[Photograph of the 54th Basic Flying Training Group at WAAF]

Photograph of the 54th Basic Flying Training Group at Waco Army Air Field. Adjutant 1st Lt. Byrens, Commanding Officer Major Bair, and P. T. Instructor Mickey Manojack stand on the left side of the front row. The photographer stands "somewhere in left rear."
Date: April 15, 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[World War II Soldier Posing in Cameron Park]

Photograph of an unknown World War II soldier posing in uniform in front of a fountain in the rose garden at Cameron Park in Waco.
Date: March 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[St. Mary's Catholic Church in Waco]

Photograph of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Waco, taken from across the street. Several cars are parked in front of the building. Pedestrians stand on the sidewalks and in front of the main doors.
Date: March 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Dave Koenig on Second Story of Barrack]

Photograph of Dave Koenig posing for a picture on the second story of his barrack at the Waco Army Airfield. He poses shirtless on the railing of a second story balcony, looking down at the photographer.
Date: April 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Photograph of Commanding Officer and Adjutant #1]

Photograph of Commanding Officer Major Baird and Adjutant 1st Lieutenant Byrens posing in the Waco Army Airfield. Both men are in uniform, including hats. A two-story building is visible in the background.
Date: April 15, 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard with Photograph of Austin Avenue Methodist Church]

Postcard of the Austin Avenue Methodist Church in Waco, Texas photographed from across the street. The large building features ornate stained glass above a covered entranceway. The postcard is addressed to Robert C Kempf of Temple, Texas from A. Norman Evans Pastor.
Date: 1944-06-1X
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Postcard
System: The Portal to Texas History
Labor and Management News (Washington D.C.), Vol. 4, No. 5, Ed. 1, December 16, 1944 (open access)

Labor and Management News (Washington D.C.), Vol. 4, No. 5, Ed. 1, December 16, 1944

Bi-weekly newspaper published by United States War Production Board. The headlining story is titled "Somervell Cities Imperative Need for Upsurge of War Production." The newspaper is composed of stories discussing the need for domestic war production; a letter from a soldier on the front lines; stories encouraging Americans to keep war jobs; challenges to management and labor; government propaganda; and photographs from war scenes. This issue includes a feature about a visit from soldiers sent by General Eisenhower to tour ammunition manufacturers.
Date: December 16, 1944
Creator: United States. War Production Board.
Object Type: Newspaper
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from William Beiser to Harry Gaby - December 22, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from William Beiser to Harry Gaby - December 22, 1944]

Letter from William Beiser to Harry Gaby praising him for his trip to the foundry and the impression he made on their people. Beiser goes on to wish a Gaby well on his tour and victory in WWII so he could be reunited with his friends and family.
Date: December 22, 1944
Creator: Beiser, William
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Clipping: Eisenhower's "Envoys" Promised More Weapons] (open access)

[Clipping: Eisenhower's "Envoys" Promised More Weapons]

Newspaper clipping with a story titled "Eisenhower's 'Envoys' Promised More Weapons." President Eisenhower, General Eisenhower at the time of the publication, sent soldiers across the United States to bolster domestic support and production. The story discusses the need for ammunition on the front lines. Six soldiers went to Cincinnati to plead to workers and Cincinnati promised to raise production by 35 percent.
Date: 1944-11~
Creator: Fulbright, Freeman
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Transcript of WCKY Radio Show on Saturday, December 2, 1944] (open access)

[Transcript of WCKY Radio Show on Saturday, December 2, 1944]

Transcript from a radio show done in Cincinnati, Ohio with visiting soldiers discussing their experiences in the war and the need for ammunition production.
Date: December 1944
Creator: WCKY (Radio Station : Cincinnati, Ohio)
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from William Buser to Harry Gaby - December 8, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from William Buser to Harry Gaby - December 8, 1944]

Letter from Reliance Foundry Co. president William Buser to Pfc. Harry Gaby discussing a transcript from a radio broadcast and meeting Gaby the week before.
Date: December 8, 1944
Creator: Buser, William
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History

[People Dancing in Gymnasium]

Photograph of a large group of people dancing on the wooden floor of a gymnasium while a band plays on stage in the background. Stadium seating is visible on either side of the floor and there is a large American flag on a closed curtain across the back of the stage.
Date: 1944-12~
Creator: Todd & Brown, Inc.
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Speech at Kingsbury Plant]

Photograph of nine uniformed soldiers seated at the front of a stage area during a visit to the Kingsbury Plant while a man wearing a suit is standing behind them with his hands in his pockets, speaking at a microphone. The wall behind him has dark panels and a door is partially visible at left, with speakers above. The photo was taken from the audience, where people are visible in seated rose, facing the man who is speaking. The first six soldiers are tentatively identified (left-to-right) as T/5th Lars Larson, Pfc. Louis Cocozza, Pfc. Harry Gaby, Cpl. Myles Gates, S/Sgt. Clarence Alexis, and Pfc. Leo Crivello; the soldier at the far right of the line with his head down may be Capt. Gordon Sympson.
Date: 1944-12~
Creator: Todd & Brown, Inc.
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Soldiers Standing in Front of Audience]

