Bud began work at American Cyanamid on the west side of Stamford soon after graduation.  He followed his father Patrick who worked as a lab technician and one of the first employees of the Stamford plant.  Bud worked in the Paper Chemical area of the plant and apparently made many friends there.  The photo below was taken as part of a series of press photos.  Here Bud can be seen tending a fiber-beater machine.  Apparently the purpose of this machine is to break down the pulp into individual fibers and to sift out any materials that are not suitable for paper-making.  I guess I’m curious about whether he enjoyed this job or not.  Did he ever want to go to college?  Was the thought that he would save for school and then go when he could scrape together enough money?  So many hopes and dreams were sacrificed in that war so that the rest of us could live ours.  What a debt we owe.

With the start of World War II, Bud enlisted.  In his papers I found two recommendation letters.  The first is below, from the pastor at St. John’s Church.

The second is from American Cyanamid and is too delicate to photograph well.  W.H. Harding of the Technical Services Division writes on January 21, 1942:

[Mr.  Byrnes] is a steady young man of very good habits, capable and reliable in every way.  He gets along well with his associates and knows how to think for himself.  I believe that he is the type of young man who will be able to adept himself to the necessary conditions of Army life and serve extremely well in any capacity for which his training may fit him. 

We are very sorry to lose Mr. Byrnes from the staff of our Paper Chemicals Laboratory, but under the circumstances wish to urge your acceptance of his application.

“Under the circumstances…”

War was here, and the boys were needed.