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Dorothy G. Shay and Walter E. Shay World War II collection.
MANUSCRIPT 2812
Collection Overview

Title:

Dorothy G. Shay and Walter E. Shay World War II collection
Shay World War II collection

Abstract:

Audio recordings, news clippings, photos, and photocopied documents.

Date:

1939 (issued)

Subject:

n-us-ca
Shay, Dorothy Georgia
Graves, Dorothy Shay
Shay, William Ellis
World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial operations, American
World War, 1939-1945 -- California -- San Francisco Bay Area
World War, 1939-1945 -- United States -- Women

Note:

After Dorothy Georgia Shay's husband, Walter Wallace Shay (a World War I veteran), passed away in 1936 she began working at a candy store. Her daughter Dorothy had already been employed, and in 1940 she and her fiance Bill Graves started building a house on the property that she and her mother jointly owned in Burlingame. In September 1941 Walter Ellis Shay, son of Dorothy Georgia and Walter Wallace Shay, and brother of Dorothy Shea Graves, enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps.
Dorothy G. Shay, once the United States entered the war that December, decided to help with the war effort, quit her job, and became a drill press operator at Delano Victor in San Francisco, which was engaged in defense production. Her plant manager entered her into a contest, and in 1942 she became Miss Victory of Northern California. Dorothy traveled to Chicago for the Miss Victory of the United States contest, which she did not win, but she did meet singer-dancer Buddy Ebsen.
William E. Shay served in the North African campaigns as a B-17 tail gunner, recieved several commendations, and was killed in Italy in April 1944 after being hit by a truck while serving in motorcycle courier duty.
Shay World War II collection.
Gift; Kathy Graves; Yreka, CA.
Inventory available in library; item level control.
Unrestricted. Please credit California State Library.

Type:

biography

Physical Description:

print
1 large manuscript box; 25 1/4 x 19 1/4 x 2 1/2 in.

Language:

English

Identifier:

MANUSCRIPT 2812

Origin:

California

Copyright Note:

Unrestricted. Please credit California State Library.