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).

Members of the Ground Observer Corps at the Portland Air Defense Filter Center. The group consists mostly of women, who are wearing microphones around their next and looking downward at a map table. Small metal stands, holding letters and numbers, are on the table. On the far wall is a sign that reads “West” (negative 4 of 14).

Two members of the Ground Observer Corps at the Portland Air Defense Filter Center. The women are wearing microphones around their necks, and one woman is leaning forward over a map table. Next to her is a small metal stand holding letters and numbers (negative 3 of 14).

Three women seated at a workbench at the I.L. Johnson repair shop, most likely in Portland. The women are turned towards the camera, with glasses frames visible on the workbench (negative 1 of 5).

A woman seated a workbench at the I.L. Johnson repair shop, most likely in Portland. Devices hang from a string over the workbench (masks? Lights?) and the woman is turned towards the camera (negative 2 of 5).

Two women work outdoors at the I.L. Johnson repair shop, most likely in Portland. They’re paying out what appears to be pieces of leather (?), some of which is in a bowl between the pair. Two children sit next to a baby stroller watching the women (negative 4 of 5).

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.

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.

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).

A scaling crew, including several women, pose as a group at the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. Two women have their heads through holes in a metal structure behind the group.

Two women stand next to a table laden with strips of waste paper at the Pacific Paper Materials Company, most likely in the Portland area. Stacks of paper can be seen throughout the frame (negative 2 of 8).

Women stand amid piles of newsprint at the Pacific Paper Materials Company, most likely in the Portland area. A large stack of loose paper can be seen in a corner of the room, with towers of newsprint in other areas (negative 4 of 8).

Two women stand next to a table laden with pieces of waste paper at the Pacific Paper Materials Company, most likely in the Portland area. Behind the pair is a large pile of paper (negative 3 of 8).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

A welding crew with a high attendance score at Kaiser Company, Swan Island. From left to right: (front) Foreman Archie Hodges, Vannie Feyereisen, Carm Feyereisen, Leadman Gilbert Pepper, A.E. Pollard; (back) C.S. (“Flash”) Gordon, A.E. (“Andy”) Anderson, J.N. Richardson, J.R. Bastian, C.A. (“Red”) Sexton, L.D. Erickson. This photograph was published on page D1 of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, June 11, 1944 (negative 1 of 2).

A clipper crew, primarily made up of grandmothers, at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland. Most of the crew members are wearing safety hats (negative 3 of 4).

An unidentified Ground Observer Corps observation post, likely in the greater Portland area. A woman and two adolescents stand outside the doorway of a small wooden raised building, while two men can be seen at ground level. A small wooden building is next to the first building, with a stovepipe and saw on the outside. This photograph was later reprinted in the Oregon Journal on Sunday, February 12, 1950 (negative 9 of 12). Original sleeve title: Interceptor Center. See negative 635-3.

Photograph of a photograph. The picture is a composite created from a print of image No. 375A0745. That image shows two unidentified workers, a man and a woman, boxing at the Albina Engine & Machine Works shipyard in Portland. In the composite shown here, the background has been removed and the man’s face has been replaced with the head of a different man, Albina Engine treasurer H. W. Erren, from another photograph. Erren’s face may have been cut from a reversed print of image No. 375A0748. Image note: The number 251 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower left corner of the image. The unverified note “Albina shipbuilding” is written on the negative sleeve.

Transcript. In this interview, Vernette H. Kilger describes her experiences in the Kaiser shipyards in Portland, Oregon, and in Vancouver, Washington. She talks about how she spent her free time; the different ways the shipyards helped women employees; and the management structure within the shipyards. She closes the interview by discussing being laid off after the war and talking about her activities since then.

Tape 1, Side 1. In this interview, Vernette H. Kilger describes her experiences in the Kaiser shipyards in Portland, Oregon, and in Vancouver, Washington. She talks about how she spent her free time; the different ways the shipyards helped women employees; and the management structure within the shipyards. She closes the interview by discussing being laid off after the war and talking about her activities since then.

Tape 1, Side 2. In this interview, Vernette H. Kilger describes her experiences in the Kaiser shipyards in Portland, Oregon, and in Vancouver, Washington. She talks about how she spent her free time; the different ways the shipyards helped women employees; and the management structure within the shipyards. She closes the interview by discussing being laid off after the war and talking about her activities since then.

Tape 2, Side 1. In this interview, Vernette H. Kilger describes her experiences in the Kaiser shipyards in Portland, Oregon, and in Vancouver, Washington. She talks about how she spent her free time; the different ways the shipyards helped women employees; and the management structure within the shipyards. She closes the interview by discussing being laid off after the war and talking about her activities since then.