Trafford History Trafford Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County

Today, we remember the 81st Anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The following provides some insight on how members of the Trafford community reacted to this event. Two days after the attack, nine members of the Trafford American Legion Post 331 met for their usual bi-monthly Legion meeting. Written into the meeting minutes we find, “The United States being at War it is decided that the Adjutant send cards out to all members for a special meeting to be held on Sunday afternoon Dec. 14, at 2:30 PM.”

This special meeting was called to order by then Legion Commander John B. Corcoran, a veteran of WWI. A detailed account was given before a group of 26 Legion members of an Observation Post (O.P.) which had been located on Mr. Ed Taylor‘s farm located in North Versailles Township within the radius as prescribed by the 1st Interceptor Command then located at Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York. The “Interceptor Command” was the name used then for military Air Defense Commands.

Taylor Farm was located in North Versailles Township and provided commanding views of the Turtle Creek Valley and the surrounding area. Commander Corcoran discussed the need for personnel to man the OP and plans were made for the American Legion Post to build the observation post, including the need for telephone and electric wiring, and lumber. A motion was made to provide full cooperation for the construction of the post and the motion carried unanimously.

Also present at the meeting was Trafford Chief of Police Clyde Brandt who gave a report of what the Borough was doing in the organization of a "Home Defense." He read a report of observations made by Americans who had gone to England and studied their methods of dealing with air raids and the different organizations that had to meet every emergency. A motion was made to give full support to the organization of a Home Defense. The motion carried unanimously.

Legion member James E. Shields, a veteran of WWI, was selected to be Chief of the Observation Post and several members volunteered to be his assistants. Shields would later receive a secret code number from the War Department that would identify this OP if the need came to report any sightings back to Mitchel Field. Arrangements were made to run a telephone line extension from the Taylor Farm’s personal telephone connection to operate at the observation post.

By the summer of 1942, the location of the OP was recommended to be moved nearer to Lincoln Highway (for reasons not mentioned) and bids were secured to build a new tower for the OP. However, by the fall of 1942, the Pittsburgh Press was reporting that orders were coming from the Army that locations in Allegheny County discontinue their 24-hour manning due to the posts being so far inland.

Life had forever changed for the residents of Trafford as young men were called up to serve and within days of the attack were reporting before the county draft board.