Videos
Born: 1923
Duties on the home front: In
1943, Ersland worked at the Des Moines Ordnance Plant located in
Ankeny. Erslands job was to operate the machines that trimmed excess
from .50 caliber machine gun bullet casings. In 1944, Ersland joined
the United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve.
"I think the patriotism came as it progressed."
Background:
As more men were sent away to fight, women were hired to take over their positions on the assembly lines. Before World War II, women had generally been discouraged from working outside the home. Now, they were being encouraged to take over jobs that had been traditionally considered 'men's work.' In Ankeny, the Des Moines Ordnance Plant was already under construction when war was declared. By 1942, .30 and .50 caliber machine gun ammunition began to roll off the line. Jeanne Ersland of Ankeny, formerly Jeanne Gibson, was among the 19 thousand people who worked at the facility. After more than a year at the ordinance plant, Ersland joined the United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve. Following training at Camp LeJune, she was assigned to Cherry Point North Carolina and worked as an aircraft engine mechanic.
Transcript
In Ankeny, the Des Moines Ordinance Plant was already under construction when war was declared. By 1942, .30 and .50 caliber machine gun ammunition began to roll off the line. Jeanne Ersland of Ankeny, formerly Jeanne Gibson, was among the 19 thousand people who worked at the facility.
(Jeanne Ersland) I think they gave us a short indoctrination as to what we were there for. And then they took us right to the working area, and I stayed in that working area all the time that I was there. I think the patriotism came as it progressed and I was thinking of going on into the service.
After more than a year at the ordinance plant, Ersland joined the United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve. Following training at Camp LeJune, she was assigned to Cherry Point North Carolina and worked as an aircraft engine mechanic.
Links
Iowa's WWII Stories: Home Front Interviews
www.iptv.org/video/browse.cfm/tag/home%20front
Iowans who were at home had major roles to play in winning the war. Their sacrifice helped determine what kind of conditions, both political and social, would exist once the war was over.
Iowa's WWII Stories: Battlefront Interviews
www.iptv.org/video/browse.cfm/tag/battlefront
More than 276,000 Iowans went into military service during World War II. 8,398 never returned. Iowa Public Television brings you the stories of a few Iowans that did return from the battlefront.
