February 1945

SOULÉ SALUTE

Navy Gets Quick, Favorable Answer in Steel from Soulé. See pages 2 and 3.

VOL. 3, No. 1

Published Regularly by and for Soule Steel War Workers

FEBRUARY 1945

A Salute to Soulé

**1944** at Soulé was a year of hard work and many accomplishments of which we can all be proud. These accomplishments include Army-Navy "E" awards, launchings of LCMs and YSDs, formation of a new Soulé company, opening of cafeterias and other similar events in addition to the handling of all the normal activities of a progressive, growing steel company. A few of our more notable 1944 achievements are pictured here.

*Photo: Army-Navy "E" flag flies proudly over Los Angeles Plant, awarded April 6, 1944, and star added September 5, 1944.*

*Photo: The LCM "Spirit of California," San Francisco's LCM-300, is launched while workers and dignitaries watch.*

*Photo: Above, San Francisco is awarded two additional stars, signifying continued excellence in production, for this Army-Navy "E" received in 1943. Below, U.S.S. Elsie-M, dry-launched at Los Angeles, is predecessor of sister ship Elsie-M200 and many others launched during 1944.*

*Photo: Above, YSD-61 is launched at colorful ceremony followed by sister ships up to and including YSD-65, all launched in eventful 1944. Below, Welin-type davits, like these, moved out in large quantities from the Los Angeles plant to help protect the lives of our men at sea.*

é Achievements in 1944

By Claire Davis San Francisco

*Photo: San Francisco employees enjoy luncheon on opening day in new cafeteria. Complete in-plant feeding is now a reality.*

*Photo: San Francisco launches U. S. Navy YSD-60, the first in our contract of seaplane wrecking derricks for the Navy.*

*Photo: Above, Portland builds ramps and parts for San Francisco lighters, helping San Francisco win and keep the Army-Navy "E" flag flying over the San Francisco plant . . . Below, new cafeteria is opened in Los Angeles with the proverbial Los Angeles sunshine streaming in the windows.*

*Photo: Above, the newly formed Soule Equipment Company, because of the fine reputation of the Soule Steel Company, was chosen by R. G. LeTourneau, Inc., to sell, service and repair LeTourneau equipment throughout Northern California. Illustrated is Model C Tournapull. Below, Soule Equipment Company offices are opened throughout Northern California, as in Oakland illustrated here.*

DID YOU KNOW?

*By Joe Romero*

BORGE BRINGS WIFE

That George Borge, one of our former crane operators who is stationed in Tennessee, was home recently on a furlough, and brought his wife along too? Yep, he does it. Congratulations from the gang!

GALS UP IN AIR

The two young ladies who manhandle those big trucks in the maintenance shop also are aviators? Luella Ferdin (left) has 42 log flying hours, and Juanita Cassell (right) has somewhere around 22. I wonder if they can cook?

*Photo: Two young women, one in a dark jacket with a light collar and a flower in her hair (left), and one in a checkered blouse (right).*

WELDER BEATS HOT DRUM

That Ray Carlson, doing a fine job of welding in Louie Rivera's department is quite a drummer? I understand he has played with some top-notch bands, too.

MET AT FAIR

That Earl McNeil, who works in Ted Kovacovic's department, is going to marry the lady he once met at the San Francisco World's Fair? What a romance. Yes sir, congratulations.

FROM FURS TO BOATS

The Ben Porambo, who builds the pilot houses for the tank lighters, is a furrier by trade? It doesn't make sense, does it? "Furs to Boats." Well, I always said anything can happen.

WAS TEAMSTER

Frank Nigro, who works in Joe Bellina's department, once had a drayage company of his own. They say he was quite a teamster in those horse and buggy days.

SCOTCH, THEY SAY

That Bob Henderson, who works out in the field placing reinforcing steel, is a Scotchman from way back? How about it, Bob?

JUNGLE FEVER VICTIM

That Ernie Cadell, now of the maintenance department, was a second lieutenant in the Marine Corp? We understand he was discharged right after Pearl Harbor, with jungle fever, contracted in the New Guinea campaign.

