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Yes, they were. Back in WWII, pretty much every companies were in the war effort. IBM made rifles and Ford made bombers (B-24s).

WW2: 1939-1945

IPO years per my research -

Raytheon: 1952

Boeing: 1962

Lockheed Martin: 1994

Northrop Grumman (pre merger): 1939

Hard to find clear sources on this, but doesn’t seem like the major defense contractors we’re talking about were public during WW2.

Ah, I tho OP means back then, the defense manufacturers weren't public. I didn't realize they meant today's defense contractors.

I don't get it. Lockheed and Martin were different companies in WW II.

Those were "public" as in state-controlled. These are "public" as in publicly traded. Very big difference.