O'Keefe & Merritt Company During World War Two
Los Angeles, CA
1920-1950 as O'Keefe & Merritt Company
1950-1990s as O'Keefe & Merritt Brand Name as part of Tappan

This page updated 1-30-2024.

D.P. O'Keefe and R.J. Merritt began producing gas ranges in 1920 in Los Angeles, CA.  The company's products were very popular in southern California, and it prospered during the population growth of that area in the mid- 20th century.  In 1950 the company was sold to Tappan.

 The O'Keefe & Merritt Company won the Army-Navy "E" Award three times during World War Two.

The company was presented with its first award on April 21, 1944, with attendance by the company's 1,200 employees.  The "E" flag was presented to company president D.P. O'Keefe and vice-president R.J. Merritt.

The O'Keefe & Merritt Company's World War Two Products:  Table 1 shows that the company had $41,310,000 in major contracts.  With the exception of four contracts worth $947,000 that were for projectiles and practice shells for the U.S. Army and Navy, the remaining $40,363,000 was for electric generator sets.  Army Ordnance, the Army Signal Corps, and the Army Corps of Engineers all procured generator sets from the O'Keefe & Merritt Company.  Among the generators produced for the Army Signal Corps were PE-95H, PU-32, PH-95G, PU-21, and PU-58.

Table 2 shows that the Army Signal Corps and Army Corps of Engineers were responsible for 85.5% of the total major contracts.  The U.S. Navy only purchased 1.9% of the company's products during World War Two.

This company is one of many documented on this website that built a product line completely different from both its pre and post-World War Two products, which was gas ranges.  O'Keefe & Merritt Company converted from home appliances in August 1942 and began to focus 100% on the manufacture of electric generator sets for the U.S. Army.  This was another unsung company that helped win World War Two.

This O'Keefe & Merritt-built generator was photographed at the 2019 MVPA National Convention in York, PA.  It is mounted in a Ben-Hur Mfg. Company-designed and built one-ton trailer.  Author's photo. 

The PE-95-K was built for the U.S. Army Signal Corps and has a Signal Corps serial number of 1361.  Author's photo.

Author's photo

Author's photo

Author's photo

The gasoline engine is a Willys-Overland JP-441.  This is a version of the famous Willys-Overland "Go Devil" World War Two jeep engine.  Author's photo

The data plate identifies the generator as serial number 19502.  Author's photo

Author's photo

This description of the PE-G and H models was for ones built by D.W. Onan and Sons.  However, it was also typical of those built by O'Keefe & Merrit Company. 

This January 1945 advertisement shows that the company planned to return to the manufacture of gas ranges after the end of World War Two.  It also notes that after August 1942, it was 100% committed to war production and the winning of World War Two.  This advertisement also gives the address for the company, 3700 East Olympic Blvd. in Los Angeles.  

This is 3700 East Olympic Blvd.  The 3700 can be seen behind the red vehicle going down the street.  Image courtesy of Google Maps. 

This satellite view shows the plant location as it is today.  Note the tourist attraction marker in the lower left hand corner of the image:  "Michael Jacksons (Thriller) MV shooting."  We will come back to this note several photos down.  Image courtesy of Google Maps. 

The approximate area of the O'Keefe & Merritt Company plant on East Olympic is 238,368 square feet, or 5.47 acres of manufacturing area under roof.  The building is 764 feet long by 312 feet wide.  However, there is a cut-out in the northeast section of the plant for the curvature of the Los Palos Street along the east side of the plant.  Image courtesy of Google Maps. 

This Google Earth satellite view shows the plant looking southwest.  

This image is of the northeast corner of the plant at East Olympic Blvd. and Los Palos Street.  Image courtesy of Google Maps. 

This mage shows the cut-out in the east side of the factory building due to the curvature of Los Palos Street.  Image courtesy of Google Maps. 

The southeast corner of the former O'Keefe & Merritt Company building is shown here.  It is down Union Pacific Avenue west of this location that, in 1983, Michael Jackson filmed his "Thriller" video.  Image courtesy of Google Maps. 

At 7:58 minutes into the "Thriller" video, Michael Jackson and his girlfriend, played by Ola Ray, are surrounded by ghouls at this location.  This image shows the same location.  In 1983 there was not an encampment of homeless people living in their vehicles parked here, and there was a clear view of the brick wall in the video.  Image courtesy of Google Maps.

At 8:44 into the video, the southwest corner of the factory can be seen.  Image courtesy of Google Maps. 

Currently the wall is lined with razor wire, and both sides of the street are lined with the vehicles of homeless people.  Image courtesy of Google Maps.