NO JANUARY ISSUE--OUR FACE IS RED

We could lay it on to too much Christmas shopping, or the December rains, or laziness, or a desire to save paper, or a broken arm—but the truth is that we've been changing printers and making plans to improve the *Salute*. The improvement will be gradual, but steady, we hope.

—*Your Editor*

☆ ☆ ☆

SOULÉ TANK LIGHTERS IN PHILIPPINE INVASION

Bill Tedford, a member of the San Francisco office now in the U. S. Navy, who helped invade the Philippines, writes his ship will get credit for shooting down at least one Jap, and the ships with him accounted for many more. Quite a thrill, but a little goes a long way. To quote: "... we carried two 56-foot Soulé tank lighters to the Philippines. I understand they were shipped out here in parts and assembled in this area. I can truthfully say, as did the rest of the ship's officers, that these were the best constructed tank lighters we have aboard. I was proud, and did a little boasting of the fact that I was once an employee of the manufacturer." If any of you would like to write, address your letter to:

*Lt. (J.G.) W. A. Tedford* *U.S.S. Leedstown (APA-56)* *Fleet Post Office* *San Francisco, California*

☆ ☆ ☆

THANKS & THREE CHEERS

*By Marion Sheehy*

To those of us who get our bond a week and help toward sending supplies to the war zones.

"To the women welders who deserve a lot of credit for putting their homes and families second to help out in the war effort."—quote Frank Menges.

For the boys at the creek who keep a'going rain or shine and don't mind wading through two feet of mud.

A big hand for the little man who pushes his broom around keeping our departments clean.

To Nadine Nowe, who always has an extra Two-Spot if we are short of cash.

To Joe Romero, who is finally going to be called "papa" after all these years. Going to the Y.M.C.A. sure made a he-man of him fast. P.S. It will be a spring-time one if everything goes according to schedule.

And thanks, and I really mean it, to the big-hearted boys who dash up when either the cig or candy machine is filled, with a load of dimes and nickels, to leave the rest of us fellows exactly 0—*nothing*. It only seems to be just a few, and I wish someone would let them know there's a war on. Give the other guy a break.

SOULÉ

WOMAN'S INTUITION

*By Emma Kockhart*

Our personnel manager, Bill Roberts, was scheduled to leave San Francisco for San Diego on T.W.A.'s Flight 18 one night recently. Our telephone operator, Norine Moffett, told him for some reason she knew he should not take that plane. Consequently, when Mr. Roberts saw the weather was not too good at midnight, he decided to take a later plane. The next morning we read about Flight 18 crashing a few minutes past midnight. Mr. Roberts says if it had not been for Mrs. Moffett's warnings he would probably have taken that plane.

*Photo: A woman in a dark jacket with a white collar looking down at a small framed picture she holds in her hands; behind her on a shelf are several small figurines.*

"JUST WHITTLIN'"

"Oh it's—JUST WHITTLIN." That's Ruby Wilson's stock answer to anyone who begins complimenting her on the artistry of her woodcuts and carvings. Here is Ruby surrounded by a few of her recent works. Those of her fellow workers who have personally examined these pieces are amazed at their exquisite design, the delicate care with which each tiny feature has been formed. This additional facet of Ruby Wilson's versatile personality seems to substantiate all we said of lighter assembly's little welder in the November issue of the *Soulé Salute*. Ruby's father is one of our pipefitters.

IN MEMORIAM

*We were all saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Marion Sheehy's mother, on December 27, 1944. Mrs. Sheehy succumbed to a 3-day siege of pneumonia.*

*We know that words are empty things at a time like this, Marion. But may we in all sincerity extend our hand to you in your moment of sadness?*

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THE SOULÉ SALUTE

NEWS

FOREMAN FACTS

*By E. Bradshaw*

Photo: *Al Firpo holding a welding torch beside a sign reading "FIRPO BLVD."*

AL FIRPO, welding foreman at our Islais Creek Yard, has been associated with welding business for almost 31 years; he's been a member of Soulé Steel for 15 of 'em. He started in the reinforcing department, later was in the welding building, then worked in the field with Charlie Hoss and since the advent of the Islais Creek Yard has been in charge of welding, rigging, burning, etc., there. He likes a good pheasant hunt. Christmas Eve was his fourteenth wedding anniversary. Belated congratulations are in order.

