BERWICK, Pa. — It was the manufacturing of tanks that landed Berwick a spot on Hitler's American bombing target list during World War II.
The industrial plant housed in this small borough cranked out more than 15,000 of these Stuart tanks.
"They called their suppliers and told him this is how much armor plate we need. And we're told they hung up on them. So they built their own furnaces, and they made their own armor plate and by the end of World War II, they were the largest groups of armor plates in the United States," Tom McLaughlin, member of the Stuart Tank Memorial Association, said.
That's a history McLaughlin is proud of, and it's why he fought hard to bring this tank back home to Berwick, finally succeeding in 2016.
"When we bought the first tour tank back to Berwick, and they fired it up and started driving it, it literally brought tears to my eyes because it was like history coming alive," Janelle Surkin, board member of the Stuart Tank Memorial Association, said.
Surkin grew up hearing about the impact her hometown had on the fight for freedom.
Now, she has three children who have served in the armed forces.
"I know what it's like to say goodbye to your children, put them on that bus, and not know what Uncle Sam has in store for them. And back during World War II, the conditions were even worse."
That's why she works with the Stuart Tank Memorial Association to keep World War II history alive.
"It's important for young kids to come down here and to see exactly what it was like with the greatest generation, how much they sacrificed so that we can have the freedom that we have today. The entire world could have been changed if we had not been successful in World War II," Surkin said.
Especially in Berwick, where more than 9,000 people came from all over Northeastern Pennsylvania to work on these tanks at the American Car & Foundry plant.
"Almost everyone in this community has had some family member who worked at the ACF during the Second World War, or had family members who were in the service during the war," McLaughlin said.
You can get an up-close look at two of the Stuart tanks this weekend at Test Track Park as part of Berwick's 5th annual World War II Weekend.
"You walk up to the Stuart tank and you just put your hand on it. You can feel the armor plating, and you just realize that we did that - 9,000 workers in Berwick - we did that," Surkin said.
You can read about it in a textbook, or see it in a movie, but it's nothing like what you'll experience here this weekend.
Adam Hartzell is one of the actors recreating the invasion of Southern France during the war.
"We are going to have foxhole positions in the woods here. We're also going to be having a reenactment battle each day Saturday and Sunday at noon. We'll be fighting. It'll be super realistic," Hartzell said. "Come check it out. It's kind of like a movie."
Berwick's World War II Weekend is free and open to the public - 2-5 p.m. on Friday, 10-5 p.m. on Saturday, and 10-3 p.m. on Sunday. There will be a free "swing dance" at the Berwick Elks from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday.
For the full schedule of events, click here.
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