Mrs. William Howard sent me a wonderful letter detailing her life at home during the war. College students Jeanne and Bill were having a wonderful time getting to know each other when the war broke out and Bill left to join the 100th in England (349th Squadron).  Jeanne still remembers his address: 1st Lt. William E. Howard, 8th Air Force, 100th Bomb Group, 349th Squadron, U.S. Army Air Corps. With Bill gone, Jeanne had little interest in school and dropped out. She returned to her Illinois home of Clinton. Although unhappy with Jeanne's decision to interrupt her education, her parents supported her desire to help with the war effort. Jeanne promised them she would finish her education after the war.

Jeanne and her sister left home for three months of training as Lab Technicians for the Houdaille-Hershey Company. During the interview process they were asked many personal questions regarding their home, family and background. Jeanne writes that the first day on the job they were briefed in depth about security and were told nothing about what would be produced. The job was top secret! Although well paid, the sisters were under a lot of stress, and the secrecy took its toll . One day two fellow technicians were hustled away by security guards. There was a stunned silence in the lab. Finally the supervisor informed everyone that the two had been discovered surreptitiously photographing operations at the lab. Jeanne never found out what happened to these co-workers.

Another day there was a commotion when a large man in a military uniform came through the lab surrounded by every V.I.P. from the company. To Jeanne he was an impressive man, appearing tough, aggressive, and absolutely in charge of all he surveyed. He was introduced as Major General Leslie Groves. It was only later that Jeanne learned of his true importance.

After the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki the sisters learned they had been part of the Manhattan Project making one of the components for the atomic bomb. Jeanne still has the silver pin which was awarded to her for her work . So, while her future husband, Bill, dropped bombs on Germany, Jeanne helped make the bombs that would end the war with Japan. 

Photos courtesy of Jack O'Leary