Excerpt from Naugatuck Daily News – Saturday, August 31, 1946
World War II - History Edition

Gas Mask Parts First War Product Of Butterfield

T. F. Butterfield, Inc. was founded in the lean year of 1933 by T. F. Butterfield who was one of the original pioneers in the plastic molding field.

From 1933 to 1941 T. F. Butterfield, Inc. was engaged in the molding of automotive and home electrical parts made from all the different types of plastics, among which are the commonly known trade names such as “Beetle,” “Tenite,” and “Bakelite.”

In 1941 when civilian business rapidly fell off due to the lack of materials for these applications, T. F. Butterfield, Inc. redirected their business to capacity output by taking molding jobs which were both directly and indirectly connected with our National Defense program.

The first war job was an exhaust valve molding for the gas masks used by the troops. Later many parts were made for the M51 fuse.

The majority of the company’s parts were used ultimately by the U.S. Navy.

Among those parts molded for war use were the following: Commutators for starting motors and alternators on aircraft. Coil housings for magnetoes on the Allison Airplane motor. Insulators for many types of Navy switches. Many parts for portable radios. Parts for the M51 fuse. Several parts for a secret application for the U.S. Navy.

Practically 90 per cent of the companies that T. F. Butterfield, Inc., was doing business with received the Army-Navy E award, and many letters were received from these companies commending T. F. Butterfield, Inc., for doing their part in helping them win this award.