ALCOA (Aluminum Company of America), and Alcoa, TN
In the early 1900's ALCOA, leading producer of aluminum, looked to east Tennessee to establish a large aluminum smelting operation there. ALCOA was attracted by the Tennessee River's potential for providing hydroelectric power and built several dams to do just that. ALCOA established not only dams and processing plants, but a company town as well. In 1919, the town of ALCOA was born. ALCOA played a significant role in WWII as a leading producer of aluminum, needed for aircraft construction.
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The town of Alcoa is located in Blount County, in East Tennessee.
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Aluminum production during WWII, needed for aluminum sheeting in aircraft production.
Click here to read about the SS ALCOA Puritan, an ALCOA merchant ship that was sunk by a Nazi U-Boat in the Gulf of Mexico during WWII.
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Sources:
Aluminum production during WWII: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXoB3lQcZk8
Image: B-24s under construction at Willow Run: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AB-24_bomber_at_Willow_Run.jpg
Image: SS Puritan sunk, from National WW2 Museum http://www.nww2m.com/2012/05/ss-alcoa-puritan-sunk/
Aluminum production during WWII: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXoB3lQcZk8
Image: B-24s under construction at Willow Run: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AB-24_bomber_at_Willow_Run.jpg
Image: SS Puritan sunk, from National WW2 Museum http://www.nww2m.com/2012/05/ss-alcoa-puritan-sunk/