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Speaker1: The project set up by the federal government under President
Roosevelt for relief of unemployment. I put to work some 30,000 men. Plus
supervisory personnel and also as well as a. Administrative force doing a
good work. Constructive work. Did this take place in Pittsburgh? All over
Allegheny County. It was a success. Finally, on in early in early in
January or finally in November, the Democrats under the leadership of John
Cain, who later became chairman of the board of county commissioners, won
the election and. Obtained Democratic control of the county government.
Commissioner Cain invited me then to become director of Public Works of
Allegheny County, which I assumed early in January, and continued in that
position until I was drafted by the Army and went to into the into the
service early in January of 1943.
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Speaker2: Okay. One question before we get into your military history.
Could you give us some possibly some insight information? As for the
employment practices that took part back in the in your WPA program, did
you have any problems with the different ethnic pressures, political or
otherwise?
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Speaker1: Yes, I had more problems with politically than I had ethnically.
The Republicans didn't want the program to succeed and refused even to
initiate the works progress Administration projects in their different
communities. Mckeesport-duquesne were. Were examples of the opposition. We.
Encountered in trying to get people in those communities to work. Uh, they
refuse to approve any projects whatsoever. However, we got around this and
succeeded finally in getting projects established in all areas of Allegany
County.
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Speaker2: Did you have any type of labor union problems whatsoever?
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Speaker1: No, we had none. They were very cooperative in those days and we
had a very successful program. We constructed walls along most of the
creeks in Allegany County. We put stone quarries into operation. We paved
streets and did similar work and no leaf raking as was done in the previous
the previous program under the State project.
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Speaker2: What year did you say that this WPA program began?
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Speaker1: It began July 1st, 1935.
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Speaker2: All right. Now, this was just following the Depression, right?
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Speaker1: This is this is during the Depression. During the Depression was
then in existence.
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Speaker2: All right. Now, was this a purpose of the government to help
stimulate business on their part in order to try to get out of the the
Depression?
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Speaker1: Yes. That was the principal object.
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Speaker2: Trying to employ people. And like I see.
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Speaker1: Uh, then, uh. Then I accepted the job as director of the works
department of Allegheny County, uh, where we had a very ambitious program
and spent something like $25 million on improvements to put people to work
and to construct, uh, great projects. For instance, uh. Under my direction.
We constructed the Water Street Boulevard and Duquesne Way Boulevard, which
formerly were merely cobblestone slopes leading down to the river. Those
are the that was the start of the Renaissance program in Pittsburgh, as a
matter of fact. We also built the Highland Park Bridge, the Homestead High
Level Bridge, the Dukas Hollow Bridge, The. Uh, McKeesport Bridge and
Highway. Uh, which. It was now a boulevard. And we also initiated the the
McKnight Road project. The Banksville Road, Mount Lebanon, or the Lebanon
Church Road, and many other projects of similar character.
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Speaker2: That's an awful lot of construction. How were these roads prior
to this, the start of this program? Well.
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Speaker1: Mcknight McKnight Road was a dirt road. Dirt road, a dirt road
entirely. And Banksville Road was a narrow two to. Uh, car with a highway
with a brick surface, dangerous and curling all through the valley. Uh,
Lebanon Church Road was a similar project. We also rebuilt, incidentally,
the Allegheny County Airport. We added the largest hangar ever built in
America up to that time. But of course, today they're building larger ones.
But we built new runways there and modernized the airport. Uh, making it a
first class project.
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Speaker2: So how would you describe your lifestyle during the Depression
era?
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Speaker1: Well, I was very proud to be involved in. In this program during
the Depression. These several programs, as a matter of fact, in helping the
poor people to obtain jobs and to help the economy and to also construct a,
uh, valuable projects that today, for instance, if you take a look at
McKnight Road and Banksville Road and Lebanon Church Road and these other
roads, important roads that we constructed. You'll find them to be very
valuable assets as far as, uh, as far as industry and business is
concerned. And also of course, the development of, of building sites. So
I'm very proud of having been a part of that program.
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Speaker2: But your lifestyle, how has it affected your pardon, your
lifestyle?
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Speaker1: Well, it was.
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Speaker2: Were you hurting very badly back in those days or were you
fortunate enough to have, you know, the position that you had at the time?
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Speaker1: Well. There was I was doing very well as a partner of Chester
Engineers. And so that the transfer to the, uh, to the state project in
Allegheny County was no improvement as far as my income was concerned. Uh,
but the one thing that I liked about the change was that I could stay at
home and take care of my family and get acquainted, at least with them,
because I had to do a lot of traveling all over the United States, where we
where the Chester engineers as consulting engineers had projects.
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Speaker2: And this might be a good time to introduce your wife. Could you
describe your wife and her background in the life?
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Speaker1: Yes. My my wife was a very saintly woman. Her name was Catherine
Riley. Of course, she was Irish and she was a great mother. I she died in
1968 and I miss her very much. Uh, she was a great mother to the family.
