Hattie Kawahara, American-Japanese student at Mt. Holyoke College, is shown weeding the college victory garden, 1943.
"My grandmother and her fellow prisoners could choose from a variety of jobs: gardening, mowing, serving food, cleaning the restrooms and other public areas. There were even postal workers, doctors, police officers, and electricians. Refusing the work, they all understood, might be interpreted as defiance. Obaachan’s father warned them to be careful never to act in way that might be perceived as rebellion. He believed that if his family followed the rules and complied with all requests, they would be treated better. He did not seem troubled that he’d already complied with every single one of the government’s requests—-handing in his radio, following the stipulations of the Five-Mile Curfew back in Los Angeles—-yet he’s been forced out of his home anyway."
— Silver Like Dust by Kimi Cunningham Grant
Day 71: April 20
ARTIFACT HIGHLIGHT:
Eleanor Roosevelt used this Red Cross uniform during her 25,000 mile tour of the South Pacific in August-September, 1943 as a representative of the American Red Cross. The First Lady also wore a second uniform made of seersucker fabric during her trip.
Pat Jennings Hitchcock of Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, served as a “clubmobile girl” for the American Red Cross during World War II.
Intended to improve morale and provide a connection home, clubmobiles were converted buses staffed by women who prepared and served coffee and donuts to American soldiers stationed in Europe. In 2012, the volunteer service of Red Cross women who operated Clubmobiles during World War II was recognized by the US Senate.
read more: letters home from Pat to her family, 1945; David Medaris, “Pat Hitchcock: Land Lover,” Isthmus, May 29, 2008
via: World War II Veterans of Mount Horeb, Mt. Horeb Public Library by way of University of Wisconsin Digital Collections
"I am, now as before, of the opinion that I did the best that I could do for my nation. I therefore do not regret my conduct and will bear the consequences that result from my conduct."
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Sophie was convicted of high treason for distributing leaflets as part of the anti-Nazi White Rose resistance group. Sophie was executed by guillotine on February 22, 1943. She was 21 years of age.
“After almost fourteen months overseas in England and France the Wacs pictured above were happy to be home. They arrived from France on Friday, March 8th and landed at Staten Island Terminal of the New York Port of Embarkation. They were among the last contingent of the 6888th Central Postal Directory to return from overseas. 3/13/46.”
Servicemen gathered with local residents for a second anniversary party of the George Washington Carver USO club at 101 S. Division St. Doris Brown Aaron (second from right in the front row) was a teenager and said the soldiers were always courteous and well-behaved. Eastern Washington Historical Society/Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.
The photo above is from a 2008 Spokesman-Review article about Spokane’s World War II era black USO. The Carver USO was founded in 1943 by Rosa D. Malone, a Tuskegee graduate who worked for the Works Progress Administration.
"It is important for all of us to know the story of the people of the United States as a whole, and every minority group has contributed toward the making of our nation. The Negroes have done much for our country. There are no wars in which they have not participated. Their poets, writers, artists, musicians, educators and scientists have contributed to the culture and development of the people."
—
Eleanor Roosevelt writing about “Negro History Week” in her My Day newspaper column
February 13, 1943
(Source: gwu.edu)
On January 28, 1942, Representative Edith Nourse Rogers (R-MA) introduced H.R. 6293, a bill to establish the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps for noncombat service with the U.S. Army. H.R. 6293 was signed into law on May 14, 1942. A year later the unit was renamed the Women’s Army Corps, and the servicewomen were granted official military status.
H.R. 6293, HR 77A-B5, 1/28/1942, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives (ARC 4397811)
Not all jackets had pin-up girls, cartoons or death dealing icons, the 392nd Bomb Group decided to honor Birdie Schmidt of the American Red Cross (ARC), by naming one of their B-24s, “Birdie Schmidt”. To them, Birdie and her colleagues were more than donut dollies, they were a touch of home away from home.
