Archival Watercraft: War Canoe

From the Archives: Women War Workers

"Chippers." Women war workers of Marinship Corp, 1942

The U.S. National Archives just released these terrific photos of female war workers from WW II. The images are part of NARA's Women in WW II series. Original captions are included below.

U.S. Army nurses, newly arrived, line the rail of their vessel as it pulls into port of Greenock, Scotland, in European Theater of Operations.

Secretaries, housewives, waitresses, women from all over central Florida are getting into vocational schools to learn war work. Typical are these in the Daytona Beach branch of the Volusia county vocational school., 04/1942

Women man America's machines in a west coast airplane factory, where the swing shift of drill press operators is composed almost entirely of women., 05/1942

Auxiliaries Ruth Wade and Lucille Mayo (left to right) further demonstrate their ability to service trucks as taught them during the processing period at Fort Des Moines and put into practice at Fort Huachuca, Arizona., 12/08/1942

With the grade and dexterity of a master dressmaker, this young woman fabricates "pup" tents for the expanding war army at the Langdon Tent & Awning Company., ca. 06/1941

Building assault boats for U.S. Marine Corps. by women workers., ca. 12/1941

Training in marksmanship helps girls at Roosevelt High School in Los Angeles, Calif., develop into responsible women. Part of Victory Corps activities there, rifle practice encourages girls to be accurate in handling firearms., 08/1942

Archival Airedales

From the archives of the Illustrated London News:

A canine despatch-carrier

Preparing dogs for war service

Carrying a pigeon for releasing information

Airedale as Red Cross worker

Patrol Training

Heritage military uniforms for women

Auxilary Fire Service

Auxilary Territorial Service

Red Cross Officers' Outdoor Uniform

Volunteer's uniform in the A.T.S.

Auxilary Fire Service

Mechanised Transport Corps

W.V.S

Auxilary Air Force (Officer's Uniform)

Women's Voluntary Service

Land Army

From the archives of the Illustrated London News, here are some WWII uniforms for the women's auxilary service ("its members attend to cooking--their most important work---stewarding, all kinds of clerical work, motor driving, coding, and also serve as telephonists").

Some of these uniforms, and accessories, seem ready for re-issue by History Preservation Associates ("Linking You With the Past"). My personal favorite is the Land Army ensemble (buckets, brogues and breeks).

Badges

Air-raid shelter provisions

Mathematics in action