co. bought a 100-acre lot (near 70th Street and Greenfield Ave.), which became a plant that assisted in both world war efforts, Allis-Chalmers placed the Milwaukee suburb on the map and rumor has it, gave it its official name of "West Allis."
"Practically every household either had someone working at the plant or knew someone that worked at the plant," added Devan Gracyalny, president of the West Allis Historical Society.
He said Allis-Chalmers became a household name.
"During this Manhattan Project where there were contributors throughout the whole United States, the West Allis contribution, pound for pound, had more significance in that project than any other research facility or manufacturing facility in the world at the time," said Gracyalny.
Geri Pyrek of Milwaukee said her father Worthy Floyd Martin worked at Allis-Chalmers for 42 years.
"In 1939, he got a job at Allis-Chalmers, an internship, and he was being paid a total of 29 cents an hour," she said as she chuckled.
Pyrek said her father was an intern for three years before becoming full time.
"He worked in many different departments: he worked in steam turbines, pumps, compressors, centrifuges," she explained.
He actually helped sketch and design the centrifugal pumps that were utilized in the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb.
"He knew nothing until after the war and when he was actually working on that project, he couldn't understand why they had to lock all their papers up at the end of the day," she told CBS 58 Sunday Morning. "Every single piece of paper, just a scrap with scribbles on it or doodles, had to be locked in a safe for...Oak Ridge Tennessee."
Since the production of the atomic bomb was one of the best kept secrets of the war, most workers at Allis-Chalmers had no idea just how global their contributions would be.
"They actually had soldiers watching them doing the work, you'd think you'd get a little suspicious about that, but I don't know if he was just young or just everybody was so secretive, but he really had no idea at the time that they were working on something for the atomic bomb," Pyrek added.
In 1941, at 21 years old, Martin registered for the draft, but the army labeled him as a '4-F' for an injury that never healed properly.
"My father thought he would actually get called up in spite of his arm because the war was dragging on and he credits his friend, his friend Ted Herenda for breaking the arm during a football game, for saving his life 'cause he didn't have to go fight," she said. "I mean there were a lot of boys who didn't come back."
The universe had other plans for Martin. He ended up meeting the love of his life in his very own hometown.
"He actually met my mom because she worked for Allis-Chalmers...he was a little shy about asking her out but they had a little help from friends to get together," Pyrek laughed.
The Martins got married in 1948 and a year later, their eldest daughter Geri was born.
After the war, he went back to college to get an engineering degree and then decided to go back to work for Allis-Chalmers.
"He got to travel a little, not like people do these days but every now and again my mom would have to pack up a suitcase and be off to New York or Kansas City or Los Angeles," she mentioned.
Martin became a published author and shared some of his knowledge with the world regarding the massive corporation he devoted his life to, not knowing the atomic bomb would become the single most important development that has altered mankind.
"I know a lot of families did serve in the war and it's nice to know my father played a part in it too," she said.