The Census Bureau and WWII: Honoring the Fallen
After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, thousands of American men rushed to enlist to help fight the newly-declared war against Germany, Italy, and Japan. Over the next four years, millions of men and women enlisted, including hundreds of current and past Census Bureau employees. While most returned home safely, forty-four men made the ultimate sacrifice. In 1948 the Census Bureau Recreation Association (CBRA) raised funds for a brass plaque honoring their service and sacrifice. The plaque lists thirty-five names, but this was based on the personal knowledge of then-current employees and, as such, some names were misspelled and some missed. We have added nine other men whose names and stories we found in the course of our research.
Nearly eight decades later, that plaque is no longer on display but is preserved as part of the Census Bureau Heritage Assets program.
As the number of World War II veterans dwindles and those who worked with these men are long gone from the Census Bureau, it would be easy to forget these young men and what they did for the world.
Together, their stories represent the cross-section of America that is also represented by the Census Bureau workforce. They came from various backgrounds and each voluntarily signed up to defend freedom. While not all died on the battlefield, that does little to diminish the enormity of their sacrifice and willingness to forfeit their lives in the service of others. We are honored to count them among our ranks.