A crew of women painters at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. The group is posing in two rows, with some workers holding paint buckets and wearing hard hats (negative 3 of 4).

A crew of women painters at Kaiser Company, Swan Island working on a segment of a ship. The women are wearing hard hats and working on multiple levels (negative 4 of 4).

A photograph of a caricature drawn by Roy Gridley, superintendent of shipwrights at Kaiser Swan Island, of E.L. Hann, yard superintendent (negative 5 of 7).

People line up outside a “new hires” window at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. Several women are in line, holding lunch boxes or bags (negative 1 of 11).

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).

Phil Espeseth, wearing a safety hat and goggles, leans downwards towards a double torch burning machine at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. Sparks are coming from the metal. This photograph was published on page D1 of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, June 11, 1944 (negative 1 of 6).

Burney Steigelmier uses a Isherwood web burner at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. Steigelmier is kneeling downward, wearing a head cover and face shield, next to a metal surface. This photograph was published on page D1 of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, June 11, 1944 (negative 2 of 6).

A man, wearing a fake beard, shakes his finger at other smiling men, during a kangaroo court at Kaiser’s Swan Island shipyard. The men in beards are standing behind a desk and holding hammers. Kangaroo courts took place to “prosecute” employees who didn’t comply with beard and whisker growing contests, with the fees collected later donated to various causes (negative 2 of 3).

A photograph of a caricature drawn by Roy Gridley, superintendent of shipwrights at Kaiser Swan Island, of Ed Stevens, lumber yard supervisor (negative 3 of 7).

New hires seated in a classroom at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. A man stands in front of the class, next to a poster with a diagram. This photograph was published on page 1 of the Oregon Journal’s “Picture Parade” section on Sunday, May 30, 1943 (negative 2 of 11).

A group of steelyard swing shift workers at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. The group is standing in front of a building with a sign over a doorway reading “Steel yard equipment office.” This photograph was published on page 2C of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, July 4, 1943 (negative 2 of 4).

Women workers seated in a break room at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. From left to right: Dorothy Simonton, Verna Selesky, Marie Stout, Emily Block, Beth Williams, Mable Lundquist, Opal Todhunter, Ines Marquis, June Melow, Bessie Lovo, Naoma Black, and Ada Geiser. The tables are covered with a floral print. This photograph was published on page 2C of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, July 4, 1943 (negative 2 of 2).

A sign in front of housing barracks at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. The sign reads “Invite Him Out, We’ll Advance The Fare, Ask At Personnel.” Behind the sign are several two-story buildings (negative 1 of 2).

A groups stands in front of a shipping ways at Kaiser Company, Swan Island, at the launching of the tanker Bladensburg. The women photographed from left to right: Barbara Crowe, Mrs. Mary Hare, Mrs. Oscar Cox (sponsor), and Mrs. Marian Sanasac. Three of the women are holding large bouquets of flowers (negative 3 of 7).

New hires in front of a window at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. A woman is seated inside the window and looking downward at a desk. Next to the window are cards printed with “New Hire.” This photograph was published on page 1 of the Oregon Journal’s “Picture Parade” section on Sunday, May 30, 1943 (negative 5 of 11).

A new hire at Kaiser Company, Swan Island, shakes hands with a man wearing a hard hat. The woman is smiling at standing on the other side of a table. This photograph was published on page 1 of the Oregon Journal’s “Picture Parade” section on Sunday, May 30, 1943 (negative 7 of 11).

The first woman machinist, “Jo,” at Kaiser Company, Swan Island, in Portland. She’s standing next to a machine, with both arms extended (negative 1 of 1).

The tanker Bladensburg, sliding down a ways into the Willamette River. Scaffolding lines either side of the ways, and workers watch from the sides of the ramp (negative 4 of 7).

Mrs. Ted Gamble, holding a wrapped champagne bottle, launches the S.S. Forbes Road from Kaiser Company, Swan Island. Warren Hull is holding a microphone, and Swan Island shipyard general manager A.R. Nieman stands on the left side of the frame. This photograph was published on page 8 of the Oregon Journal on Wednesday, June 21, 1944 (negative 3 of 9).

A crowd gathered to watch the launching of the S.S. Forbes Road at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. People stand along a raised fenced area, with the shipyard visible in the background. A photograph from this series was published on page 8 of the Oregon Journal on Wednesday, June 21, 1944 (negative 7 of 9).

The S.S. Forbes Road sliding down a ways into the Willamette River at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. Workers in safety hats are watching the ship, and wooden scaffolding can be seen at either side of the ways. A photograph from this series was published on page 8 of the Oregon Journal on Wednesday, June 21, 1944 (negative 9 of 9).

Louise Aaron, of the Oregon Journal, swinging a bottle at the hull of the U.S.S. Battle Mountain, upon its launching from Kaiser Swan Island. A man with a microphone is standing behind Aaron. This photograph was published on the last page of the Oregon Journal on Wednesday, September 13, 1944 (negative 5 of 11).

A kangaroo court at Kaiser’s Swan Island shipyard. Fake beards are being put on two men, who are standing behind a wooden desk and holding hammers. Kangaroo courts took place to “prosecute” employees who didn’t comply with beard and whisker growing contests, with the fees collected later donated to various causes (negative 1 of 3).

A photograph of a caricature drawn by Roy Gridley, superintendent of shipwrights at Kaiser Swan Island, of Ernie Brown, electric superintendent (negative 2 of 7).

A photograph of a caricature drawn by Roy Gridley, superintendent of shipwrights at Kaiser Swan Island, M. Bentley, secretary to yard manager (negative 7 of 7).

A man stands next to a large sign at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. Written on the sign is “Vocational Training Dept., New Hires Report For Induction Training.” The sign is in a dirt lot, with automobiles and a building visible in the background. This photograph was published on page 1 of the Oregon Journal’s “Picture Parade” section on Sunday, May 30, 1943 (negative 10 of 11).

Mrs. Oscar Cox holds a wrapped bottle of champagne next to the hull of the tanker Bladensburg at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. She stands next to an unidentified man (Oscar Cox?) wearing a suit, before breaking the bottle of the ship’s hull (negative 6 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).