Women from the “hellcats” welding crew at the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. Top row, from left: Hazel Zimmerman, Georgie Towell, Verna McCaughey, Frances Reid (helper). Front row: Mayme Matchett, Mabel Geist, Bess Blankenship, Vivian Sales, Martha Raymond, and Leadman Paul (‘Doc’) Shade. This photograph was published on page D1 of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, January 23, 1944 (negative 1 of 3). See also: negative 901-1.

Women from the “hellcats” welding crew at the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. Wearing welding gear and face shields, the group is standing in an industrial area. A photograph from this series was published on page D1 of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, January 23, 1944 (negative 1 of 3). See also: negative 901-3.

Annie Klein, wearing work wear, stands in front of a wall of schematics at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. A cropped version of this photograph was published on page D1 of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, May 28, 1944 (negative 4 of 7).

Welder Barbara Craig, of Commercial Iron Works in Portland, wearing welding gear and standing in an industrial area. Craig is smiling and has her face shield flipped upward. This photograph was published on page 2 of the Oregon Journal’s “Picture Parade” section on Sunday, June 6, 1943 (negative 2 of 7).

Welder Barbara Craig, of Commercial Iron Works in Portland, wearing a patterned robe in a kitchen. Craig is holding a pot in one hand, and using the other on a sink nozzle. This photograph was published on page 3 of the Oregon Journal’s “Picture Parade” section on Sunday, June 6, 1943 (negative 1 of 7).

Welder Barbara Craig, of Commercial Iron Works in Portland, bending downward in a garden. She holds a garden tool in her right hand, and a jacket can be seen thrown over a wooden post. This photograph was published on page 2 of the Oregon Journal’s “Picture Parade” section on Sunday, June 6, 1943 (negative 3 of 7).

Welder Evangeline Feyereisen, wearing work wear and a welding helmet, at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. A cropped version of this photograph was published on page D1 of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, May 28, 1944 (negative 2 of 7).

Jeanette Bourdeau, welder at Kaiser Company, Vancouver, looking in a mirror. She is wearing a bath robe and head wrap, and is holding both hands to her hair. This photograph was published on page 1 of the Oregon Journal’s “Picture Parade” section on Sunday, June 6, 1943 (negative 1 of 14).

Jeanette Bourdeau, welder at Kaiser Company, Vancouver, using a welding rod. “Jan” is written across the back of her jacket, and she is wearing a face shield as she looks downward at her work. Another woman, face shield up, looks toward Bourdeau. This photograph was published on page 1 of the Oregon Journal’s “Picture Parade” section on Sunday, June 6, 1943 (negative 10 of 14).

Portrait of Jeanette Bourdeau, welder at Kaiser Company, Vancouver. Her face shield is flipped upward and she is looking towards her left (negative 12 of 14).

Jeanette Bourdeau, welder at Kaiser Company, Vancouver, walking on a dirt road. She is holding a lunch box. This photograph was published on page 1 of the Oregon Journal’s “Picture Parade” section on Sunday, June 6, 1943 (negative 9 of 14).

Jeanette Bourdeau, welder at Kaiser Company, Vancouver (second from right), with coworkers during a lunch break. One woman is pouring coffee from a thermos, while two others appear to be holding something up to a male coworker. A similar photograph was published on page 1 of the Oregon Journal’s “Picture Parade” section on Sunday, June 6, 1943 (negative 5 of 14).

Mary Bowman, wearing work wear, at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. A cropped version of this photograph was published on page D1 of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, May 28, 1944 (negative 5 of 7).

Nela Selzler (left) and Lucille Rastad (right), sitting together inside a metal structure, at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. They’re both wearing welding helmets. Two cropped photographs were published on page D1 of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, May 28, 1944 (negative 1 of 7).

Welder “Jerry” Grant at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. She is wearing welding clothing and a helmet, and is holding several welding rods in gloved hands (negative 1 of 2).

Pauline (“Pete”) Pettersen, wearing work wear, stands in front of a wall of schematics at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. A cropped version of this photograph was published on page D1 of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, May 28, 1944 (negative 3 of 7).

Pipe welder Helen May Beyerat Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation, holding a welding rod and wearing a flipped face shield. This photograph was published on page C-1 of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, May 16, 1943 (negative 1 of 1).

The “pole cats” crew of welders at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. Several people are kneeling in the front of the group while facing away from the camera, showing off “Pole Cats” painted across their backs. Some of the men and women are wearing safety helmets or face shields. A similar photograph was published on page D1 of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, February 13, 1943 (negative 2 of 2).

Welder Laura Valera at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. She’s holding a welding helmet and standing in front of a metal piece of ship (negative 4 of 9).

Welder Laura Valera, photographed in front of a hoisting machine at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. Her hands are clasped in front of her and she is wearing a flipped welding face shield (negative 2 of 9).

Welders La Von Schweitzer and Mary O. Miller stand facing one another wearing boxing gloves, at Albina Engine and Machine Works in Portland. Featherweight champion Joey Dolan coaches the pair, while Sid Rovang, Anne Green, and Lucile Brasesco look on (negative 1 of 1).

Welding trainees (women?) at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation participating in a contest. The welders are in individual bays and using welding guns in pieces of pipes. Both are wearing welding helmets and standing next to log stools (negative 1 of 1).

A woman stands next to container of welding rods at an industrial facility in the Portland area (Albina Engine and Machine Works, Kaiser Swan Island, or Columbia Aircraft Corporation). A rod holder appears to be in her other hand, and a welding helmet is flipped up above her head (negative 1 of 8). Original sleeve title: War workers - Albina Engine and Machine Works, Kaiser Swan Island, Columbia Aircraft Corp.

Photograph showing a woman welder, laying on a welding cart, at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. She is wearing a face shield, and is holding a welding gun to a metal surface above her (negative 5 of 5). See negative 449-1).

Photograph showing a woman welder, laying on a welding cart, at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. She is wearing a face shield, flipped up, and appears to be holding a welding gun. She is wearing dirtied work-wear and gloves (negative 1 of 5). See negative 449-5.

Photograph showing two women welders, standing in front of a desk with a seated man, at the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. The women are wearing dirtied work-wear, and flipped face shields. One woman is holding a piece of paper (negative 3 of 5).

A welder at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. She is smiling and wearing a welding face shield, which she is holding up with one hand (negative 3 of 4).

A woman, wearing a welding helmet and holding a welding rod, participates in a contest at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland (negative 2 of 4).