World War II Honoree

James Elbert Gorman

Hometown

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Honored By

Marybeth Stearns

Relationship

Daughter

HIS JOB WAS THE TRAINMASTER FOR THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. THIS INVOLVED SUPERVISING ALL THE TRAIN-YARD PERSONNEL AND ASSURING THAT ALL TRAINS PASSING THROUGH MINNEAPOLIS WERE ON SCHEDULE AND THEIR PASSENGERS AND CARGOES WERE PROPERLY HANDLED AND ROUTED. THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY WAS A VITAL MILITARY SUPPLY LINE DURING WWII. YEARLY ALL-TIME RECORDS FOR FREIGHT TRAFFIC WERE SET IN 1942, 1943 AND 1944 (19.6 BILLION TON-MILES) AND FOR PASSENGER TRAFFIC IN 1944 AND 1945 (1.3 BILLION). BECAUSE HE WAS UNDER HEAVY PRESSURE AND STRESS AND WORKED SUCH LONG HOURS, HIS HEALTH WAS AFFECTED AND HE DIED OF A HEART ATTACK IN 1946 AT THE AGE OF 48 YEARS.