World War II: Evansville Miscellaneous

Army tanks roll around the track behind the Chrysler plant on Garvin Street on a test run; besides manufacturing bullets and other military supplies during the war, the company also reconditioned tanks; c. 1944 (Winternheimer 1)

The Chrysler plant at 1625 N. Garvin St.; in the background is the track where military tanks were tested after they were reconditioned; photo dated 1942 (Newman 42-20-7)

A P-47 Thunderbolt formation flies over downtown during the parade; photo dated June 23, 1945 (Carl and Julia Ritt Collection)

The Republic Aviation Corp. float passes down Main St. on June 23, 1945 (Carl and Julia Ritt Collection)

The Republic Aviation Corp. float on Main St. during the parade on June 23, 1945 (Carl and Julia Ritt Collection)

The Evansville Shipyard float bearing a model of the LST passes through spectators on N. Main St. at Illinois St., near the Blount Plow Works factory (now a parking lot for a grocery store); photo dated June 23, 1945 (Miscellaneous 3341)

A Republic Aviation P-47 Thunderbolt turns from Main St. onto Riverside Dr. during the parade on June 23, 1945 (Carl and Julia Ritt Collection)

P-47 Thunderbolts, manufactured at the Republic Aviation plant in Evansville, fly overhead during the parade on June 23, 1945 (Carl and Julia Ritt Collection)

A military band performs on Riverside Dr. during the parade; in the background at center is the Hadi Shrine Temple; photo dated June 23, 1945 (Carl and Julia Ritt Collection)

Camp Breckinridge soldiers turn the corner from Main St. onto Riverside Dr. The parade -- one of the largest ever in the city -- was held on June 23, 1945, to celebrate the contributions of Evansville workers and industries to the war effort (Carl and Julia Ritt Collection)

Republic Aviation's float pulls a P-47 Thunderbolt down Main St. before an estimated 150,000 spectators. Note that some of them have to duck to avoid being clipped by the plane; dated June 23, 1945 (Carl and Julia Ritt Collection)

Rear view of Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt plane passing down Main St. on June 23, 1945 (Carl and Julia Ritt Collection)

Plant under construction on Highway 41 North (now Whirlpool); c. 1942 (Marchand 12)

The wife of Mark Clark, Commanding General of the 5th Army, visits the Republic Aviation plant in March 1944; the party is inspecting the P-47 Thunderbolt's machine guns and wing tank adapter. Left to right are Major Joseph Hynes, E. P. Dixon, Fred Wyatt, Major Hugh Patton (Camp Breckinridge), H. J. MacDonald, and Mrs. Clark. (J. Koch 1)

Mrs. Mark Clark, wife of General Mark Clark, chats with an unidentified worker at the Republic Aviation plant in March 1944 (J. Koch 2)