A photograph of Orpah I. Bixler taken about 1941 when she went to work for the Jacob’s Aircraft Plant in Pottstown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The story of her work there during World War II, was told in the Citizen-Standard (Valley View), November 5, 2015:
In 1941, she was 18 years old, had just graduated from the former Hegins Township High School and was forking as a waitress at Kimmel’s Dairy, but she was seeking better wages.
By this time America had just entered World War II and an opportunity arose for Orhap [Bixler] Umholtz to work at Jacob’s Aircraft, Pottstown, and she took it.
It was at this plant, many miles away from her family, where she became “Rosie the Riveter” for the war efforts.
[According to her son, Tommy Umholtz], “Mother had three cousins who also worked in Pottstown… She would stay in Pottstown in Mrs. Curry’s house through the week and then she would come home every weekend to visit. Of course at that time she wasn’t yet married and had no children. She remained working there until the war was over. Then she returned to Valley View where she lived and worked the rest of her life.”
Tommy said he recalled several other local people who also worked in the plant, but he said they too have passed on. He said there may be one woman with whom his mother worked that still lives in a home in Lebanon, but he wasn’t positive if she was still living.
Since Orpah had just passed, Tommy has been at home going through her items. He offered to bring [to the newspaper] a large, framed photo of Jacob’s Aircraft Plant that his mother had hanging on the wall in an upstairs bedroom… to be photographed….
He was amazed at what he found when he took the photo off the wall.
“I knew it had been hanging on the wall for many years, but there on the back of the photo, was my mother’s handwriting depicting when she worked there, what her duties were and just some of the things she encountered,” said Tommy.
Orpah had written the following:
“I worked here for four years, 1941-1945.
“We made Pratt and Whitney Air Craft Engines for trainers.
“It (meaning the plant) had a flat roof filled with water so if an enemy plane would come across they’s think it was a lake.
“We had to enter by way of a tunnel, there was no other way to get in. As we entered we were searched and our pocket books were open to see if we had any weapons. Also we were X-rayed.
“It had two, 110-hour shifts, 8 to 10,000 people worked there.
“I assembled carburetors and helped to assemble engines.
“We tested the engines here and it took 40 hours an engine.”
Tommy also brought in a badge from Jacob’s Aircraft. He said the badges had to be worn by each of the workers. He said the badge is not his mother’s but he believed it belonged to a Les Wenrich, from the Pine Grove area. He said he purchased a bucket of hardware items at a public sale and the badge was found in the bucket.
Tommy also noted that an engine from Jacob’s Aircraft was also on display at the third floor in the State Museum in Harrisburg.
Orpha’s obituary appeared in a local newspaper in 2015 at the time of her death:
Orpah I. Umholtz, age 92, of Valley View, passed away Monday, October 19, 2015 at The Manor at Susquehanna Village, Millersburg.
She was born on Wednesday, April 18, 1923, in Valley View, a daughter of the late Wellington G. Bixler and the late Eva E. [Herner] Bixler.
She was a 1941 graduate of the former Hegins Township High School.
She was a “Rosie the Riveter” at Jacob’s Aircraft, Pottstown during World War II.
Orpah was the founding president of the former Valley View Fire Company Auxiliary.
She was a seamstress in area garment factories prior to her retirement.
She was a member of St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church, Valley View.
Her husband Lester R. Umholtz passed away in 1997.
She was also preceded in death by her parents and by a brother Mark W. Bixler.
She is survived by two sons, Thomas H. Umholtz and his wife Joyce Umholtz of Linglestown and Jack W. Umholtz and his wife Debra Umholtz of Valley View, five grandchildren; and a great granddaughter….
Burial was made in St. Andrew’s Cemetery, Valley View.
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“Rosie the riveter” poster from the Library of Congress.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.