Records of the Virginia Office of Civilian Defense, 1939/1947

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

There are no access restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Records of the Virginia Office of Civilian Defense, 1939-1947 (bulk 1942-1944). Accession 22499, State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

Creator:
Virginia. Office of Civilian Defense.
Preferred citation:

Records of the Virginia Office of Civilian Defense, 1939-1947 (bulk 1942-1944). Accession 22499, State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection documents the activities of the Virginia Office of Civilian Defense (1942-1945), and also includes some records from the Virginia Defense Council (1940-1942), and the Southwest Virginia Regional Defense Council (1941 Dec-1942). Virginia Office of Civilian Defense records include series for Correspondence, Subject files, Civilian Mobilization, Civilian Protection, State Child Care Committee, Emergency Medical Service, Evacuation Authority, Coordinator fo Negro Civilian Defense Activities, Transmissions and Directives, Financial and Personnel records, History files, Photographs, Posters and Published Materials.

Biographical / historical:

Governor James H. Price created the Virginia Defense Council in May 1940 by Executive Order to aid the National Defense Council by mobilizing the State's resources so that Virginia could effectively organize for protection in the event of an attack on American soil. Colonel Mills F. Neal was appointed the first Coordinator, though he resigned in November of 1940 and was replaced by Brigadier General James A. Anderson. J.H. Wyze was appointed Assistant Coordinator in January 1941. Governor Price originially appointed ten members to the Council, though this number was later raised to sixteen members. The members of the Council represented activities across the state, including industry, labor, welfare, recreation, agriculture, transportation, education and the military. The State was divided into eight Regional Defense Councils (Fredericksburg, Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia. Radford, Richmond-Petersburg-Hopewell, Shenandoah Valley, Southern Piedmont and Southwest Virginia) to assist in coordinating and managing defense activities across the state. The Council and regional councils were advisory and had no administration authority. The Virginia Defense Council established the Virginia Protective Force to take the place of the National Guard, which had been inducted into the Army; the Aircraft Warning Service; the Air Raid Warning System, with Warning and Control Centers; and Emergency Medical Services, which conducted surveys of medical facilities and personnel to assist in planning for medical services in case of emergency. The Council and regional offices also organized auxilliary police and firemen, home nursing and nutrition classes, and resource conservation activities, and established Recreation Committees to support visiting soldiers. Gen. Anderson resigned in August of 1941 and J. H. Wyze was appointed Acting Coordinator, and served in that capacity until the Virginia Defense Council was automatically dissolved on January 20, 1942, when Governor Price left office, though the Council remained active during an interim period between January 21-February 11, 1942.

The Virginia Office of Civilian Defense was established by an Act of the General Assembly (Chap. 10, Acts of 1942, House Bill 209), on February 11, 1942. Governor Colgate Darden, Jr., appointed J. H. Wyse as State Coordinator with authority to administer Civilian Defense programs at the state level and to organize and direct local defense councils. Rather than organize under the old regional system, the Office of Civilian Defense established local defense councils in counties, cities and incorporated towns throughout the state, with the mayor or chief executive officer as the director of the local council. The Office coordinated the activities, services and programs of the local defense councils, but this system placed responsibility for civilian defense in the hands of local public officials.

Two major divisions of the Office of Civilian Defense were Civilian Protection and Civilian Mobilization for War Services. Civilian Protection activities were carried out by U.S. Citizens Defense Corps and included Air Raid Wardens and Shelters, Aircraft Warning Service, Auxiliary Police, Auxiliary Firemen, Blackout testing, Decontamination Squads, Drivers Corps, Emergency Food and Housing Services, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Welfare Services, Fire Guards, Forest Fire Fighters Service, Gas Program, Plant Protection, Road Repair Crews, and the State Evacuation Authority. Civilian Mobilization for War Services was carried out by the U.S. Citizens Service Corps, which led efforts to keep the homefront strong in areas including Child Care, Consumer Programs, Health and Hospital Services, Housing Services, Library Services, Nutrition Services, Recreation and Youth Group Services, Salvage Programs, and War Bonds and Stamps.

With the defeat of Germany and Japan in 1945 the need for the office came to an end. On November 19, 1945, Governor Darden issued an executive order abolishing the office effective January 1, 1946.

Acquisition information:
Accession 22499 was transferred by the Virginia World War II History Commission on 8/10/1950
Processing information:

Original folder titles have been retained.

Arrangement:

Arranged by type of record and chronologically or alphabettically thereunder.

This collection is arranged into the following series:

  • Series I. Correspondence, 1942-1945;
  • Series II. Correspondence with Localities, 1942-1945;
  • Series III. Subject Files, 1942-1945;
  • Series IV. Civilian Mobilization for War Services, 1942-1945;
  • Series V. Civilian Protection, 1942-1945;
  • Series VI. State Child Care Committee, 1942-1944;
  • Series VII. Emergency Medical Services, 1941-1944;
  • Series VIII. Evacuation Authority, 1942-1944;
  • Series IX. Coordinator of Negro Civilian Defense Activities, 1942-1944;
  • Series X. Transmissions and Directives from the Virginia Office Of Civilian Defense, 1942-1945;
  • Series XI. Transmissions and Directives from the U.S. Office Of Civilian Defense, 1941-1945;
  • Series XII. Financial Records, 1942-1946;
  • Series XIII. Personnel Records, 1940-1945;
  • Series XIV. History Files, undated;
  • Series XV. Photographs, 1940-1945;
  • Series XVI. Posters, 1941-1945;
  • Series XVII. Published Materials, 1939-1947;
  • Series XVIII. Virginia Defense Council, 1940-1942;
  • Series XIX. Southwest Virginia Regional Defense Council, 1941-1942;
Physical description:
98.35 cu. ft. (314 boxes)