World War II was fought far from West Virginia and the United States, but that doesn’t mean that the Mountain State wasn’t affected by the war. On the contrary, our tiny state had the fifth highest percentage of servicemen during the war. In all 218,665 West Virginians, including 66,716 volunteers, serving in the armed forces during that time.

The war was lasted from 1939 to 1945, though the United States didn’t join until prompted by the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941. A total of 5,830 West Virginians were killed during World War II.

Here are some pictures of what West Virginia looked like during that critical time in our history.

1. This family, the Hardemans, share an evening meal in Dailey in 1941.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
2. Dr. Tabor comes into a health clinic in Dailey to give measles vaccines to children in December 1941.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
3. Dr. Tabor examines Roscoe Loudin in this 1941 photo.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
4. Here’s a shot of Romney in 1942.
Farm Security Administration/public domain
5. Here’s a Sunday School class in Dailey in 1941 singing hymns.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
6. Here, people wait for a train in Richwood, 1942.
John Collier/Library of Congress
7. Here’s a school in Dailey in 1941.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
8. This is Summersville in 1942.
John Collier/Library of Congress
9. Here’s another of a child's baseball game in Dailey, 1941.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress

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10. School children in Dailey play and sing during recess at a school in Dailey in 1941.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
11. This is a sign in Clarksburg in 1942.
John Vachon/Library of Congress
12. This is a shop class in Dailey in December 1941.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
13. Here’s a Catholic church, school and hospital in Richwood in 1942.
John Collier/Library of Congress
14. Here’s a junkyard in Clarksburg in January 1942.
John Vachon/Library of Congress
15. This is a chemical plant along the Kanawha River in Institute in 1943.
Arthur Siegel/Library of Congress
16. These two people are in Charleston in 1941.
Barbara Wright/Library of Congress
17. This is the backyard of a miner’s home in Bluefield in 1941.
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress
18. This is a Sunday School class in Dailey in 1941.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
19. Kids play baseball at a school in Dailey (Randolph County) in 1941.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress

What do you think of these photos? How much different did West Virginia look back then?

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