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York-Shipley, Inc. During World War Two
York, PA
1926-1943 as Thomas Shipley, Inc.
1943-xxxx as York-Shipley, Inc.
This page started 4-19-2024
It just takes one piece of a company's
World War Two era equipment that I find at a museum to
cause me to investigate the company and its World War Two products.
For this historical review, it was this York-Hession fog generating
machine (smoke generator) built
by York-Shipley, Inc. that I found at the National Museum of Military
Vehicles in Dubois, WY. Author's photo.
York-Shipley, Inc. was formed in 1926 as
Thomas-Shipley, Inc., which was a holding company for Mr. Thomas
Shipley. Mr. Shipley had multiple business interests as a
result of his success in operating the York Manufacturing Company, which
by 1917 made half of the ice making machines in the United States.
The York Manufacturing Company later became the York Ice Manufacturing
Company. By World War Two, the York Corporation was focusing on air conditioning units.
York-Shipley, Inc. included in its
holdings the York Oil Burner Company and the Roosevelt Oil Service
Company. When Mr. Thomas Shipley passed away in 1930, his nephews
Samuel and Howard Shipley took control of Thomas-Shipley, Inc. On
September 23, 1943, they changed the name of the company to
York-Shipley.
York-Shipley, Inc. was a holding company, yet
it was awarded $2,703,000 in major contracts during World War Two.
During World War Two the company set up a "War Division" which focused
on making products to help win World War Two. The War Division had four plants in the
York, PA area. These were identified as the Roosevelt, Jessup
Place, Pennsylvania Avenue, and King's Mill Road plants. At war's
end, a fifth plant was being set up for the production of tank parts.
As a holding company, York-Shipley was able to
win the Army-Navy E Award for its production of several types of
military products.
York-Shipley, Inc. won the Army-Navy "E"
award three times during World War Two.
The first award was given on June 28, 1944.
It won its second award on January 16, 1945.
The company received its third and final award on July 28, 1945.
York-Shipley, Inc. World War Two Products:
Table 1 shows that the company had $2,703,000 in major contracts
while Table 2 shows that the York Oil Burner Company had one major
contract for $446,000.
York-Shipley, Inc. War Division Products:
This division made a variety of components not shown on the major
contract lists. Most likely these were sub-contracted from other
companies. These products included tank turret ball race ring
assemblies; PT boat 40mm gun mount bases and gears; PT boat roller race ring
gun mount assemblies; and Army tank axles.
Late in the war, the division was preparing a
new plant to manufacture escape hatches for a new tank that was being
produced.
Table 1
- York-Shipley, Inc.'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, Requirements and Progress
Branch January 21, 1946. |
|
Product-Customer |
Contract Number |
Contract Amount |
Contract Awarded
|
Completion
Date |
|
Towing Shackle Kits - Army Ordnance |
36034-ORD-188 |
$501,000 |
8-1943 |
12-1943 |
| Smoke
Generators - Navy |
OBS-13311 |
$398,000 |
2-1944 |
10-1944 |
| Smoke
Generators - Navy |
OBS-16704 |
$228,000 |
8-1944 |
1-1945 |
| Smoke
Generators - Navy |
OBS-18158 |
$150,000 |
11-1944 |
3-1945 |
| Smoke
Generators - Navy |
OBS-22172 |
$110,000 |
12-1944 |
4-1945 |
|
Boiler Burner Parts - Army Quartermaster Corps |
12036-QM-13102 |
$103,000 |
1-1945 |
9-1945 |
| Steam
Generators - Army Corps of Engineers |
33017-ENG-2528 |
$666,000 |
6-1945 |
11-1945 |
| Smoke
Generator Pts - Navy |
5-SS-4847 |
$323,000 |
6-1945 |
6-1945 |
|
Engine Preheaters - Navy |
288-XSA-3342 |
$224,000 |
7-1945 |
12-1945 |
|
Total |
|
$2,703,000 |
|
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Table 2 - York Oil Burner
Company, Inc.'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, Requirements and Progress
Branch January 21, 1946. |
|
Product-Customer |
Contract
Number |
Contract Amount |
Contract Awarded
|
Completion
Date |
| Airplane Heaters
- Navy |
NOA-1331 |
$446,000 |
7-1943 |
6-1944 |
| Total
|
|
$446,000 |
|
|
The company had four major Navy contracts
totaling $886,000 for the manufacture of smoke generators.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
The top of the data plate indicates
this is a York-Hession fog generating machine built
by York-Shipley, Inc., York, PA. Author's photo.
This is a
Model H106 built under Navy Contract NObs-18158 with serial number 6985.
As Contract NObs-18158 was the third of four contracts, it can be
assumed that upwards of 8,000 of this type of smoke generator were
built. Author's photo.
The serial number 6985 is more visible in
this photo. Author's photo.
Not mentioned in this newspaper
advertisement is the War Division that the company organized to build
purely military products for the war effort.
As World War Two progressed, 40mm Bofors
guns mounted on the aft deck became standard, as shown here on
Higgins-built PT-305. Author's photo.
The
PT boat roller race ring
gun mount assemblies could have been not only for the 40mm Bofors, but
for the twin .50 caliber machine gun tubs and ring assemblies.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
This image shows an M4 Sherman tank turret
race assembly. It is unknown for which tank the company built
turret race assemblies, but it would have been similar to the one shown
here.
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