Today’s post is written by Laney Stevenson, Archives Technician at the National Archives at College Park. In highlighting the stories of bold and courageous women for Women’s History Month, the life of Mona Ryan Inman is especially noteworthy, given the incredible coincidences in the dates and locations of major World War I events and her … Continue reading Women in Uniform: Red Cross Service of Mona Ryan Inman in World War I
Today’s post is written by Dr. Greg Bradsher, Senior Archivist at the National Archives at College Park Myrna Loy was an American actress whose 129 movie career made her a household name for decades. A New York Times reporter wrote in November 1987, that “During the many years Myrna Loy reigned as one of America’s … Continue reading Myrna Loy, Her World Beyond Hollywood, Part I 1905-1949
By Jason Clingerman The past Saturday, I was visiting the Florida Keys and took a bike tour of parts of Islamorada, a village which spans several islands. The meeting place for the tour was a memorial to the victims of the 1935 Labor Day hurricane located near mile marker 82 of U.S. Route 1. Our guide … Continue reading Plumage of Pomp: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935
By Jason Clingerman Today is Henry Dunant's birthday, which is also celebrated as World Red Cross Red Crescent Day. In honor of that holiday, I thought I would mention some Red Cross records of historical interest that can be found at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland (Archives II) in Collection ANRC, Records of … Continue reading Happy World Red Cross Red Crescent Day!
By Jason Clingerman What do Walt Disney, Ernest Hemingway, and Whitney Houston have in common? They all served with the American Red Cross! Disney served as a Red Cross ambulance driver in France during World War I. Likewise, Hemingway served as an ambulance driver in Italy during World War I. In fact, Hemingway's service was … Continue reading Uncle Walt, Papa, and The Prom Queen of Soul
By Jason Clingerman During World War II, the American National Red Cross (ANRC) provided many services to enlisted men serving abroad in Europe and elsewhere. Importantly, they set up clubs for enlisted men to enjoy for recreational purposes in order to take a break from their wartime duties. One of these clubs was in Rome. … Continue reading Thanksgiving in Rome, 1944
By Jason Clingerman On January 7, 1919, the same day the Christmas Uprising started in Montenegro, members of the American National Red Cross (ANRC) arrived in Montenegro to provide relief to civilians after World War I and the Austro-Hungarian occupation of the country. This relief effort was known as the Commission to Montenegro. This commission … Continue reading The Full Montenegro
Today’s post is written by Meghan Ryan, a processing archivist at Archives II. The American Red Cross and American Red Cross Women provided many different services to military personnel during World War II. One of the lesser known branches of the Red Cross from that time is the Clubmobile service. Clubmobiles were refitted buses and trucks, … Continue reading Not Just Coffee and Doughnuts: Clubmobiles and the Clubmobile Girls
Today’s post is written by Meghan Ryan, a processing archivist at Archives II. The women of the American Red Cross played an important, and often under recognized role in World War II. The valiant efforts of Red Cross hospital volunteers are more frequently acknowledged, but American women served overseas in a number of other capacities – … Continue reading They Sent the Wharf-Rat In: Louisa “Henry Kaiser” Farrand and the American Red Cross
Today’s post is written by Onaona Guay, a processing archivist in College Park. Among the handmade ephemera of the September 11 Recovery Program records are a few professionally made items. One of these items is an autographed photographic portrait of Rusty. Following the September 11 attacks, many individuals volunteered their time and skills to the … Continue reading Rusty the Comfort Dog
