IBM World War II Production Awards

IBM Endicott Award Program: December 15, 1942

Date Published: August 30, 2021
Date Modified: January 6, 2026

A high-quality picture of the United States World War II Army-Navy E Award Given at the IBM Endicott and Poughkeepsie Plant Locations.

December 11, 1941: Watson Sr. Calls Employees To Support the War Effort

A high-quality, black-and-white image of a memorandum Tom Watson Sr. published in IBM Business Machines on December 11, 1941.

The following list of the United States Army-Navy Production Awards received by the Endicott and Poughkeepsie organizations during World War II documents very clearly that the employees responded to Thomas J. Watson Sr.'s call to "measure up to IBM standards for patriotic service."

Recognizing IBM Endicott and Poughkeepsie World War II "Home Teams"

A high-quality, color image from the program heading for the IBM Endicott

History of the World War II Army-Navy Production "E" Award

In 1906, the Navy instituted an award for excellence which has been known ever since as the Navy "E". First awarded for excellence in gunnery, the "E" was later extended to include outstanding performance in engineering and communications. This honor, neither lightly bestowed nor easily won, soon became--and has remained--a matter of deep pride to the men in the Service who receive it.

A high-quality, color picture of the Army-Navy Production

When the rising tide of war in Europe and Asia made the speedy production of war equipment a decisive factor in the cause of world freedom, the "E" award was extended to embrace those plants and organizations which demonstrated excellence in building ships, weapons, and background equipment for the Navy.

Then came Pearl Harbor, and with it a demand for war production such as the world has never known. Production ... a typical American job ... became the one and only concern of everybody outside the armed forces themselves. There came a general awareness that our fighting forces and the men and women of American industry are partners in the great struggle for human freedom. There came to all true Americans a grim and enduring resolve to work and fight together until Victory in that struggle is final and complete.

From that high resolve was born the Army-Navy Production Award, which stands today as our fighting forces' joint recognition of exceptional performance on the production front ... recognition of the determined, persevering, unbeatable American spirit which can be satisfied only by achieving today what yesterday seemed impossible.

Extract from Award Program Held in Endicott on December 15, 1942

A high-quality, color sidebar that documents the importance of tabulating machines to the World War II effort. An excerpt from

The critical nature of the "non-combat" machines produced by Endicott is hard to over-estimate.

List of World War II Army-Navy "E" Awards Presented to IBM

To Endicott IBM Plant:
Army-Navy "E" Award ... November 21, 1942
Second Award (Star) ............. August 28, 1943
Third Award (Star) ......................... May 27, 1944
Fourth Award (Star) ........ November 25, 1944
Fifth Award (Star) ........................... July 21, 1945

To Poughkeepsie IBM Plant:
Army-Navy "E" Award . September 18, 1943
Second Award (Star) ..................... April 8, 1944
Third Award (Star) ................ October 21, 1944
Fourth Award (Star) ....................... June 2, 1945

Program Presented to the IBM Endicott Team on December 15, 1942

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