Air Raid and Civil Defense Collection

Bridgeport History Center, Bridgeport Public Library

Summary Information

Repository:
Bridgeport History Center, Bridgeport Public Library
Creator:
Bridgeport War Council
Title:
Air Raid and Civil Defense Collection
ID:
BHC-MSS 0165
Date [inclusive]:
1941-1945
Physical Description:
5 Linear Feet
Language of the Material:
English .
Abstract:
As a manufacturing city during World War II, Bridgeport was a logical target should the warfront move to the east coast of the United States. The Bridgeport War Council, which oversaw the city's defense and preparations, devoted special resources to air raid preparation, defense, and recovery. This collection heavily focuses on the individual zones that Bridgeport was divided into, who was in charge of each zone, and how the city prepared for air attacks should they ever come.

Preferred Citation

Air Raid and Civil Defense Collections (BHC-MSS 0165), Bridgeport History Center, Bridgeport Public Library.

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Biographical / Historical

Bridgeport is primarily known for its manufacturing role during World War II. This is thanks to the number of industries that mobilized during the war, including the Bullard Machine Tool Company, Bridgeport Brass, and Sikorsky Aircraft, among many others. The shortage of male workers at these companies also allowed women to work in industry in far greater numbers than they had before. However, manufacturing was not the sole focus of Bridgeport during the war. Due to all the manufacturing going on in the city, there was reason to see the city as a target, should action ever move towards the east coast of the United States. As a result, Bridgeport actively organized it's home front, working with the State of Connecticut's defense council in order to establish means of defense. Concerns regarding air raids on the city – especially the potential for bombing factories that helped supply the United States' war effort – were high, and a section of the Bridgeport War Council was devoted to air raid preparation, defense, and recovery. This work relied heavily on volunteer efforts, with the city being split into different zones that were headed by wardens. Those wardens helped to ensure that their area knew the correct safety protocols, kept them compliant with certain regulations such as those regarding blackouts at night, and other concerns. While the work of this group concluded with the end of the war, the Cold War would see the Civilian Defense Council rise up to address concerns about atomic bombs and attack by the USSR instead.

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Scope and Contents

Most prevalent in the collection is information regarding Bridgeport's different zones, and who was in charge of each. This permits a complete picture of how the city was divided and prepared for any potential attacks, especially by air. Other information relates to preparedness warnings, schools, policies and procedures, and other concerns.

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Arrangement

Subject file arranged in alphabetical order

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Arrangement

1995.02, found in collections. Original inventory and arrangement by Diane Kurtz

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Administrative Information

Publication Statement

Bridgeport History Center, Bridgeport Public Library

Bridgeport History CenterBridgeport Public Library925 Broad StreetBridgeport, CT 06604Business Number: 203-576-7400 (Extension: #7)URL: https://bportlibrary.org/hc/

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Controlled Access Headings

  • United States. Council of National Defense. State of Connecticut

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Collection Inventory

Series I, Subject files

Title/DescriptionInstances
Awards, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 1
Air raid damage report forms and memos, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 2
Air raid manuals,, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 3-4
Air raid policies, procedures, etc., 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 5
Air raid precautions, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 6
Air raids shelters, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 7
Aid raid signals, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 8
Air raid tests, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 9
Aid raid wardens certificates, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 10
Aid raider warden letters, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 11
Air raid warden maps, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 12
Aid raid warden meetings, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 13
Aid raid wardens names – zones 1-4, not by zone, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 14-18
Aid raid wardens notebook, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 19
Aid raid wardens, regional, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 20
Air raid wardens set up, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 21
Armbands, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 22
Banks, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 23
Blackouts, Bridgeport rules and policies, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 24
Blackouts, Connecticut and some out of state regulations and memos,, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 25
Blackouts, correspondence, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 26
Blackouts, reports and violations, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 27
Blackouts, test, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 28
Blind and deaf, lists of residents, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 29
Bomb reconnaissance agents – active, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 30
Bomb reconnaissance agents – in active, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 31
Bomb reconnaissance agents – Bridgeport and vicinity,, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 32
Bomb reconnaissance agents -local, 1941-1945
Box 1 folder 33
Bomb reconnaissance – handbooks, guides, forms, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 1-2
Bomb reconnaissance – state, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 3
Bond sales, 1944
Box 2 folder 4
War Bond drive, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 5
Buildings and homes, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 6
Camoflage, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 7
Chemical warfare and gas, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 8
Churches, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 9
Civilian defense, manuals, forms, correspondence, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 10
Coast patrol,, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 11
Communications, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 12
Control center, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 13-14
Control system guide, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 15
Correspondence, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 16
Defense council, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 17
Defense council – names, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 18-19
Demobilization, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 20
Dimout, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 21
Disaster relief, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 22
Equipment, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 23
Examinations, quizzes, etc., 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 24
Field trials, 1941-1945
Box 2 folder 25
Films, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 1
Fires, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 2
Firewatcher, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 3
First aid, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 4
Flags, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 5
Handicapped, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 6
Helmets, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 7
"I Am An American" committee, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 8
Incident officers, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 9
Identification cards, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 10
Identification numbers, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 11
Industrial plants, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 12-13
Industries – Underwood Elliott Fisher Co., 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 14
Inspections, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 15
Inspection tour, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 16
Insurance, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 17
Juvenile delinquents, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 18
Maps, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 19
Messengers, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 20
Mutal aid, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 21
Nurses' aides, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 22
Parade, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 23
Parking, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 24
Police, auxiliary, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 25
Police, radio, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 26
Pumps, stirrup, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 27
Publicity, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 28-30
Red Cross, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 31
Releases, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 32
Reports, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 33
Rescue squad, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 34
Russia, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 35
Sand, 1941-1945
Box 3 folder 36
Schools, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 1
Sector posts, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 2
Sector post - finances, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 3
Sector wardens, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 4
Snow, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 5
Speakers, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 6
Telephone, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 7
Theatrics, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 8
Training schools, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 9
Uniforms, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 10
V-Day, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 11
Vehicles, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 12
Volunteers, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 13
War council, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 14
War records, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 15
Warning center, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 16
Zone wardens, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 17
Zones, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 18-19
Tags for "injuries" , 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 20
Notebooks with names and numbers, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 21
ook, "Names of those who served in various Civil Defense positions in zone 2 ,Bridgeport, CT", 1942-1945
Box 4 folder 22
Clippings, aid raid wardens, 1942-1945
Box 4 folder 23-24
Posters with air raid information, 1942-1945
Flat file D, drawer 5 folder 20
Armbands, 1942-1945
Flat file D, drawer 5 folder 21

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Series II, Objects

Title/DescriptionInstances
Glass jar with token, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 25
Bolts and hardware from signs, 1941-1945
Box 4 folder 26
Aid raid shelter sign, 1941-1945
Box 5

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