Photo: *George Neubrand in a hat with arms crossed.*

GEORGE NEUBRAND is foreman over all specialty work at the 1750 Army Street plant and is the man called upon to help create any unusual metal design or figure out just the right gadget. He's been with the company since 1929. George is a very talented musician. He devotes his leisure hours to his music and plays the 'cello regularly with a fifty-piece concert orchestra. We hope to attend the next program in which he participates.

EXTRA!

CIGARETTE SHORTAGE CAUSES IMPASSE

WE NEED YOUR SUGGESTIONS

Suggestions for remedying the critical cigarette situation are flooding the desk of the editor of the *Salute*. He is receiving so many harried calls that the switchboard is becoming clogged. A couple of them are listed here. What is your thought on the matter?

"With the present cigarette shortage, is it too impractical to ask of the management that a board of non-smokers be elected to allocate cigarettes to the employees, who possibly at the moment the cigarette man arrives have duties to perform for the company, thereby insuring them at least one pack?"—C.F.R.

"I suggest that the cigarette machine be removed from the office to remove from certain people the temptation to take more than their share; then channeling these cigarettes through some other source where more equitable distribution might be obtained."—Anon

Photo: *A V-Mail postcard addressed to "Soulé Steel Co., 6200 Wilmington Ave, Los Angeles, Calif., Mr. Crane" with handwritten notations "B. Dean Noah S&K", "R.S. Nov. 22-25 44/45", "San Francisco, Calif.", "Nov 27 1944" and a (COMB'S STAMP) seal. Below it, a cartoon of a soldier carrying a large bag labeled "Merry Christmas" with the caption "In the bag!" and the label "V-MAIL".*

Assembly Line

OF NEWS ABOUT OUR PEOPLE

HERZOG IN ENGLAND

Among many Christmas cards from Soulé boys in the service is one from Captain John H. Herzog, postmarked from England, and for which we extend our thanks.

THANKS FOR TURKEY

The San Francisco employees wish to express their thanks to the management for the delicious turkey dinner which was served to them in the cafeteria on December 23.

IT'S A BOY

Bill Roberts, personnel manager at San Francisco, became the father of a son, William Byron, on December 4, 1944.

DAFFY DEFINITIONS

**Angles** — *What chiselers are always trying to work.*

**Truss** — *To have faith in, as "I'll truss you 'til next payday."*

**Plates** — *What we get hot now that we have plant cafeterias.*

**Rounds** — *What the boys in the back room will have two more of.*

**Flats** — *A tragedy in rubber.*

NEWS FROM NOAH

We have this Christmas card from B. Dean Noah, a former production arc welder on landing craft at the Los Angeles plant. We all join in sending our best wishes to Dean, who asks that his address be corrected to insure his continuing to receive the *Salute*. See card above for address.

FROM BASEBALL FAMILY

Photo: *Amelia Lazzeri sitting on a bench outdoors.*

Amelia Lazzeri is one of our girls from the San Francisco accounting department. She has been with us since April of 1944. She takes care of all the statistical typing in our department. Before coming to Soulé she was a stenographer for several business executives in the Mills Building. Her favorite sport is baseball. Her cousin is Tony Lazzeri, a famous second baseman.

BILLING BOWLER

Photo: *Virginia Aveggio standing in a bowling alley holding a bowling ball.*

Virginia Aveggio, of our billing department, has been with us approximately two years. She commutes to and from Daly City every day. Each Thursday night she can be seen at the Downtown Bowl, knocking the pins down for a strike. She has a brother in the service in New Guinea. Next to bowling, Virginia's favorite indoor sport is dancing.

