Wartime Excellence in Production
Kohler Co. was twice honored with an Army-Navy E Award for “excellence in production” during World World II. The prestigious award was given to only five percent of more than 85,000 American companies involved in producing wartime support.
The United States officially entered World War II in December 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Like many Americans, Kohler Co. associates moved quickly in support of wartime efforts. Within the first six months of 1942, all brass plumbing production was converted to create torpedo tubes, shells, fuses, aircraft valves and fittings, and aircraft piston rings.
![World War II torpedo tube production in Kohler Foundry, May 23, 1944. Workers are preparing mold for casting.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04392_rgb.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War II War Production Boards at an event in 2017.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/aac07974_WWII-Production-Example-Boards.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War II Torpedo production, 1944.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/aad07921_rgb.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Many women worked in the factory in the early 1940s, replacing men who had gone off to war. World War II shell production, 1945.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/aad07925_rgb.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War II Army Navy E Award ceremony for excellence in wartime production, February 9, 1945, Herbert V. Kohler, Sr. center](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/aad07930_rgb.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Casting artillery shells in the Kohler Foundry during World War I -- 1917-1918.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb03917.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Brass (Faucet) plant, 1927. Produced many materials for the military over the years.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb03966.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War II shell production in Kohler Foundry, Febraury 26, 1943.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04377.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War II shell production in Kohler Foundry. February 25, 1943.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04383.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War II shell production in Kohler Foundry. January 29, 1945. Shows casting of shell bands.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04386.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Dummy torpedo used to test Kohler torpedo tubes made in Kohler Foundry during World War II. August 9, 1944.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04388.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War II torpedo tube production in Kohler Foundry, August 9, 1944. Completed torpedo tube is undergoing hydrostatic testing to 300 lbs pressure psi.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04389.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War II shell production in Kohler Foundry, March 4, 1942.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04390.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War II torpedo tube production in Kohler Foundry, May 23, 1944.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04391.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War I shell production in Kohler Foundry, 1917-1918.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04400.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Korean War shell production. September 16, 1953.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04403.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War I shell production and packing in Kohler Foundry, 1917-1918.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04404.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War II shell production. January 30, 1945](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04405.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![War Department award for production of military supplies during World War I.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04407_WWI-manufacturing-recognition.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War I shell production in Kohler Foundry, 1917-1918.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04411_rgb.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War I shell production in Kohler Foundry, 1917-1918.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04413_rgb.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![World War I shell production in Kohler Foundry, 1917-1918.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb04414.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Company truck displaying projectiles made at Wisconsin plant during World War I.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb13039.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Many women worked in the factory in the early 1940s, replacing men who had gone off to war. World War II. Piston Ring and Shell production.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/bbb18593_rgb.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Army/Navy "E" Award Ceremony Program, February 9, 1945, cover.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/img143.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Army/Navy "E" Award Ceremony Program, February 9, 1945, page 1.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/img144.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Army/Navy "E" Award Ceremony Program, February 9, 1945, page 2. War Department letter.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/img145.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Army/Navy "E" Award Ceremony Program, February 9, 1945, page 3. Kohler Co. response.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/img146.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Army/Navy "E" Award Ceremony Program, February 9, 1945, page 4.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/img147.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Army/Navy "E" Award Ceremony Program, February 9, 1945, page 5.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/img148.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Army/Navy "E" Award Ceremony Program, February 9, 1945, page 6.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/img149.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Army/Navy "E" Award Ceremony Program, February 9, 1945, page 7.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/img150.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Army/Navy "E" Award Ceremony Program, February 9, 1945, page 8.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/img151.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Army/Navy "E" Award Ceremony Program, February 9, 1945, page 9.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/img152.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Army/Navy "E" Award Ceremony Program, February 9, 1945, page 10.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/img153.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Army/Navy "E" Award Ceremony Program, February 9, 1945, page 11.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/img154.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Army/Navy "E" Award Ceremony Program, February 9, 1945, page 12.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/img155.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Kohler People headline - Awarded Shell Contract. July 9, 1952. Korean War.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shell-Contract-1952.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
![Article on Precision Parts for the Military in the October 1951 Kohler of Kohler News. Korean War.](https://i0.wp.com/www.kohlerarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Korean-War-Manufacturing-1951-1.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)