Rosie the Riveter: Women Working During World War II
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Rationing Memorabilia
War Ration Book One with stamps, front (#1) and stamps (#2). Donated by Mary Lucille Hargrove, accession 235. Mary was a riveter at the Fort Motor Co. in Ypsilanti, MI for 1 year. Size of closed book: 4”x5”.
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War Ration Book Two with stamps, front (#1) and stamps (#2). Donated by Nancy Harris, accession 187. Mae Johnston, donor’s friend, was a laborer at Bendex Aviation in Owosso, MI for 1 ½ years. Size of closed book: 4”x6”.
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War Ration Book No. 3 with stamps, front (#1) and stamps (#2). Accession 224. Size of closed book: 4”x6”.
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Application for War Ration Book No. 3. Donated by Ruth DeMeo, accession 149. Ruth was a lathe operator at Republic steel Mfg. Co. in Canton, OH for 1 year. Size: 4”x5”.
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War Ration Book Four with ration stamps, front (#1) and stamps (#2). Donated by Doris Charest Plumb, accession 136. Doris worked in the materials control lab at Pratt Whitney in East Hartford, CT. Size of closed book: 4”x6”.
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Red and blue ration tokens. Donated by Alice A. Story, accession 206. Alice was a riveter at The Ford Motor Co.’s Willow Run Bomber Plant in Willow Run, MI for 1 year, and then at a company in Long Beach, CA for 3 months. Size: approximately 1/3” diameter.
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Gas ration booklet (#1) with stamps (#2). Accession 224. Size of gas card: 3.5”x5”. Size of gas stamps: 2”x5”.
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#1 is a gas mileage ration that was put in the front window of a car. #2 is a booklet with gas ration stamps. Donated by Doris Piper Warrick, accession 305. Anita Piper, donor’s sister, was an operator/calculator at Buick Motor Division’s Plant in Melrose Park, IL between 1943-1945. Size of A sticker: 3”x2.5”. Size of gas stamps: 4”x5”. Size of notice: 2”x5”.
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Fuel Oil Ration booklet (#1) with stamps (#2). Donated by Letizia Rose Vatalaro, accession 353. Letizia was a secretary at the U.S. Government – War Production Board in Albany, NY for 3 years, and then as a telephone operator at the Local Civil Defense Office in Coaxsackie, NY for 3 years. Size of the cover: 6”x3.5”. Size of the stamps: 6.5”x6”.
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Rationing was a normal part of everyday life for everyone in World War II. Ration stamps and tokens were used for many things including food, gas, and even nylons and shoes. Because there were fewer food items available for purchase, recipes were altered. Since gas was heavily rationed, people had to carpool to work and save up coupons in order to visit family or go on vacation. Women were unable to purchase stockings, so many would paint their legs and draw a line down the back of their legs with a makeup pencil to give the illusions of stockings.
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