Most People Have Never Seen These 17 Photos Taken During WWII In Mississippi
By Daniella DiRienzo|Published December 29, 2015
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Daniella DiRienzo
Author
Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for more than 30 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as the Mississippi-based Parents & Kids Magazine. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.
With the beginning of World War II, the daily lives of people everywhere changed significantly, Mississippians included. Rationing, a shift in the workforce, and the state’s reliance on the agricultural industry were just a few of the social and economic adjustments that were brought on by the war. The years 1939 through 1945 are arguably the most important period of the 20th century; here are 17 photos of Mississippi during that momentous time.
1. A man spends a Saturday afternoon selling fish in Holmes County. During this time, it was not uncommon for residents to find alternate means of income if their primary job was affected by the war.
3. A group of German POWs arrive at Camp Shelby. Many prisoners were sent to one of 15 branch camps and assigned jobs such as working in cotton fields or performing duties related to forestry.
5. Lexington residents spend a weekend afternoon interacting in front of a local bank, which probably experienced a business boom during the war as the state’s economy was very strong at that time.
8. Rather than work on plantations, many Chinese residents of Mississippi chose to open and run grocery stores. The store pictured, Joe Gow Nue and Co. Grocery, opened in the 1920s.
12. Cutting the steel needed to construct a submarine chaser, the two men shown haven’t been practicing this craft long. Before the war, one was a farmer and the other was an engineer on a fishing boat.
15. With one grandchild serving in the army, this Biloxi grandfather does his part by lending his skill and experience to assist the navy with the production of submarine chasers.
17. Female welders pose for a picture at Pascagoula’s Ingalls Shipyard. This wasn’t an uncommon sight since, during the war, women played a major role in the state’s industrial industry.