FEBRUARY 1945

7

BACK in 1911, a year before Woodrow Wilson defeated Taft and Teddy Roosevelt for the presidency, Soulé Steel Co. got its start selling reinforcing steel. For several years thereafter, reinforcing steel was the company's sole business and sales were made as far away as Kobe and Shanghai. Then we expanded, and today have many lines—steel windows and doors, steel framing, merchant steel, metal lath and, for Uncle Sam, lighters and other craft. But reinforcing steel is still the backbone of the business. It will be even more important in postwar. Here's why—

HUGE CONSTRUCTION MARKET

All heavy construction requires reinforcing steel. It's used in

Public buildings Big stores Factories

Piers Breakwaters Dams

Office buildings Hospitals Schools Bridges Overpasses Underpasses

Drydocks Aqueducts Runways Fortifications Tunnels

In these structures, as all you old timers know, reinforcing steel is to concrete what bones are to flesh and muscles in man—the stuff that gives strength and shape. Soulé's reinforcing steels consist of bars, electric welded fabric, column spirals, bar supports and chairs, the steel for which

BUILDING BIRTH

CONTRACTORS SING FOR BUSINESS

REINFORCING

..and How it Makes

is bought in carload lots from America's largest makers of raw steel.

POSTWAR PROSPECTS

How do sales prospects look for after the war? Well, Western Construction News reports that already plans are completed or well along on the drawing boards for the following postwar construction in California, Oregon and Washington:

Roads and streets ........................ $186,913,000 Bridges .................................... 26,412,000 Waterworks ................................ 11,006,000 Sewerage .................................. 53,484,000 Buildings .................................. 83,545,000 Dams ...................................... 391,760,000 Other Federal Projects .................... 396,200,000

This total is growing steadily to meet the needs of the growing West.

Based on pre-war use of reinforcing steel, the $186,913,000 already planned for roads and streets indicates a potential steel market of $10,654,000. Remember, that's for just three states and for highways and streets only. Most of the other types of work listed above use even more steel. You can bet Soulé Steel will be in there pitching for its share of this big market.

SALES SOLO

WHERE WE FIT IN PICTURE

To begin with, Soulé has complete facilities for handling reinforcing steel at Torrance, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland, thus can make quick deliveries to any point in California, Oregon,

THE SOULÉ SALUTE

*Photo: Above, Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Building, San Francisco, is reinforced with steel from the San Francisco plant. Below, Portland Reinforcing Crew placing steel for a bridge at Salem, Oregon. These crews help to give us a real edge over competition.*

Soulé Reinforcing Steel Used in West's Largest Construction Projects . . . . Postwar Plans of Industry and Government Indicate Huge Market Ahead . . .

Washington and nearby adjoining territories. Now let's see how those facilities operate to get business for us.

The management of a large company or a government agency decides a new and permanent building is needed. Architects and structural engineers are called in. They prepare blueprints. Contractors submit bids and the job is awarded.

Meanwhile those Soulé super sleuths, the salesmen, have heard of the project. They call on the contractor, tell him how quickly we can make delivery, point out the many other similar structures for which we've provided reinforcing steel, and in most cases come away with the order. Then the work begins.

The architect's blueprints are delivered to the Soulé Engineering Department. From these blueprints Soulé engineers draw large detail sheets showing each piece of reinforcing steel, its shape, size, length and position in the structure. Then lists of sizes, shapes, and bending orders are taken off these detail sheets. At the same time the Engineering Department prepares tagging and delivery instructions so the steel will arrive at the job in the right sequence and at the right time and place to eliminate unnecessary handling on the project.

CAREFUL SHOP HANDLING

They shoot all this information into the plant, where the rein-

Even the order in which the steel is loaded onto the truck is planned in advance by Soulé so it can be unloaded at the customer's job exactly where wanted without extra handling. It's this reputation for planning to help the customer that has enabled Soulé to get the lion's share of the reinforcing steel business for the past several years.

PLACING CREWS

As a further service to its customers, Soulé has built up special field crews of expert experienced steel placers to lay reinforcing steel at the job ahead of the concrete gang. When the Japs struck at Pearl Harbor, these field crews were immediately switched to Army and Navy projects. They've placed reinforcing steel for arsenals, Navy yards, and important bases all along the West Coast, working in all kinds of weather. Some day we hope to be able to tell the full story of their achievements, together with pictures and a list of the projects. But for now, censorship says, "No."

