Excerpt from Naugatuck Daily News – Saturday, August 31, 1946
World War II - History Edition

YMCA Center Of War Activities Headquarters For Casualty Unit
 Servicemen Home On Leave Found All Facilities At Free Disposal

The Y M C A played its part during the war emergency years in serving the military personnel, industrial workers, and their families, keeping our youth engaged in worthwhile activities, and by making Y M C A facilities into emergency needs.

Headquarters for the Emergency Casualty Center was the Y. M. C. A. cafeteria and kitchen. The local Casualty Center was rated among the highest in the state. It was equipped to take care of over 300 casualties.

The Red Cross sewing, knitting and fair aid work were carried on in one of the Y M C A rooms during the war.

All servicemen home on leave were extended free use of the Y. M. C. A. facilities such as the gymnasium, swimming pool, games, etc. They also could participate in “Y” programs in Naugatuck. n most communities throughout the country, the U. S. O. helped to carry some of the expense involved in these services but locally the Y M C A carried the costs for such services.

The Y M C A was the center for many War Emergency Committee Meetings. Every week there were numerous meetings of groups preparing their specific assignments for War Emergency work.

Headquarters for the Blood Donors Bank were at the Y M C A where club rooms, lobbies, cafeteria, and gymnasium space were set aside to make provision for the work carried on in securing the blood donations of our local people.

Water safety courses were conducted along with life saving classes to help people to be prepared for emergencies.

All of the second floor club rooms were taken over for use in emergency housing of war workers in order to provide living quarters for workmen coming to Naugatuck factories.

Probably the greatest service rendered during these trying years was that of providing wholesome, healthful programs for the boys and girls to build strong bodies, good character, and to keep the morale of our young people high. During the last of the year, Teen Canteen was organized for the young people of High School age to provide opportunity for social activity and dancing.

Many opportunities for counseling with Service Men on their personal problems were met wholeheartedly by the Y staff members.

Excerpt from Naugatuck Daily News – Saturday, August 31, 1946
World War II - History Edition

Two Surgical Tables, Fifty Cots Set Up
 Mrs. Edith Lalor Has Perfect Record Of Attendance At Drills

The grim possibility of casualties requiring full medical and surgical facilities was not overlooked in the setup of the Naugatuck Defense Council. A model medical division, directed by Dr. N. A. Towne, was the boast of the borough, complete with 50 cots, two operating tables and full equipment for operations—even to batteries to substitute for electric current if necessary.

The medical center was located at the YMCA.

Dr. Walter I. Baker resigned as chairman of the medical division of the council in February, 1942, becoming assistant chairman under Dr. Towne.

Defining the responsibilities of Dr. Towne and estimating the hours of his time spent in the intelligent and conscientious devotion to these responsibilities would be impossible. Briefly, he carried out a program of recruiting doctor, nurses and aides; of training, equipping and assigning duties to his full force of volunteers; of cooperating with the evacuation unit, the Red Cross, state and local health officials, and with officials of industry and schools. This in addition to the selecting and providing for equipment of an emergency casualty station, all in the effort to provide the speediest and the most efficient medical service in any war-caused emergency that might arise.

Trained Nurses
 One of Dr. Towne’s first steps was to request all available trained nurses to register for service with the medical division. Many volunteered, and at a meeting they chose Mrs. Edith Lalor as leader of their unit.

Doctors
 Doctors working with Dr. Towne in the medical division were Dr. Vincent P. Duffy, Dr. David Bluestone, Dr. Baker, Dr. William Hill, Dr. Edwin Curran, Dr. Seymour Bonn, Dr. Charles Kennedy, Dr. Walter Reilly, and Dr. Victor Casella.

Dentists were Dr. E. Lerman, Dr. Everett T. Rogers and Dr. Henry Gordon. Other volunteers included Dr. Arthur Anderson, chiropractor, Dr. Philip Cohen, optometrist, Alanson Benson, Mrs. Elsie Canidee, Mrs. Sophie Conover, Mary E. Foley, Mrs. Edward Hermonat, Betty E. Stinson, Jean E. Stinson, Rose Bess Thomas and members of the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.

In the 27 air raid tests during the fearful war years nurses served with distinction. Mrs. Lalor held a perfect record of attending every one of the 27 tests. Others who were at their posts for ten or more tests included Mrs. Doris Kwasniewski, Mrs. Fridolf Carlson, Mrs. Thomas Scally and Mrs. Dorothy Olson.

The other 22 registered nurses who served included Mary Claffey, Katherine Brooks, Anna Doran, Julia Youle, Adeline Minicucci, Mary St. John, Mrs. Margaret Foley, Mrs. William Birdsall, Mrs. Moore, Mrs. Grace Bluestone, Mrs. Eleanor Pigaty, Mrs. Madeline Mary Fitzgerald, Mrs. Ann Hogan, Mrs. Clara Sadosky, Mrs. Elizabeth Murtha, Mrs. Jeanette St. John, Mrs. Alice Ratkiewich, Mrs. Ann Austin, Mrs. Bernice Sweeney, Mrs. Mary Schofield, Evelyn Jones and Agnes Gormley.

Mops and Brooms
 Actual establishment of the emergency casualty station in the Y. M. C. A. might have been long-delayed had it not been that Mrs. Lalor and her loyal assistants gathered mops, brooms, scrub pails, buckets and other utensils, and with hours of real labor turned the long-unused cafeteria and kitchen of the YMCA into a spotless center for emergency medical care.

Walls were painted, cupboards were readied and supplies were moved in—surgical instruments, dressings and bandages, heating pads and splints—two fine operating tables with powerful battery lights to be used in the absence of electrical current. Emergency, portable supply cases were ready for teams to take on field calls.

Separate wards for men and women were set up. Fifty cots were moved in, blankets, pillows, pillow arranged by Mrs. Lalor and her assistant, and many volunteers of the Red Cross.

First Test
 The emergency casualty center was equipped and operating when the first air raid test was held on March 1, 1942. Panel trucks for ambulances, first aid teams, all functioned with speed and efficiency throughout the period of air raid tests.

The casualty station was put to actual use for the first time August 24, 1942, when local doctors and nurses assisted with the first local donations of blood to the plasma bank.

The center was used for the same purpose many times during the war.