My Superfather : My Grandfather

By my mom and two of her sisters, my grandfather is called dad, but my Aunt Marcia addresses him as Jack Bronder. My maternal grandfather passed away before I was born, but that is not to say his life does not hold a standing presence in my family today, especially for my Aunt Marcia. The man that I imagine as my grandfather is created only by stories passed down to me, but the story that stands out to me the most is the one told by my Aunt Marcia.

He was born during World War I. He herd the old men tell the stories of what happened when they were in World War II. All of his family members went to some war in their life time. His Uncles Guadalcanal, North Africa and the battle of the Bulge, his Cousins stories of Korea. Then finally it was his and his brothers turn, they had joined the marines just in time for the for the Cuban Missile crisis. After that his friends going to Vietnam tasting defeat the only war that America has ever lost. Finally it is his sons turn and he gets the other end of the deal. He doesn’t know if his son will be able to tell him his stories of his war or if he will have to cry at his grave.

Numerous iron and steel factories began to springing up throughout Pittsburgh, providing factory jobs for all and earning the nickname of “Steel City”.

In the 1800s, the first Steel Mills were built in Youngstown, Ohio and it’s economy flourished their Steel Mills produced the majority of steel used in World War I, their economy picked up once again during World War II. This created many jobs. On September 19, 1977, “Black Friday,” was started. It was the beginning of the end for Youngstown, Ohio’s stable economy. On September 19, 1977 Youngstown starting losing the steel industry jobs, this lasted until the mid 1980s. Youngstown, Ohio became apart of the ,”Rust Belt,” along with Pittsburg. The,” Rust Belt is a chain of cities in northeastern and Midwestern US, that are known for their declining industries. According to Professor Harris, Youngstown, “Ohio will NEVER Recover. Youngstown, Ohio

With the amount of steel being produced, people were being exposed to very poor work conditions. The workers would not have any protective gear, only around two layer of long johns. A worker once said that a chain could break, a ladle could fall over and the iron could explode. Iron slag could fall on you and boil your insides. People would work 12 hour shifts, with no breaks and little rest. The boss-man once said that efficiency for the steel plant was their main priority, rather than safety.

Over the years, he has tried to forget what happened in the war and put everything out of his mind. What happened during the war is what motivates him today to do as much as he can for veterans.

Although jobs had been scarce, I had been lucky enough to acquire a job in a Steel mill in the industrial area of Tulsa. Many people were against working there due to the conditions in which we were forced to deal with. Rats littered the building, some open, upper floor areas had no railings, and the machines would occasionally get themselves stuck on something. I reluctantly was able to convince my boss to allow my father to work with me. The job had been very dangerous and hard, but I made just enough money to provide for my family. The difficult work and hazardous conditions, while not preferable, enabled us to stay

Those who lived there faced similar problems to the people from Packingtown. The steel industry was in high demand because of the architecture advancements in skyscrapers and railroads. Again, the Poles found themselves in the blast furnace department as unskilled workers (Pacyga 87). It wasn't that they were not skilled, it was the language barrier keeping them from higher pay. As generations passed, English became their second language, and they were able to obtain skilled jobs. For those that did not speak English, the working conditions were difficult. For the Poles working in the furnace, it was the unbearable heat that proved to be the worst. Lung disease was another common health factor. Frequent accidents were also a great problem with the steel industry. Many cases were taken to court, but the liability was hard to prove (Pacyga 91). Falling objects, suffocation, and electrocution caused serious accidents and even death. Eventually the steel corporations released a safety program promoting the wellbeing of steelworkers. “The safety and welfare programs of the steel companies were also an economic success. The workforce became more stable and efficient” (Pacyga 97). It was a huge improvement for both the workers and the industry alike. At that point, Steel City was the best place to live. The rent was high compared to other neighborhoods, but the average Polish worker was able to scrape

Aside from religious and ethnic challenges he faced, being able to learn from what his parents experienced while they were growing up helped to shape the way he is today. Growing up in areas that were not ideal and moving to a better place, was one manner his parents were able to help ensure that he would be given better opportunities than they had. This allowed him to make the decision to leave his parents and join the military. Which, while rough, has given him his present situation.

The first 4 ½ years of his life was spent with family and distant relatives. His mom and dad would let him spent the weekend at his grandparents house. Were he would spend time there with them, and his aunt and uncle, and his three cousins. His father and his grandfather would often take him hunting and fishing. His mom and dad wanted more children, but for the first 5 years of his life he had no relatives. This is the case because their house in Fayetteville had black mold in it which caused his mom to have many miscarriages. After 4 ½ years in NC, the Air Force told his father he had to move to

Francis Bernard Cullen had already tried to join the marines when he was 16 to fight in World War Two but his plan was figured out when his records showed he wasn’t 18 so he was sent back to his so far lackluster adolescent life. For work he would pursue real estate in the exciting city of Buffalo, New York he grew up in. After moving to Massachusetts and feeling he wasn’t reaching his full potential, the Vietnam war broke out. Accepting the call for action, he enlisted into the Vietnam War. Right when he thought it all figured out he met Jacklyn Moore the love of his life. They would have 2 kids before he was stationed. When he was called for action he did a total of 3 tours. While in Vietnam he was co-piloting a helicopter when he was shot

One would actually be justified to assume that the steel mill company is representative of the unfair treatment workers received from the various industries they worked for. In order to echo the discrimination and oppression that immigrants experienced, Thomas H. Coode, in an essay, “Many Miles to the Middle Class: Reflections on Three Narratives of Life in Mine and Mill Towns” states, “Mike 's story, describes turn-of-the century steel mills as booming; but long and dangerous hours in the mills deprive workers of family time, and poverty and meanness plague Slovak families whose occupational ambitions compete with the ethnic prejudices of bosses and the corporations,” (94). In this statement, Coode makes it clear that corporations during that time were not sensitive to the welfare of their workers, which only means that they were only focused on making profit. They sacrificed good working conditions and sustainable salaries for huge returns to enrich themselves. Such is a demonstration of marginalization and oppression of the poor.

When I look at him, it is like I am looking in a mirror fifty years from now. We have the same chocolate brown hair and brown eyes. We both have a deep, dark complexion. Sometimes I see old pictures and I am not sure who it is, my grandfather or me. When I think about him, the word that comes to mind is love. When I am in the middle of a race, feeling exhausted, and am in the need of motivation, I can hear him cheering me on. His deep encouraging voice pushes me to speed up and finish the race. My grandfather not only encourage me in cross country, but he also tries to encourage me throughout every aspect of my life. My grandpa is a very influential part of my life. As I grow, I try as hard as possible to take how he lives and emulate it in my life.

“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never ever the same.” - Unknown. This quote describes my relationship with my grandfather perfectly. My grandfather has been in my life longer than my own father. It is those people who mean the most to you and make marks on your life, somehow leaving a type of footprint on our hearts. I never realized this until it was too late.

My grandmother has always been my best friend ever since I could speak.Saturday was the best day of the week. We walked into Steak and Shake, the smell of grease filled our noses.We would just chat about anything as we waited for food. But we didn’t order milkshakes, after that we went right across the street to Coldstone and I got a cotton candy ice cream with gummy bears. The ice cream was sweet and creamy. We moved over to Starbucks where coffee filled the air. We sat and talked with my aunt about anything you could imagine. Then we left in my grandma's small red car with no music, just laughter and memories that will last forever. Things changed as I aged and my cousins were born, but we were still best friends when I was upset I called her, when I needed advice, she was the first person I came too, and if I wanted something she bought it for me. She was the best person ever. But in just one day everything changed.