UNSEEN STRENGTH

Like so many of the good things of life, reinforcing steel, once in place, cannot be seen. But all of us at Soulé can be proud of the structures built around Soulé reinforcing steels. The names read like a Who's Who of Western construction projects. Just a few:

Pit River Bridge at Shasta Dam

Shasta Dam

San Francisco Bay Bridge Approaches

Golden Gate Bridge Pier Foundations

Sixth Street Viaduct, Los Angeles

Sunset Tunnel, San Francisco

Lewis River Bridge, Washington

Eagle Creek Viaduct, Bonneville

Memorial Stadium, University of California

Oregon State Capitol, Salem

Los Angeles County Hospital

Russ Building, San Francisco

These are but a few of many. When peace comes again, Soulé's reputation for getting steel to the job at the right time, cut and bent to the right specifications and in the right order for quick placement in the concrete forms should enable us to continue as the West's leading supplier of reinforcing steel.

STEEL

Payrolls for Soulé

forcing steel is stocked. Tags are prepared and it is determined how best to cut the steel in order to prevent the waste of unusable lengths.

Now the cutting crew whips the long steel bars from the stacks and chops them off into the lengths called for by the tags. The crane takes these lengths on to the bender, where they are shaped to the desired specifications. Then the tags are attached and the steel wired into bundles for delivery.

*Photo: Don Short (rear), head of the San Francisco Engineering Department, and Charlie Ubigau, preparing steel lists from detail sheets.*

*Photo: Cutting reinforcing steel (left to right), Joe Ferguson, Nick Bruno, Tony Farnadi and Antonio Formusa.*

*Photo: Bending table for reinforcing steel (left to right) Tony Scramaliga, Henry Drusman and Barney Fabbri. Background, J. DeGroot tagging steel.*

FEBRUARY 1945

9

THREE SONS # IN THE SERVICE

Armstrong M. Dowell, Sr., superintendent at Torrance, sends these pictures of his three sons in service—all Navy men.

*Photo: Armstrong M. Dowell, Jr., Pharmacist 2/c, 2½ years in Navy with sea duty on LSV craft.*

*Photo: James W. Dowell, Lt. (J.G.) has been in service 1½ years, most of it at sea on a destroyer. Young Dowell was watchman at Torrance plant while attending school.*

*Photo: Orville P. Dowell, Boatswain Mate 3/c, one year in service, much of it serving on landing barges.*

If you have pictures of sons or daughters (or of ex-Soulé employees) in the armed forces, send them in together with information on how long they've served and where. We'll take good care of the photos and see that you get them back.

*Photo: The Reinforcing Department of the Los Angeles Plant. Left to right, first row: Mel Oronoz, Harry Poynter, John Murray, Henry Mancinelli, John T. Robertson, Arthur Ingle. Standing: Ray Bluhm, Paul Tullius, Homer Taylor, H. Sherman, Illus Fountain, crane operator, Earl Niverson, Cliff Mayo.*

Los Angeles and

*Photo: Here's Navigator, Skipper and Seaman Cliff Mayo. Some title, eh! what! Well, that's because Cliff has just purchased an 18-foot boat for his new home up at Big Bear Lake. What an ambitious fellow this Cliff must be, building a two-story cabin which he hopes to have complete by next June plus his new schooner, which will be christened and launched in the near future. Cliff has charge of the yard gang, shipping and receiving expanded metal, metal lath and reinforcing steel. I wonder what he does in his spare moments?*

See Cliff, Stock Answer!

Cliff has been with Soulé Steel 16 years. If there is anything you might want to know about reinforcing steel, bending and cutting, or metal lath, and expanded metal, "see Cliff"—that's the answer you would receive should you ask anyone at the Los Angeles plant.

TED JONES PASSES

*Photo: [man in light jacket and tie standing]*

Ted Jones, former warehouse superintendent and associate editor of the *Salute* at the Los Angeles plant, passed away at 8:30 p.m., January 25, in the Los Angeles General Hospital.

Ted served Soulé Steel Company 24 years. He was a faithful, loyal and very efficient employee. It was a generally accepted fact around the office that to tell him to make a delivery at a specified time, or any other chore, and it was as good as done.

He was a grandfather with two sons-in-law in the Army Air Corps.

