“My four brothers are in service. I want to do as much as I can to see that plenty of ammunition and supplies reach them.”
Mary Ann Mantegna Speaks at Rally
“Payroll Savings Day” - 1943
Mary Ann Mantegna of CMPC’s Molding Department, in company with employees of other industrial plants, was a guest speaker at a Bond Rally held at State and Madison Sts.
Mary Ann, dressed in the blue blouse, slacks and bandanna which she wears on her job, gave her reasons for working at CMPC, molding plastics mortar shell fuzes:
“My four brothers are in service. I want to do as much as I can to see that plenty of ammunitions and supplies reach them. The job I do is small in comparison to what they are doing to help win this war, but at least I fell like ‘one of the family.’
One of my borhters, S/Sgt. Anthony Novelli, was captured in Germany when his plane was shot down, and he remained a prisoner of war for five months. In February of this year, he and the other prisoners in his camp were forced to march 700 miles to another camp. They were in a the new camp two months before being liberated by General Patton’s Third Army.
Another of my brothers, Sgt. William Novelli, was with an advance unit of the Third Army and there was a grand reunion between Anthony and Bill.
My third brother, Cpl. Jack Novelli, is n the Marines, stationed aboard the aircraft carrier, Enterprise. The crew of this carrier was awarded a presidential citation for outstanding performance in action, having shot down 63 jab planes in one month. Admiral Halsey has personally praised the crew of the Enterprise for their work in the battles of Midway, Stewart Islands, Marshal Islands, Gilbert Islands, Marcus and Wake Islands.
My youngest brother, Pat. Joseph Novelli, is now on a boat - destination unknown.
With four brothers like that, you can easily see why I want to feel like ‘one of the family.”
Cloverleaf Tips, published by Chicago Molded Products Corp.