Pottsville man 100 years filled with adventures
Oct. 19—Pottsville native Al Fischer celebrated his 100th birthday on Oct. 7.
Born in Pottsville on Oct. 7, 1922, he was raised in the city's Jalappa area, having a large extended family within two blocks — and finding his future wife across the street. His first job was riding his bicycle to deliver telegrams for Western Union, and very reluctantly singing some.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps one month before Pearl Harbor. Al was an airplane mechanic in the 47th Bombardment Group, decorated for its help in reclaiming Kasserine Pass from Rommel-led Axis troops in northern Africa. Progressing into Italy, he saw Mount Vesuvius' eruption ashes destroy planes. At the end of the European front, he made a remarkable flight home across the Atlantic in a two-seater; he and the pilot were the only ones aboard, stopping for fuel at mid-Atlantic islands, South America and in the Caribbean. He happily hit a PX, or base exchange, where he could buy five pairs of nylons to take to ladies at home.
He and his childhood sweetheart, Janice Ubil, were married and, with her help and the GI Bill, he attended Bucknell University, Lewisburg. In the middle of trying to study and taking his final exams senior year, his first child, Cindy, was born. Shortly thereafter, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering.
Al began his career with Bendix Westinghouse Automotive Airbrake Co. as a test engineer, which moved the young family to Elyria, Ohio, outside of Cleveland. They were there for only one year when he was transferred to downtown New York City. His office was on the 83rd floor of the Empire State Building. He had the thrilling experience of helping the building engineer go to the top and outside of the building to position the antenna. (Janice wasn't exactly thrilled to hear about this.)
Al commuted from Rutherford, New Jersey. His family grew with the birth of their two sons, Bruce and Doug. In 1958, Mack Trucks offered Al the opportunity to join them at Mack Headquarters in Allentown. He started there as a senior automotive engineer in highway truck engineering and advanced through various positions, up to chief engineer then vice president-project engineering.
His most exciting accomplishment was overseeing the construction of the Mack Headquarters Test Track.
He is very gifted and giving, always helping and fixing things for family, friends and neighbors. With creativity and precision, family homes and a Sweet Arrow Lake cottage had numerous updates and additions, like a two-seater outhouse replaced by a full bathroom and an entirely new septic system. Cars were taken apart, repaired and occasionally had unexpected "improvements," like a truck air horn fixed onto a compact 1961 Ford Falcon. He constructed outdoor brick grills, a grandfather clock and a sailboat, which took up half of the garage for a winter. Al donated his talents to the Allentown Symphony, where he reupholstered chairs, to Allentown's Council of Churches and to the IRS, helping people complete their tax returns without charge.
Janice and Al's family trips took them to New England, Florida and the West, stressing national parks and areas of national significance and, of course, vacationing at the Jersey shore. The family cottage offered lake canoeing and sailing, card playing and relaxing with relatives. Janice and Al had a strong, devoted, loving marriage that lasted nearly 60 years.
Proud and loving happy birthday wishes are being sent from his three children and their spouses; five grandchildren and spouses; five great-grandchildren; and a large extended family.