And as a matter of fact, I'm very proud of the family that our. Of our
children. We have five religious in the family. There are two priests. One
is a Jesuit, and there are three nuns. All of them are involved in, uh, in
religious work and also in, uh, in charitable endeavors. For instance, my
son John. Uh, is is a graduate of the Naval Academy and served in the
submarine. Elected, in fact, to serve in the submarine branch of the Navy.
And. Uh, it was, uh. Uh. And worked in the Pacific area off the Japanese
coast largely. And was decorated with the Silver Star for bravery. In
saving a flyer's life. When he swam out into a minefield and rescued this
boy and brought and brought him in safely to the submarine, which was then
under fire from the shore. Batteries of the Japanese. After the war, He.
Decided that he'd seen enough of the world and decided then to resign and
study for the priesthood. He entered the Jesuit order and was ordained in
1956, Said his first mass at Saint Bernard's. Today he is back in the Navy
again as a chaplain and is now a chief chaplain of the. Submarine base at
New London, Connecticut. This being his fourth tour of duty at that point,
starting, of course, with his tour after graduation. He is now he now has
the rank of captain.
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Speaker2: Excuse me. You had also mentioned Saint Bernard's. Was this the
parish that you spent most of your activities at during during your life?
Yes.
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Speaker1: My family was raised largely in Saint Bernard's and my children.
Attended all of the children. Attended Saint Bernard's at one time or
other. Of course, they attended cathedral grade and high schools when we
lived on Wallingford Street. My son John was a star quarterback on the
football team of Central Catholic and later played for the freshman team at
Carnegie Tech before entering the Naval Academy and played tackle and end
at the Naval Academy, which beat Army two years in a row in his junior and
senior years. He also was named to the all American lacrosse team when Navy
won the championship in 1943.
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Speaker2: Did you get much of a chance to follow your family through
their, say, their award areas, like your son John? You mentioned going to
the Naval Academy. Were you able with your job title and the like to find
time to spend time with your children to help participate?
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Speaker1: Oh, yes. I saw almost every game that Navy played when my son
was playing. And then I had another son, Tom, who's a who played football
at Central Catholic and was a star halfback at Mount Lebanon High School
After we moved back to Mount Lebanon in his senior year. He was a handed
ballplayer and I think he scored something like 10 or 11 touchdowns in the
one year that he played. And Mount Lebanon that year had a great team. I
think they won all our games except two.
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Speaker2: Was this at the time period where you lived on Barnhill Road?
Yes, that's correct. Could you try to elaborate on your your role, your
your area where your service career?
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Speaker1: Well, in 1942, I became itchy about the war. I tried to enlist
in war World War One, but I was married and had a child. I was in deferred
classification for F. And was this.
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Speaker2: The time when you lived in Oil City?
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Speaker1: Yes. Right. And I applied twice. They needed sanitary engineers
at these various army bases. Because sanitary engineers in those days were
were not common. But I was told that since I was engaged in war work,
designing filtration plants and other facilities for these various
cantonments throughout the country, including three that I designed for in
South America, one of Sao Paulo and two other cities. I can't recall at the
present time who in some way were connected with our war effort. So the
general told told me on two occasions, Well, you're you're doing what we
want you to do. And when we need you, we'll, we'll call for you. So I never
got to serve in World War One. When? 1942 came along with World War Two.
Earlier, the Navy offered me a the rank of commander to serve in their
Seabee or construction division, but I wouldn't accept the rank because I
thought I deserved a higher rank. And then the army finally wrote me and
asked me if I wouldn't come in as. To work as military governor overseas.
So I. Gave us a very serious thought. And. I was told that they had a
school of military government, what they called a long term course at the
University of Virginia at Charlottesville. And so to bring this to proper
focus, I asked my dear wife to come with me to Charlottesville for an
interview and that I would not accept the appointment. Uh, unless she
agreed to it because it would be her responsibility to raise the rest of
the family. Uh. After an interview down at Charlottesville, I was offered
the rank of lieutenant colonel. And I asked my dear wife what she thought
of it and she would agree to it, and she said she would agree to it.
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Speaker1: She would assume the responsibility. So I entered this service
and in January 1943 reported to Charlottesville and in the third class of
military government, graduated from there in May or June. And then from
there I was sent to a camp, Fort Custer in Michigan for basic training. Uh,
this was a horrible experience for me at my age. I was 5053 then. So from
there, I then proceeded under orders to overseas duty and landed at
Casablanca, Africa. Uh, proceeded across Northern Africa to Algiers. By
train, slow train, which averaged seven miles an hour for four days. And
from Algiers, I went to Sicily and was appointed as chief of the. Of the. A
utilities division of the army behind the army lines. The behind the
fighting lines. Uh, so I had charge of all the highways and utilities with
headquarters, first at Palermo, Sicily, and then at Naples when Naples was
taken from Naples. I was then promoted to military governor of the province
of of the Comune of Foggia in eastern Italy. And from there I proceeded to
take over as provincial commissioner of the province of Pescara, which had
just been taken a week before. And after a short while there I was. Sent to
Livorno as provincial commissioner of the province of Livorno, which at
that time was third largest and most important seaport of Italy, where
Livorno almost was at least 50% destroyed and almost 100% damaged. The port
was entirely blocked by the Nazis. And I. Had quite an experience there.