10

THE SOULÉ SALUTE

LONG LOAD FROM TORRENCE. Here are Ray Thomason (left) and Harris Grothman ready to leave the Torrance plant with one of the 98 loads of 83-foot long one-inch reinforcing bars Soule' supplied for the Naval Operating Base on Terminal Island. These bars were butt welded in the Torrance plant. Overall length of load, 83-foot bars plus truck cab and engine, is 95 feet. It took some real maneuvering on the part of Ray and Harris to get these 18-ton, 95-foot loads through city streets to the base.

Torrance Make Pictorial Report

A PEEK AT THE CREEK

*By P. F. Culcasi*

Well—the 500-ton YF Barge is now a thing of the past at the Creek—since all six have been launched and delivered to the Navy—YC barges and TC boats are the thing.

BOYS GIVE GENEROUSLY

Creek response to the "Disabled Vets Christmas Fund" was terrific—$173.50 was collected in the short time of four hours' canvassing. It all started with a suggestion made by Danny Dees, the crane operator, who really had good cause for seeing that those unfortunate kids got a break. Nice going, Danny. By the way, what happened to the plant in this regard—do we at the Creek always have to show them up?

NEW SUPER

Welcome to Anthony L. Mori, new superintendent at the yard who has a world of experience behind him in ship-building. He may seem a bit gruff at times, but is really a good guy. You'll like it at this super-yard, Andy.

ANOTHER EXEMPTION FOR CHARLEY

Charles Jones had another baby—that is—his wife actually had the honor, but Charley is doing all the braggin'. And he has good cause, too, so congrats to both of you. $385 more exemption, eh, Charley?

CREEK BLOOD GOES TO WAR

Refill? 22 Creek members played a re-turn engagement to the blood bank the other day, and among the fluid extracted were found one pint of ale and one pint of Bourbon. Yes, they came along, too. Incidentally, thanks to Mary Dervision for all her assistance in this regard.

NO SWELLING

On a recent yard survey E. Lambert and E. Tacchi, newly appointed shipfitter leadermen, were found to be wearing the same size hat, and, in spite of their new responsibilities, were taking things in their normal, easy stride.

TWO KNOT COUNT

Knots are in season. Things must be really good at the Creek when not one, but two guys go ahead and get married. Yes, Freddy Jordan and Ralph Schnitttyner are the unlucky ones. Congrats to you from the gang. It's OK with us if you want private wars, but we thought one big one was enough.

WELCOME, SAY WE

Newcomers—this month they include Bill Geide, A. Vuconovich, R. Baglio, A. Rooney, J. Allala, and P. Moffitt. Welcome, fella's to the Creek, the yard that leads the way.

Well, a good bye for now—and incidentally, a good buy is Bonds.

SOULE SALUTE

Vol. 3 No. 1

Published Regularly by and for Soule Steel War Workers

Staff:

Managing Editor .... George Cobb Los Angeles Editor .... R. W. Reno Portland Editor ......... Les Poole San Francisco Editor, Fred Kappelman

Associate Editors:

Los Angeles Eddie Dugan E. G. Irwin Dorothy Smith Charlie LeFevre Elaine Bradshaw Peter F. Culcasi

San Francisco Claire Davis Paul Hyner Emma Kochart Joe Romero Marion Sheehy

Portland John Vaile

Torrance A. M. Dowell

FEBRUARY 1945

11

SOULÉ REINFORCING STEEL ON THE JOB

*Photo: Soulé steel from the Los Angeles plant goes into the Gene Siphon of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Soulé also supplied steel for the Metropolitan's pumping plant on the Colorado River.*

*Photo: Memorial Stadium, University of California, Berkeley, home of the Golden Bear football teams, is reinforced with steel from our San Francisco plant. Soulé steel also reinforces the concrete of the Los Angeles Colsium.*

*Photo: Oregon's State capitol at Salem was built with reinforcing steel from our Portland plant.*

*Photo: This coke oven is a small part of the huge Kaiser steel mills at Fontana. Our Los Angeles plant delivered and installed more than 9,000 tons of reinforcing steel to make it possible.*

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THE SOULÉ SALUTE