CUMBERLAND — During World War II, Cumberland was the second largest city in the state and was a hub of activity. The Celanese plant was in full gear, weaving the silk for parachutes; Kelly-Springfield Tire Co. converted from making tires to making munitions; and military troop trains came into the two train stations daily.

Young men and women heard the call and enlisted in the Army, Marines, Navy, Army Air Corps and Merchant Marines, many to die in the Pacific, European and African fronts. Families rationed gas, bought war bonds, planted victory gardens, hung blue star banners in their windows and wrote letters to their soldiers.

From Nov. 6 through Nov. 15, Allegany County will celebrate the contributions of World War II veterans and the home front with a 10-day celebration, Cumberland Goes to War. Downtown Cumberland, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, Canal Place Authority, local museums and community members are working together to recognize and honor “the greatest generation’s” sacrifices and stories.

“We are losing our World War II veterans at a rapid rate,” said Barb Buehl, Allegany County tourism director. “We realized that if we wanted to preserve their stories and the stories of those on the home front, we needed to take action. The war years were a time of sacrifice, incredible unity and amazing honor. This is our way of recognizing what that generation gave to us. We are honored to give tribute to those soldiers and to our community.”

The celebration kicks off on Nov. 6 with open houses from 5 to 7 p.m. at the C. William Gilchrist Museum of the Arts and the Brooke Whiting House of Art, both on Washington Street. A free trolley ride between the two museums will be available. The Gilchrist will feature Cumberland Goes to War in Black and White, a photo exhibit of local soldiers and the home front. The Brooke Whiting House will feature World War II Home for the Holidays Christmas displays.

A tribute to The Andrews Sisters by the renowned group TreVoche will be held in the ballroom of the Holiday Inn. Opening for TreVoche will be the award-winning Mountain Ridge High School Jazz Orchestra performing the sounds of the 1940s. The music starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (301) 724-2453 or e-mailing info@cumberlandgoestowar.com.

Nov. 7 and 8 will be filled with activities beginning with a World War II and Korean War living history encampment on the Canal Place festival grounds. Both allies and axis re-enactors from both wars will be on hand to demonstrate and share information on the life of a soldier. A variety of military vehicles will also be on display both days.

The WMSRR steam train will have some special guests on board on Nov. 7 — with men and women portraying President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the Andrews Sisters. On Nov. 14, re-enactors portraying Abbott and Costello and their trusty reporter, Scoop Fields, will ride the train. World War II and Korean War veterans may ride for free both weekends. Reservations need to be made in advance and can be made by calling 1-800-TRAIN-50.

Beginning at 11 a.m. on Nov. 7 a special roundtable with five distinguished WWII veterans will be held at Windsor Hall in downtown Cumberland. In-cluded in the roundtable is Sgt. Clancy Lyall, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, also known as the Band of Brothers. Lyall fought in Normandy, Holland, Bastogne/Belgium, Hageman/France, Germany and Austria. He also made two combat jumps in Korea and in 1954, he was assigned to the 8th French Parachute Assault Battalion in Vietnam.

Other members of the roundtable include Ed George, 13th Airborne Division who served in Europe; George Perrine, Company B, 82nd Armored Recon. Battalion, 2nd Armored Division, known as Hell on Wheels; Bernie Cordial, Pharmacist Mate 3 Class on a Motor Torpedo Boat in the South Pacific; Dr. Neil Williams, signal man on a landing ship tank (LST) in the Pacific and Guy Whidden, 101st Airborne Paratrooper who jumped into Normandy on D-Day and Holland during Operation Market Garden.

A USO Tribute and Dance will be held at Windsor Hall with the sounds of the ’40s big band music performed by the Potomac Highlands Dance Band. Tickets may be purchased by calling (301) 724-2453 or e-mailing becky@mcclarranwilliams.com. The music kicks off at 8:30 p.m.

A special lecture, Fighting for Freedom: Black Women’s Army Corps During World War II, will be presented by Janet Sims-Woods at Windsor Hall at Town Centre on Nov. 10 starting at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public, Sims-Woods will discuss the challenges, training and contribution made by the first African-American women in the military. Presented by the Allegany County Library System, the lecture is sponsored by the Maryland Humanities Council and McCormick Spice Co.

Cumberland’s traditional Veterans Day Ceremonial Service will be held on Nov. 11 at the War Memorial on Centre Street. Presented by the local American Legion, veterans of all wars are invited to attend as special guests. A reception will follow the service at the Queen City Transportation Museum across the street.

Tickets are going fast for the second annual victory garden program and dinner at the Gordon-Roberts House, Washington Street. A special presentation by Sharon Diehl on victory gardens and canning comes complete with dinner. Reservations are required.

Spectators will hear the roar of engines on Nov. 13 when the B-25 “Mitchell” Bomber “Briefing Time” flies into the Cumberland Airport for a three-day stay. “Briefing Time” is one of only three flying B-25s in the world restored to its level of completeness and authenticity. “Briefing Time” is owned by the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum, Reading, Pa.  The Fly-In is a weather permitting event.

An Abbott and Costello tribute will bring good old-fashioned comedy to the ballroom at the Holiday Inn on Nov. 13. Tickets are available at (301) 724-2453 or e-mailing info@cumberlandgoestowar.com.

For those who have military memorabilia and would like to learn more about their items and their value, local expert Charlie McVeigh will be appraising WWII and Korean War military items at the Allegany Museum from 1 to 3 p.m. on Nov. 13. There is no charge but there is two items per person limit. The museum located on Baltimore Street, Town Centre will feature WWII displays throughout the 10-day event including a Korean War display on loan from the Hagerstown Korean War Association.

Cumberland Goes to War is made possible by the support of the Allegany County Department of Tourism, the Canal Place Development and Preservation Commission, Maryland Heritage Area Programs, Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, the City of Cumberland, the Potomac Highlands Airport Authority, and residents of Allegany County who have shared their memories and family treasures from World War II and the Korean War. For more information or a schedule of events, visit www.cumberlandgoestowar or call (301) 724-2453.