National Archives at Riverside

Guide to Archival Holdings (RG 202-270)


Records of the National War Labor Board (World War II) (RG 202)

Administrative History

The National War Labor Board (NWLB) was established in the Office for Emergency Management (OEM) by an Executive order of January 12, 1942. It was to act as final arbiter of wartime labor disputes and to pass on adjustments in certain wages and salaries. An Executive order of September 19, 1945, transferred the NWLB to the Department of Labor. The NWLB was terminated by the Executive order of December 31, 1945, that established the National Wage Stabilization Board (NWSB) with all powers, functions, and responsibilities of the NWLB relating to stabilization of wages and salaries as well as limited functions relating to the settlement of disputes. The NWSB was terminated by an Executive order of December 12, 1946.

While the initial functioning of the NWLB was solely in Washington, DC, on October 29, 1942, the NWLB announced establishment of 10 regional advisory offices. The authority of these first regional offices was quite limited, but on January 12, 1943, the NLRB created two new regions, and converted the (now 12) regional advisory offices to regional war labor boards, with considerable independent authority in resolving disputes. The NWLB also created several special tripartite industry commissions and panels to deal with particular industries nationally.

Records Description

Dates: 1942-1946
Volume: 37 cubic feet

Records of the West Coast Aircraft Committee. The records relate to labor disputes over job classifications and wage-rate schedules at eight airframe companies. Included are correspondence, minutes, orders, petitions, reports, and transcripts of hearings.

Records of the National Airframe Panel,Los Angeles. The records relate to wage adjustment disputes referred to the panel for decision. They are case files.

Finding Aid

Estelle Rebec, comp., Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the National War Labor Board (Wo rld War II), PI 78 (1955).

Records of the Office of Defense Transportation (RG 209)

Administrative History

The Office of Defense Transportation (ODT) was established in the Office for Emergency Management on December 18, 1941, to promote the maximum utilization of domestic transportation facilities to support the war effort. It was authorized to coordinate activities of Federal agencies and private transportation groups to prevent congestion and make maximum use of available resources.

The ODT employed a network of regional offices to facilitate implementation of its activities, including regional administrative offices, which oversaw Regional Operating Managers in significant transportation hubs. There were also District and Federal Managers responsible for specific firms, and field representatives.

Records Description

Dates: 1942-1946
Volume: 2 cubic feet

Records of the office of the Director, Liquid Transportation Department, Tank Car Division, Los Angeles. The records relate to coordinating the shipment of raw materials, especially investigations of shipping delays. Included are correspondence and detention reports.

Finding Aid

Draft inventory.

Records of the Federal Aviation Administration (RG 237)

Administrative History

The Civil Aeronautics Act of June 23, 1938, established an independent Civil Aeronautics Authority "to promote the development and safety and to provide for the regulation of civil aeronautics." In 1940, the authority was divided into a Civil Aeronautics Board with safety regulatory authority and a Civil Aeronautics Administration to enforce civil air regulations; aid the development of a national airport system; and plan, construct, and operate the Federal Airways System. Both organizations were part of the Department of Commerce until the establishment of the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) in 1958 which assumed all of their functions. The FAA became a part of the Department of Transportation by an act of October 15, 1966, and was redesignated the Federal Aviation Administration.

Records Description

Dates: 1960-1979
Volume: 83 cubic feet

Records of the Western Regional Office, Air Traffic Division, Los Angeles. The records relate to unsatisfactory airport conditions and terminal control areas for airports in:
  • Denver;
  • Las Vegas;
  • Los Angeles;
  • San Francisco;
  • Seattle.
The records include case files, memorandums, transcripts from public hearings, and statements by the public. Nontextual records include charts, maps, photographs, and technical drawings.

Finding Aid

Draft inventory.

