Westfield Manufacturing Company in World War Two

Westfield Manufacturing Company in World War Two
Westfield, MA
1915-2019
2019-Present as Columbia Manufacturing, Inc.

This page added 5-27-2022.

An American Auto Industry in World War Two Special Edition

As early as 1878, the first Columbia bicycles were manufactured in Hartford, MA. Lieutenant-Colonel Albert Augustus Pope, who had a vision of marketing the newly popular bicycle, negotiated with the Weed Sewing Machine Co. about building bicycles rather than importing them. Only a few months later the first bicycles, a replica of an English bicycle, began production in Hartford, Connecticut. Through a number of acquisitions and moves, the Pope Manufacturing Co. consolidated its manufacturing into a plant in Westfield, Massachusetts. In 1915 the Pope Manufacturing Co. filed for bankruptcy. The company was reorganized and renamed, The Westfield Manufacturing Company. Throughout a number of subsequent bankruptcies and name changes over the years, the company now called Columbia Manufacturing Inc. has never ceased production for any extended period of time; and the company that exists today is a direct descendant of the original Pope Manufacturing Co. The company now makes classroom furniture.

Westfield Manufacturing Company won the Army-Navy "E" Award three times during World War Two.

Westfield Company World War Two Production: Westfield is best known for its production of Columbia brand bicycles during World War Two. However, Table 1 demonstrates that the company's main product during World War Two was ordnance items for the U.S. Army. These were primarily shells, rockets, grenades, and fuze parts. Of the total $8,428,000 in contracts, $7,212,000, or 85.6%, was for ordnance items for the Army. The other $1,216,000, or 14.4%, was for bicycles and parts. While Table 2 shows that Army Ordnance accepted 51,195 bicycles, Table 1 shows that the Treasury Department and the U.S. Navy also had placed their own orders for bicycles.

Table 1 - Westfield Manufacturing Company's Major World War Two Contracts The information below comes from the "Alphabetical Listing of Major War Supply Contracts, June 1940 through September 1945." This was published by the Civilian Production Administration, Industrial Statistics Division.
Product - Customer	Contract Amount	Contract Awarded	Completion Date
Shells - Army	$98,000	1-1942	7-1942
Shell Parts - Army	$245,000	3-1942	12-1942
Shells - Army	$287,000	4-1942	9-1943
Bicycles - Army	$405,000	7-1942	9-1942
Ordnance Material - Army	$550,000	9-1942	8-1943
Grenades -Army	$1,059,000	10-1942	5-1944
Rockets - Army	$428,000	1-1943	12-1944
Bicycles - Army	$80,000	1-1943	3-1943
Practice Shells -Army	$224,000	4-1943	10-1943
Bicycles - Treasury	$68,000	4-1943	7-1943
Bicycles - Treasury	$181,000	5-1954	9-1943
Bicycles - Army	$348,000	6-1943	1-1944
Bicycle Parts - Army	$73,000	7-1943	1-1944
Practice Shells 37MM - Army	$81,000	7-1943	6-1944
Rocket Fin Trap Assys - Army	$58,000	1-1944	5-1944
Rocket Tube Assys M6A1 - Army	$150,000	1-1944	6-1944
Rocket Pts HE M6A3	$473,000	3-1944	10-1944
Bicycles - Navy	$61,000	4-1944	5-1944
Grenade Parts AT M9A1 - Army	$298,000	5-1944	10-1944
Fuses PD M48A2 - Army	$416,000	5-1944	6-1945
Grenade Parts AT M9A1 - Army	$176,000	7-1944	12-1944
Smoke Rocket Pts - T26E2 - Army	$319,000	8-1944	1-1945
Rocket Pts AT H3 M6A3C -Army	$1,150,000	10-1944	4-1945
Smoke Rockets WP M10 - Army	$172,000	12-1944	4-1945
Rockets AT HE M6A3C - Army	$874,000	1-1945	8-1945
Smoke Rockets M10 - Army	$58,000	1-1945	6-1945
Fuze Parts PD M48A2 - Army	$100,000	3-1945	7-1945
Total	$8,428,000

Table 2 - Westfield Manufacturing Company Bicycles Accepted by Detroit Ordnance, US Army The information below comes from "Summary Report of Acceptances, Tank-Automotive Material, 1940-1945." Published by Army Services Forces, Office, Chief of Ordnance-Detroit, Production Division, Requirements and Progress Branch, January 21, 1946.
Type	Model Number	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	Total
Bicycle				19,094	25,417	6,684		51,195

Not included in Table 2 is the number of bicycles built for the Treasury Department and the U.S. Navy.

This 1942 Westfield Manufacturing Company-built bicycle is serial number MG92217. There were several Army contracts and one Navy contract for bicycles. According to Table 1, the Navy contract did not start until April 1944. If this bicycle were used by the Navy, it would have come from an Army contract, or the owner painted an Army bicycle in navy colors. Author's photo.

Author's photo.

This Columbia bicycle is on display at Roberts Armory. Author's photo.

This is a second Westfield Columbia bicycle on display at Roberts Armory. Author's photo.

Westfield had eight contracts related to the manufacture of components for rocket parts and rockets for the 2.36 inch rocket launcher, more commonly known as the bazooka. This was 38.6% of its major contracts. The two types of High Explosive, Anti-Tank (HEAT) are shown here. Author's photo.

This is either an M6 or M6A1 and was the first configuration used in the M1/M1A1 bazooka. Author's photo.

This M6 or M6A1 has a cut-away view of the warhead. Author's photo from the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum added 5-27-2022.

Author's photo added 5-27-2022.

This M6A1 2.36 HEAT rocket is shown with the M1A1 rocket launcher. Author's photo.

When the U.S. Army introduced the improved M9 rocket launcher, it also introduced the new M6A3 rocket like this one. The rounded nose gave better penetration; and the new cylindrical fin assembly was more stable in flight. Author's photo.

Westfield also made parts for the M9A1 rifle grenade. Author's photo from the Veterans Memorial Museum in Germantown, OH.