Closed for the Duration: U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for February 10

WASHINGTON -- Feb. 10, 2015: Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

CLOSED FOR THE DURATION

Profile America — Tuesday, February 10th. For well over a century, Americans have been smitten with motor vehicles, and new models have long been a point of interest. Our appetite for cars was put on a crash diet on this date in 1942 when the manufacturing of private vehicles was shut down for the duration of World War II. The auto companies instead were retooled to build tanks and planes and — of course — jeeps for the GIs. Sedans, trucks and ambulances were also made for military use. Production for civilian-use cars and trucks surged back to over 4 million units in 1946. Lately, America's 257 automobile and light-duty motor vehicle manufacturing establishments employ nearly 130,000 workers. Annual sales of over 15 million passenger vehicles and trucks are valued at $205 billion. Profile America is in its 18th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources: WWII halt in private auto production: The Henry Ford Exhibits Buffalo History Works 1946 production: Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1976, p. 716 Establishments and employees/NAICS 336111: Factfinder