Most of the photos on this site were extracted from reference images (high-resolution tiffs, 20 to 200 megabytes in size) from the Library of Congress research archive. (To query the database click here.) Most were digitized by LOC contractors using a Sinar studio back. They are adjusted by your webmaster for contrast and color in Photoshop before being downsized and turned into the jpegs you see here.

December 1942. Melrose Park, Illinois. "Chicago & North Western RR. William London has been a railroad worker 25 years -- now working at the roundhouse at the Proviso yards." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.

August 1942. "As an NYA trainee working inside the nose of a PBY, Elmer J. Pace is learning the construction of Navy planes at Corpus Christi Naval Air Base, Texas." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Howard Hollem. View full size.

May 1943. Bensenville, Illinois. "C. M. St. P. & P. R.R. [Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad], general view of part of the yard." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.

October 1942. "Two assembly line workers at the Long Beach, California, plant of Douglas Aircraft Company enjoy a well-earned lunch period. Nacelle parts of a heavy bomber form the background." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. View full size.

October 1942. "A new B-25 bomber is brought for a test hop to the flight line at the Kansas City, Kansas, plant of North American Aviation." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer, Office of War Information. View full size.

April 1943. Blue Island, Illinois. "John Kelseh, blacksmith, at his forge in the blacksmith shop at the roundhouse, Rock Island R.R." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.

December 1942. Chicago, Illinois. "View in a departure yard at Chicago & North Western's Proviso yard at twilight. Brakeman is signaling with a red flare and the train is going by during exposure." Kodachrome by Jack Delano. View full size.