Darlington Veneer’s Red Letter Day
With the onset of World War II, Darlington Veneer Co. aided the war effort. The war had brought on shortages of saw-logs which were needed to build trucks, freight cars, freight planes and cargo ships to rush food and supplies to the battlefront. Darlington Veneer placed advertising in the local papers urging timber owners to ‘Cut them NOW.’ One such ad is quoted as reading, ‘Trees cut from farm woodlands will help win the war as much as weapons in the hands of our fighting men.’ The local farmers and landowners responded and vast quantities of heavy duty plywood panels were manufactured in our mill for the Maritime Commission. These panels were used as bulkhead panels in the hardy Liberty Ships.
It was for that effort and patriotism that on July 23, 1943 Darlington Veneer Company was awarded the Army-Navy award for Excellence in War Production.
Before the presentation began, a flight of Army Bombers circled the mill while the Florence Air Base Band provided patriotic music for the gathered crowd of well over 250 persons. When the ceremony began, South Carolina Governor Olin D. Johnston spoke to the crowd praising Darlington Veneer for exceptional contributions to the war effort. Sherman Ramsey was awarded the red and blue ‘E’ pennant by Major Frank Monaghan on behalf of the War Department, Washington, D.C. Lieutenant J. Lyles Boyd, US Naval Reserves of the Sixth Naval District, Charleston, SC, presented Darlington Veneer employee with a coveted ‘E’ lapel pin.
It was certainly a day of patriotism and pride for the employees and owners of Darlington Veneer Company, a feeling that continues today.