The war years brought changes, both large and small, to life in every American community. With so many of its young people going into the service, the Chippewa Valley felt the war's impact in countless ways- especially in the loss of life. Eau Claire County, alone, lost 193 killed and more, who were seriously wounded. 

The war also affected area schools, businesses, churches, and activities that are taken for granted in times of peace. Student and faculty speakers at the Eau Claire Senior High School's 1942 graduation ceremonies emphasized patriotism and the war effort, above all else. The Eau Claire Bears Baseball Team and the Northern League closed down in the remaining years of the war for a lack of players. Families endured the rationing of gasoline, meat, sugar, cigarettes, tires, and other supplies, in order to cope with shortages caused by combat.

The housing shortages in some cities were critical, but not in our area. After the war, veterans' housing units were set up on the eastern end of Birch Street to accommodate returning GIs.

The labor force was weakened, even though many farmers and defense plant workers were exempt from serving in the military. Because of the shortage of pickers during the pea crop harvest, 134 German prisoners of war and 60 Jamaicans were brought to Eau Claire in 1943 to work in the Lang Canning Factory on the corner of Madison Street and Oxford Avenue. They were housed at the 4-H Fairgrounds on Fairfax Avenue in Altoona, across from the Coop.

In 1940, the Presto Factory in Eau Claire was built as a munitions defense plant, and defense manufacturing continued there throughout the war years. Also, during the war, Eau Claire's U.S. Rubber Company, now called the U.S. Ordinance Plant was converted from a tire plant to one making .30 caliber ammunition. Many of its workers were wives and sweethearts of area servicemen who, before this time, had not worked outside the home.

 In conjunction with the Army Air Corps, the Eau Claire Normal School re-initiated a training program for Air Force cadets. The program ran from March 1943 to June 1944; trainees numbered from 178 to 300 at a time. Emphasis was on academic classes, but the students were also given ten hours of dual instruction (training in take-offs and landings). 

Local business people raised $10,000 to build new hangar facilities at the Putnam Heights Airport. Their efforts enabled many potential pilots, navigators, and bombardiers to be trained in Eau Claire. In tests taken later at Santa Ana Air Base in California, the scores of these cadets placed Eau Claire in the top 10% of the colleges in the Western Flying Command. The students spoke highly of the attitudes of Chippewa Valley residents toward servicemen.

The cadets, soldiers from Camp McCoy, and other servicemen were welcomed in the community and given opportunities for rest and relaxation when they were not in training. Local dances were held, the YMCA operated a USO, and they received free passes to events, such as the Forum Series at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

For most high school students in the area, the attack on Pearl Harbor was a personal tragedy, and they followed the later developments of war with intense interest. In a fervor of patriotism, many young people left school to fight for their country, even before graduation. 

Students who enlisted in their senior year were automatically given graduating diplomas. In 1942, two faculty members and fifteen seniors from Eau Claire Senior High School answered the "call to colors." Some of these youths would not return. For instance, Don Fleming, one of the top skiers in Eau Claire's Flying Eagles Ski Club, entered the Navy as a 17-year- old and, in a few short months, lost his life in the South Pacific.