Historians recall Hitler's foiled attack on Altoona

ALTOONA, Pa. (WJAC) – When the United States entered World War II in late 1941, Altoona became an important part of the war efforts. It was so important, one of the most infamous historical figures plotted against the city.

"To strike at the Pennsylvania railroad and specifically, whether it be the Juniata Shops or the Horseshoe Curve, really would have hindered America's ability to move troops, move materials, and natural resources that were necessary,” said Jared Frederick, a local historian.

"Without the rail lines regionally connecting the West to the East, we would not have had a very successful war campaign in Europe,” said Joe DeFrancesco, the curator of the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum.

Months after Germany declared war on the U.S., Adolf Hitler devised a plan, called Operation Pastorius, to stifle American efforts. He sent men who had been in the country before to target the Horseshoe Curve and Juniata Shops.

"They were eight saboteurs in total. All of them were dropped off on the U.S. coast by U-boat,” Frederick said. “They were essentially given the orders to blend in and, when the opportunity presented itself, to wreak havoc on key industrial sites."

An attack on the curve would not only affect the movement of supplies to Europe, it would also deliver a blow to American morale.

"The Horseshoe Curve was a really well known, globally celebrated landmark in the 1940s,” Frederick said. “Striking it would have been akin to hitting the Empire State Building."

Before any attacks could be carried out, two of the saboteurs turned on the other six, delivering evidence of their Nazi affiliation to the FBI.

"They were put up on charges of espionage,” Frederick said. “They were tried by military tribunal and all six of those guys who were turned in by their fellow conspirators were executed."

DeFrancesco said the FBI was concerned the men had a connection in the Altoona area.

"Here in Altoona, German immigrants and Italians were suspected of treason, of spying for the Germans,” DeFrancesco said.

"The FBI, the state police and the Altoona City Police Department rated the predominately German American neighborhood known as Dutch Hill,” Frederick said. “They raided or searched perhaps 250 homes."

Historians have different opinions on whether a successful German attack against the Pennsylvania Railroad would have been a knockout punch.

"I think, ultimately, the Allies still would have prevailed. The United States would've prevailed,” Frederick said. “But it would have most certainly put a dent in the war effort."

"It would've bottlenecked us and would've suffocated our war efforts in Europe,” DeFrancesco said. “Quite possibly, it could have led to us losing the war."

Frederick said these events show how important the activities in Central Pennsylvania were during the war. Altoona’s Baker Mansion displays a radio taken from a home during the FBI and police raids of suspected German spies. Those raids did not produce any evidence or convictions.

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