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Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Raymond L. Willard Shelter Management/Civil Defense Collection, 1961-1965, Ms2025-056, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
The Raymond L. Willard Shelter Management/Civil Defense Collection was donated to Special Collections and University Archives in July 2018.
The processing, arrangement, and description of the Raymond L. Willard Shelter Management/Civil Defense Collection was completed in July 2025.
Raymond L. Willard was born in Virginia on August 22, 1924, to James and Elva Willard. He was married to Patsy Eileen Willard, born March 30, 1926, and they had two daughters Sandra and Susan Willard. Patsy died on November 10, 2015. Raymond was a police officer in Blacksburg, Virginia, and earned a certificate of shelter management in 1965 from the Commonwealth of Virginia. Raymond died on March 7, 1994.
External Sources:
Raymond Lee Willard in the U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007. Ancestry Library. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/60901/records/48137181. Accessed July 24, 2025.
Patsy Eileen Thompson Willard. November 17, 2015. Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/155088986/patsy-eileen-willard. Accessed July 24, 2025.
Raymond Lee Willard. June 7, 2014. Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/130999607/raymond_lee-willard. Accessed July 24, 2025.
The collection contains materials collected by Raymond L. Willard in the 1960s, including instructional pamphlets on how to construct community and family shelters in case of a nuclear attack. There are notes from the University of Virginia and Virginia Polytechnic Institute for a class for shelter managers and instructions for rations, work schedules, and community entry for the shelters.
Folder one includes three instructional pamphlets/guides from the United States Department of Defense. First, a pamphlet titled "Fallout Protection: What to Know and Do About Nuclear Attack." It contains definitions of common nuclear terms, the stages of fallout after an attack, models of community shelters, and instructions for single family shelters. The second, "Family Shelter Designs," is a guide that has instructions on different family shelter designs, how to make them, and how to stock them for short-term protection. The last, published June 22, 1962, is a comprehensive guide for fallout community shelter management. It contains instructions for community entry, rations, work scheduling, and exiting the shelter.
Folder two contains information about a shelter managment course offered at the University of Virginia and letters and paperwork from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute in regard to the "Civil Defense Shelter Managers and Shelter Management Instructors" course. Class schedules for both courses are included, as well as a certificate of completion from the Commonwealth of Virginia, given to Raymond L. Williard on February 26, 1965.
Folder three has the notes from Williard's binder from the shelter management course.
The material in this collection is arranged by subject.
Several Virginia Polytechnic Institute publications were separated to the Rare Book Collection.
The guide to the Raymond L. Willard Shelter Management/Civil Defense Collection by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (