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Weather Channel to feature Cramerton's war effort on Veterans Day

Gaston Gazette - 11/4/2019

The Weather Channel will feature the town of Cramerton this Veterans Day as part of special programming.

To tell the town's rich history, post-World War II Army veteran Ted Reece gave his perspective on the town's history, specifically when Cramerton Mills, a mill responsible for making Army khaki for soldiers during World War II, was awarded the Army-Navy "E" Award. E stands for "excellence in production."

"The Army-Navy E Award, as far as Cramerton's concerned, it shows that the patriotism of the Cramer family, what all they have contributed to this nation as far as the war effort," said Reece, who made cloth at the mill during the war. In 1942, Reece was a 14-year-old Boy Scout, tasked with directing parking with his troop as people flooded into the town for the award presentation in 1942.

It was the greatest event to ever take place in Cramerton, the 91-year-old said.

"A classmate and I, we was through with the parking. We sat up on the railroad bank and watched all of that take place. It was some affair, something that never been like that since in my lifetime," Reece said.

R. Warren Cramer, who is Stuart Warren Cramer Sr.'s grandson, wasn't there for the World War II-era celebration, but learned about his family's history growing up.

"I feel that the contribution of town's like Cramerton in America are not something that is well known and well recorded, but the town here worked so hard, so well and so efficiently in producing this important thing," Cramer said. "It's just as patriotic to work long shifts in a mill."

Cramer hopes Cramerton's story on The Weather Channel over Veterans Day will help unite those on either side of the political divide.

"The wonderful thing about this kind of thing is, war is a terrible tragedy and a great evil, but some good things can come out of it. The pulling together of a country like we had, it really did make us a nation and a people... and creates a sense of pride, a sense of unity, a sense of community and love for one another," Cramer said. "We really need to understand we are a truly remarkable and wonderful country, and we really need to get that back again somehow."

Writer and producer Kevin Jackson, who conducted interviews for the special, lived in Belmont for 13 years and knew of Cramerton's war history.

"Having lived in this area, I know a lot of people don't know the history of Cramerton," he said.

The Weather Channel will air the special throughout the day on Veterans Day.

You can reach Gavin Stewart at 704-869-1819 or on Twitter@GavinGazette.

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(c)2019 Gaston Gazette, Gastonia, N.C.

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