Photograph of eight uniformed soldiers standing in front of an audience during a visit to the Kingsbury plant, tentatively identified (left-to-right) as: Pfc. Louis Cocozza, Pfc. Harry Gaby, Cpl. Myles Gates, Pfc. Leo Crivello, S/Sgt. Clarence Alexis, T/5th Lars Larson, Sgt. Jack Allen, and Capt. Gordon Sympson. Another soldier is standing behind them on a raised stage, speaking at a microphone and a second identified soldier in uniform is seated at the far right of the image. The wall behind them is covered in dark panels and a photo on an easel is partially visible next to the man who is speaking. The photo was taken from the back of the audience and people are seated in rows facing the stage area.
Date: 1944-12~
Creator: Todd & Brown, Inc.
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Soldiers Speaking at Kingsbury Plant]

Photograph of eight uniformed soldiers seated at the front of a stage area during a visit to the Kingsbury Plant while another soldier in uniformit is standing behind on a raised stage next to a covered canvas on an easel, speaking at a microphone. The wall behind him has dark panels and a door is partially visible at left, with speakers above. The photo was taken from the audience, where people are visible in seated rose, facing the man who is speaking. The seated soldiers are tentatively identified (left-to-right) as T/5th Lars Larson, Pfc. Louis Cocozza, Pfc. Harry Gaby, Cpl. Myles Gates, S/Sgt. Clarence Alexis, Pfc. Leo Crivello, unknown, and Capt. Gordon Sympson.
Date: 1944-12~
Creator: Todd & Brown, Inc.
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Soldiers Standing on Stage During Kingsbury Visit]

Photograph of eight uniformed soldiers standing in a line on stage during a visit to Kingsbury Ordnance Plant while another soldier is standing at a microphone on the left side of the stage, but turning to face them. Two men wearing suits are seated on the right side of the image and behind all of the men, there is a decorative curtain and an extremely large flag that is partially visible above them. The line of soldiers are tentatively identified (left-to-right) as: unknown (at microphone), Cpl. Myles Gates, S/Sgt. Clarence Alexis, Capt. Gordon Sympson, T/5th Lars Larson, Pfc. Harry Gaby, Pfc. Louis Cocozza, Pfc. Leo Crivello, and Sgt. Jack Allen.
Date: 1944-12~
Creator: Todd & Brown, Inc.
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Soldiers on Stage During Ordnance Plant Visit]

Photograph of a group of uniformed soldiers seated in a line on stage during a visit to Kingsbury Ordnance Plant. Another soldier is standing and walking toward a man wearing a suit next to a microphone on the left side of the image and a second man wearing a suit is standing to the right of the seated soldiers, clapping. They are seated in front of a decorative curtain and an extremely large flag is partially visible above them. The seated soldiers are tentatively identified (left-to-right) as: S/Sgt. Clarence Alexis, Capt. Gordon Sympson, T/5th Lars Larson, Pfc. Harry Gaby, Pfc. Louis Cocozza, Pfc. Leo Crivello, and Sgt. Jack Allen.
Date: 1944-12~
Creator: Todd & Brown, Inc.
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Dave Koenig Posing Outside of Barracks]

Photograph of Dave Koenig, identified as "Dave Koenig (Pin Up Boy)," posing outside of barracks at the Waco Army Air Field. He poses shirtless on a sidewalk that runs along rows of identical, light-colored buildings.
Date: April 15, 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Photograph of Dave Koenig in the WAAF Garden]

Photograph of Dave Koenig standing in front of a star-shaped flower garden taken from the back door of the barracks in the Waco Army Air Field.
Date: April 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Photograph of Commanding Officer and Adjutant #2]

Photograph of Commanding Officer Major Baird and Adjutant 1st Lieutenant Byrens posing in the Waco Army Airfield. Both men are in uniform, including hats. A two-story building is visible in the background.
Date: April 15, 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Blood Donors at Waco Army Air Field]

Photograph of a large group of men posing together outside of a Red Cross blood donation site at the Waco Army Airfield. Handwriting on the back of the photograph notes that only 30 of the men pictured could give blood. Mr. V. J. Jacox, Red Cross Field Director, poses in the center.
Date: April 4, 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Photograph of Commanding Officer and Adjutant #3]

Photograph of Adjutant Lieutenant Byrens and Commanding Officer Major Baird posing together in uniform. Both men stand with their hands behind their backs and look toward the photographer.
Date: April 12, 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History