Hayward Chester Shaver, born in Wilmerding, was the only child whose ambitions ware inclined toward mechanics. Like the other children his early education was secured in the Wilmerding Public Schools and while attending the Turtle Creek Union High School, he became interested in the operation of the Mechanical Training Department.

Choosing mechanics as his vocation in life, his ambition was to perfect his knowledge of mechanics to a higher degree. Precision in mechanics was his ideal. Graduating from High School, he entered the machine shop of the Westinghouse Air Brake Company, in his home town. Here he received his first impression of mechanics on a large scale. Later he became associated with the National Cash Register Company, in Pittsburgh, where he learned the art of machining tiny and intricate parts of machinery.

He is a deep thinker, soft voiced, with an independent mind and is well versed in the topics of world affairs, and he knows how to express his opinions in his conversations.

In 1940 he married his High School sweetheart, Miss Elizabeth (Betty) Olsen, of Forest Hills, near East Pittsburgh. In 1942, when his first child was born, the nation was called upon to defend itself from the enemy and Hayward expressed a desire to sign up for service. Entreaties from his wife and parents, and the fact that he had just become a father, caused him to defer enlisting in the service. But later he was inducted into the army and sent overseas.

As a member of the Marine Corps Division, he was sent to Santiago, California, to guard German prisoners prior to being sent overseas as a member of the Army of Occupation. Returning from military duty he reentered the Westinghouse Air Brake machine shop, for temporary employment.

When the United States contracted with the Westinghouse Electric Company in East Pittsburgh to manufacture atomic bomb equipment, as well as other nuclear accessories, he decided that this was an opportunity to apply his skill at precision machining. Applicants for employment were screened by the government for “possible risks,” but Hayward passed the test and he is now (1958) employed as a precision technician with the Electric Company, operating under the supervision of the United States Government.

In his spare time he has a workshop at his home in suburban Pittsburgh where he repairs and rebuilds typewriters, cash registers, adding machines and comptometers.

Three children have blessed their home: John Hayward, Kathryn Susan, and Michael George Shaver.

Record of WWII service