From there, I went on to. Austria with a task. Austrian task forces. I was
flown to Paris. And then we established our headquarters at Rumilly,
France, some 40 miles from Paris until we were given the orders to proceed
to on the march to Vienna.
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Speaker2: Excuse me. Not to interrupt here. Since you spent such a great
period of time in the country of Italy during the war, do you still have
contact with the country at all?
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Speaker1: Yes, I have. I received it, as a matter of fact. A letter to day
from from Bishop Renato Luigi, who is located in Foggia. And I corresponded
with I corresponded with the vice president of and who also was president
of the Italian Senate on the under the in the under the Republic of Italy.
He was my prefect at Livorno. He is now retired. But I correspond with him
and I've corresponded with several other people over there. Uh. Of course,
many of my contacts over there have died since I've been there. I've I've
been honored a number of times by the officials of Italy. As a matter of
fact, King Umberto, during the war, who sent for me through the Vatican
after hurting hearing of my work in Italy as a. A provincial commissioner
or a military governor and gave me an audience at the Quirinale beginning
at 6:00 one evening and going on for almost an hour. He asked about my work
and both Italian and English and as much as the Italians I could
understand. And then I was very well acquainted with Pope Pius the 12th.
Uh, who later decorated me with the. Honour of. A Knight of Saint Gregory
the Great, which I hold now. And more recently or at that time, King
Umberto decorated me with the crown, with the Medal of the Crown of Italy,
which I have, and more recently, the Republic of Italy bestowed upon me the
honour of Commander of the Legion of Merit. The cities of Livorno and
Foggia both decorated me as honorary citizens with the proper papers and
certificates and emblems.
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Speaker2: I'm surprised that since since you're you retired from your war
effort, that you don't have a lot more, say, Italian friends or Italian
neighborhood that you don't live in the. I feel more at home in a sense.
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Speaker1: Well, in here back in America, the various Italian organizations
have honored me with honorary memberships in their organizations, their
ethnic organizations. I don't tend to take advantage of them in that
respect, but they know of me and know my work in Italy. I enjoyed my work
in Italy and I enjoyed working with the Italian people who I think are
very, very great ethnical group.
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Speaker2: Yes, I have to agree with you. Can you elaborate somewhat on
your wife's ethnic background?
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Speaker1: Yes. My wife, as I said, was well known as Kate Riley. Uh, her
mother. Uh, was Nora Brady. Our father was John Riley. They both were born
in Ireland. Mrs. Riley, that is Nora Brady was born in Swinford, which I
believe was County Cork. Beyond that, I have no knowledge of their their
background, but they surely were Irish great people.
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Speaker2: Now, could you describe to me whether or not you kept contact
with anyone back with your old country, your your father's background?
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Speaker1: No. My father was fairly well educated. He could read and write
Lithuanian and English as well. And some people would come to him to have
him write to their Lithuanian relatives. But he was in constant
communication with his father and brothers in. Lithuania. Um. By the way,
did.
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Speaker2: Mr. Laboon, were you involved with any, say, alumni activities
dealing with any of your social events that you had?
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Speaker1: Yes, I was. From the time of graduation, I became president of
the civil section of the alumni organization and later became president of
the Alumni Federation, which covered all the alumni and then became early
in 1920s, chairman of the Athletic Council. When we had the great football
teams up to I served as president of the Athletic Council up to the time
when war broke out, including the great teams of 90 great team of 1938.
When we went to the Sugar Bowl. I was also elected in 1935 as life member
of the Board of Trustees and in 1975. In 1965, I retired at the age of 75
and I'm now. Emeritus. Emeritus Life. Member of the Board of Trustees.
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Speaker2: Do you do you have any other ties presently with any other
organization? Besides, like Carnegie Tech, the Life Board of Trustees,
perhaps my dealing with your political works when you dealt with the County
Sanitary Authority and the like.
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Speaker1: Well, after after I returned from the war in 19 late in 1945,
after serving three years, in fact, I my I resigned in December 1945. So I
really served three years. I was promoted to full colonel just before I
left. And later on, this was confirmed by a certificate from President
Roosevelt. And. I did not continue in the reserves. In fact, I refused to
enlist in the reserves. But.
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Speaker2: To get back on your. I'll let you.
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Speaker1: Yes. When I came back in 1945. In December of 40.
