The 1930s and 1940s in Living Color, Part 3

by Chris Holmes

It’s been just over a year since the last installment of cool color photographs from the Library of Congress’s Flickr page, so let’s get a gander at some more! These photos were all taken between 1939 and 1944 by the United States Farm Security Administration (FSA) and later the Office of War Information (OWI).  Just click on a photo to see a larger version.

(Part 1 can be seen here, Part 2 is here.)

Women workers install fixtures and assemblies to a tail fuselage section of a B-17 bomber at the Douglas Aircraft Company plant, Long Beach, Calif. Better known as the "Flying Fortress," the B-17F is a later model of the B-17, which distinguished itself i
Women workers install fixtures and assemblies to a tail fuselage section of a B-17 bomber, October 1942.

Not only is this a cool photo for its historical value, it’s just a skillfully executed shot all around. The Boeing B-17 was widely used in bombing raids over Germany in World War II and became known as the “Flying Fortress.” (Alfred T. Palmer, photographer)

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Freight Depot of the U.S. Army consolidating station, Chicago, Ill. (LOC)
Freight Depot of the U.S. Army consolidating station, Chicago, Illinois. April 1943.

I find it interesting that the trucks are much more colorful than the cars. I would’ve figured all that drab green paint was rationed for the War effort.   (Jack Delano, photographer)

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Washing one of the Santa Fe R.R. 54 hundred horse power diesel freight locomotives in the roundhouse, Argentine, Kansas. Argentine yard is at Kansas City, Kansas (LOC)
Washing one of the Santa Fe R.R. 54 hundred horse power diesel freight locomotives in the roundhouse, Argentine, Kansas. March 1943.

I’ve never been much of a train guy, but if I was this picture would definitely do it for me. (Jack Delano, photographer)

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[Car in front of Shulman's Market on N at Union St. S.W., Washington, D.C. (LOC)
Car in front of Shulman’s Market on N at Union St. S.W., Washington, D.C. Circa 1941/42.
“Why yes, we do have Prince Albert in a can. Why do you ask?” (Louise Rosskam, photographer)

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School children singing, Pie Town, New Mexico (LOC)
School children singing, Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.

It’s heartening to know that omnipresent corporate sponsorship is not just a recent phenomenon. Notice the lack of footwear on some of the kids. Likely a residual effect of the Great Depression. (Russell Lee, photographer)

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