After our country entered into War World II, the once lagging industry and country's depression receded and opportunity for workers began once again. It was at this time that my grandfather William Gallagher got a job at Midvale Steel in the Nicetown section of Philadelphia as a " roller " of steel but it was not long before he ran the biggest crane in the city in what was considered the largest one story building in the nation where he used the crane to pick up the large guns that went on the Navy's gun ships to dip them into the hot steaming steel. Before long my grandfather became one of the most respected employees in Midvale due to his courage and ability to perform a job well done. As his sons William, John and Gene became of age, they also were employed at Midvale. Sadly, Midvale Steel fell on difficult financial times and closed its doors a final time in 1976. It should be noted that Coll McCaffery, my grandmother's cousin and husband of William's sister Anna was also once employed by Midvale Steel. As a Train Conductor, he drove the trains in the rail yard to transport the steel. John Gallagher (Uncle Jack) resigned his position at Midvale Steel in the early 1960's to relocate to California and seek work as a Life Insurance agent.
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