World War II Honoree

Irving William 'Irv' North

Hometown

North Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

HE WAS A MEMBER OF AN ORCHESTRA THAT WAS PLAYING AT RIPON COLLEGE, WISCONSIN ON DECEMBER 7, 1941. IT WAS THERE THAT HE FIRST HEARD THE RADIO BROADCAST ANNOUNCING THAT THE JAPANESE HAD ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII. HE RECALLS THAT, WHEN THE BAND PLAYED THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, THE CROWD STOOD AND SANG, AND MANY WERE IN TEARS AND OTHERS SHOWED ANGER IN THEIR FACES. HIS BAND'S PLAYING WAS AN EARLY CATALYST FOR HIS OWN INTENSE PATRIOTIC SPIRIT. HE SUBSEQUENTLY PARTICIPATED IN ACTIVITIES CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ATOMIC BOMBS AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF MILITARY PRODUCTS WHILE WORKING AT GIDDINGS AND LEWIS, A MACHINE TOOL PLANT IN FOND DU LAC, WISCONSIN DURING THE WAR. HE WORKED ON MAKING SCREENS USED TO SEPARATE URANIUM, TO PRODUCE FISSIONABLE URANIUM 235 USED IN THE MAKING OF THE ATOMIC BOMBS. THIS WAS PART OF THE HIGHLY CLASSIFIED 'MANHATTAN PROJECT.'