United States Army Weather School collection

Collection

Identifier: Collection 173

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Included are newspaper clippings, photographs, school publications, invitations and programs to school social events, a history of the school, rosters, and the Weather School newspaper The Forecaster. The bulk of the processed collection is the Forecaster tabloid newspaper. Microfilm of the available holdings is available (see staff), and should be used, instead of the originals, when making copies.

Dates

1942-1943

Biographical / Historical

In November 1942 Grand Rapids received word that the Weather Training School of the Army Air Forces Technical Training Command would be moved from Chanute Field, Illinois. Several downtown buildings, including the Pantlind Hotel, Civic Auditorium, and Pantlind Exhibitors Buildings were converted into barracks, mess halls, classrooms, offices, and officers quarters. Classes began in January 1943, and by September, with more than 2,000 troops having received training, the school was closed.

Extent

3 Linear Feet (Five boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Weather Training School of the United States Army Air Force was located in Grand Rapids, Michigan from 1942-1943. The school converted several downtown buildings, including the Pantlind Hotel and Civic Auditorium, into barracks, mess halls, classrooms, offices and officer's quarters. The collection includes newspaper clippings, photographs, school publications, invitations and programs for school events, a history of the school, rosters and the Weather School newspaper, the Forecaster.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Mary Medendorp, 1990, 1992, accession numbers 1990.032, 1992.004 Library purchase, accession number P2000.032 Wilton G. Hawes, unprocessed, accession number 86.385

Related Materials

Ask staff for assistance in locating the microfilm version of the Forecaster, housed with other departmental microfilm, for use in photocopying.

Collection 125, the Robinson Studio Collection: Search the online database for images from the Grand Rapids Herald newspaper about the Weather school.

Collection 310, the Grand Rapids Public Library World War II collection