Records of the Office of the Housing Expediter (RG 252)

Administrative History

A Housing Expediter was appointed in the Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion by the President on December 12, 1945, to plan, coordinate, and expedite postwar housing programs. The Expediter was authorized by an Executive order in January 1946 to plan and coordinate a veterans' housing program. The Office of the Housing Expediter, which had been authorized by an act of Congress of May 22, 1946, was terminated by an Executive order of July 31, 1951, and its functions were transferred to the Economic Stabilization Agency and the Housing and Home Finance Agency.

Records Description

Dates: 1942-1953
Volume: 1 cubic foot

Records of rent stabilization offices, Los Angeles and San Diego. The records document rent stabilization activities for housing in the Mission San Gabriel section of Los Angeles and in the San Diego area. The records are case files.

Records of the Petroleum Administration for War (RG 253)

Administrative History

An Office of Petroleum Coordinator for National Defense was established in the Department of the Interior on May 28, 1941. It was abolished by Executive Order 9276, of December 2, 1942, which created the Petroleum Administration for War (PAW) under the Secretary of Interior. The Petroleum Coordinator and the PAW were responsible for wartime conservation, use, marketing, and development of oil and other petroleum products. The PAW was terminated on May 8, 1946, by Executive Order 9718.

Records Description

Dates: 1941-1946
Volume: 237 cubic feet

Records of the Petroleum Industry Committee,District 5, Los Angeles. They relate to the following committees:
  • Distribution and Marketing;
  • General;
  • Natural Gas and Natural Gasoline;
  • Production;
  • Refining;
  • Supply and Transportation.
Included are correspondence, minutes, press releases, and reports. Nontextual records include maps and photographs.

Finding Aid

Draft inventory.

Albert Whimpey and James R. Fuchs, comps., Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Petroleum Administration for War, PI 31 (1951).

Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (RG 255)

Administrative History

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was preceded by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), created by an act of March 3, 1915. The principal activities of the Committee were the scientific study of flight and aeronautical research and experiment. The Committee was terminated by an act of July 29, 1958, that created NASA and transferred to it committee functions and records.

Records Description

Dates: 1939-1985
Volume: 195 cubic feet

Records of Dryden Flight Research Center, 1946-1959. They contain records originated at Muroc (later Edwards) Air Force Base. They document the testing of the X-1, the breaking of the sound barrier by Chuck Yeager, and other aspects of high-speed aeronautical research on the following aircraft: D-558 I and II; F-51; F-100 and F-100A; X-1, X1-A, X1-B, and X1-E; X-2; X-3; X-4; and X-5. Included are correspondence, flight logs, pilot's notes, and reports.

Records of the Western Support Office, Santa Monica, 1939-1967. The records relate to aeronautical research in industry, the wind tunnel facility at Moffett Field, and research in educational institutions. They document communication with other NACA divisions, aerospace companies and industry flight-test personnel, granting institutions, scientists, special project teams, and universities. Included are memorandums, publications, reports, and visit notes. Nontextual records include maps and photographs.

Records of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, 1971-1985. The records relate to administering, planning, conducting, and reporting on the lunar and planetary space missions Galileo, Halley, Mariner, Ulysses, and Venus. They are research and development project case files.

Finding Aid

Draft inventory.

Restrictions
Access to some files or portions of documents may be restricted because of national security classification.

Records of the War Assets Administration (RG 270)

Administrative History

The War Assets Administration (WAA) was established in the Office for Emergency Management by Executive order on March 25, 1946. The chief WAA function was the disposal of surplus consumer, capital, and producer goods; industrial and maritime real property; and airports and aircraft located in the United States and its territories. The WAA was abolished by an act of June 30, 1949, and its functions were transferred to the newly created General Services Administration.

Records Description

Dates: 1946-1949
Volume: 82 cubic feet

Records of air fields, army bases, defense plants, and prisoner-of-war camps in Arizona, southern California, and Clark County, Nevada. The records document real property disposal including notification, inspection, appraisal, and approval of disposition of excess property. They are primarily case files. Nontextual records include maps and photographs.

Finding Aid

Draft inventory.

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