Claude C. Hall Papers, circa 1918-1979

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Claude C. Hall
Title
Claude C. Hall Papers
Dates
circa 1918-1979 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.5 linear feet
Collection Number
XOE_CPNWS304hallclaudec (collection)
Summary
The collection documents the work of Claude C.(Chester) Hall (1896-1977) when he was employed with the United States Army Corps of Engineers on the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, during World War II. Hall worked for Seattle-based Pacific Huts, Inc., setting up pre-fabricated wooden structures that were used to house troops in Alaska during the war. The collection also includes some of Hall's World War I papers, as well as a small selection of personal items.
Repository
Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Archives Building
808 25th St.
Bellingham, WA
98225
Telephone: (360) 650-7534
cpnws@wwu.edu
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public.

Languages
English.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Claude C. (Chester Hall) was born in Bandon, Oregon, on June 20, 1896, and later went to school and worked in the mines in Murray, Idaho. Hall then moved to Spokane, Washington, where he married Gladys Katherine McIsaac on June 2, 1922. The couple spent most of their married life in Seattle, Washington, except during wartime when Claude was stationed elsewhere.

During World War I, Hall was stationed at Camp Lewis, Washington but due to illness but due to illness was not shipped to serve overseas. In World War II, Hall was one of the first members of the Air Raid Organization in Seattle. After resigning from that position in 1944, he was hired as a civilian employee with the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Located primarily on Adak Island in the Aleutians, Hall worked with Pacific Huts, Inc. setting up pre-fabricated wooden structures that were used to house troops in Alaska during wartime.

Claude C. Hall passed away on March 14, 1977.

Source: Hall Family Genealogy, Claude C. Hall Papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Claude C. Hall Papers document Hall’s experiences during World War I and especially World War II, when he worked as a civilian engineer for Pacific Huts, Inc. on Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. The collection also contains a small selection of Hall’s personal papers, including a government life insurance policy, motor vehicle licenses, and a Hall Family Genealogy.

World War I Papers include recruitment, training, and classification documents. There are also clippings containing information about Hall’s call-up to Camp Lewis, regulations for drafted men, a telegram regarding illness with pneumonia, and a September 6, 1918 issue of The Highway: Official Journal of the Twenty-third Engineers. World War II Papers include business and identification cards, as well as contracts for Hall’s employment with Seattle-based Pacific Huts, Inc. Correspondence includes one letter from Pacific Huts President Frank Hobbs regarding industry and the war effort, and another letter addressed to A.H. Kinney of Colotyle Corp. in Seattle.

The collection contains a number of publications, including a copy of The Battle of the Aleutians: A Graphic History 1942-1943, written by Cpl. Dashiell Hammett and Cpl. Robert Garland Colodny and produced by the Intelligence Section, Field Force Headquarters, Adak, Alaska. There is also a 1944 limited edition of This Is The Pacific Hut, which describes the history and production of Pacific Huts and contains images of the manufacturing and testing process, employees, and use of the huts in the Aleutians. Publications also include a 1943 issue of Northwest Veteran, an American Legion newspaper published in Seattle, Washington, which contains a photo and article noting Hall’s appointment as Legion Chairman, and his role in a fund-drive to purchase and distribute playing cards to overseas soldiers.

Individual photographs and a scrapbook containing additional photographs and memorabilia document Hall’s activities in Alaska during World War II. Many of the images depict the construction and use of Pacific Huts throughout the Aleutian Islands.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

Claude C. Hall Papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The Claude C. Hall Papers are organized according to the following series arrangement:

  • Series I: Personal Paperscirca 1918-1979
  • Series II: World War I Papers1918
  • Series III: World War II Paperscirca 1943-1944

Acquisition Information

The collection was donated by Leslie Hall and J.H.P. Hall in 2010. Additional items donated by Leslie Hall in 2017.

Processing Note

The collection was processed by Rozlind Koester for the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies in Fall 2010.

Processing Note

About Harmful Language and Content

To learn more about problematic content in our collections, collection description and teaching tools (including how to provide feedback or request dialogue on this topic), see the following Statement About Potentially Harmful Language and Content

Related Materials

The J.M. McIsaac Papers at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies (CPNWS) contain related materials.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series I :   Personal Paperscirca 1928-1979 Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Government Life Insurance Policy for Claude C. Hall
1928
1/2
Hall Family Genealogy
circa 1979
1/3
Letter to "Mom & Sis" from Fort Lewis (and transcribed copy)
1918
1/4
Motor Vehicle Operator's licenses
1937; 1944
1/5
Power of Attorney
1944

Series II :   World War I Papers1918 Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/6
World War I Papers
1918
1/7
World War I Victory Medal
undated
OV2/1
Stars and Stripes
November 15, 1918

Series III :   World War II Paperscirca 1942-1944 Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/8
King County Deputy Sheriff Identification, Air Raid Warden card and resignation letter
undated; 1942-1944
1/9
Business and Training Within Industry cards
circa 1943
1/10
Contract of Employment and travel documents
1944
1/11
Correspondence
circa 1944
1/12
Hut Stuff (a company newsletter for Pacific Huts, Inc. employees)
1943 July 16
1/13
Identification cards
1944
1/14
Newspaper clippings about Pacific Huts and one photograph of Claude C. Hall
1943 February 13; undated
1/15
Northwest Veteran
1943 December 4
1/16
Photograph of Claude C. Hall
circa 1943
OV1/1
Scrapbook of memorabilia and photographs from Aleutian Islands, Alaska
circa 1944
1/17
Scrapbook (separated material) - photographs from Aleutian Islands, Alaska
circa 1944
1/18
Scrapbook (separated material) - The Battle of the Aleutians: A Graphic History 1942-1943
1943
1/19
This Is The Pacific Hut (Seattle, WA: Pacific Huts)
1944
1/20
"U.S. Army" papers
1944

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Barracks -- Design and construction -- Aleutian Islands (Alaska) -- History--Sources.
  • Barracks -- Design and construction -- Seattle (Wash.) -- History -- Sources.
  • Soldiers -- Housing -- Aleutian Islands (Alaska) -- History--Sources.
  • World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Aleutian Islands--Alaska--History--Sources.
  • World War, 1939-1945--Engineering and construction--Alaska--Aleutian Islands--History--Sources.
  • World War, 1939-1945--Engineering and construction--Seattle (Wash.)--History--Sources.
  • World War, 1939-1945--War work--Aleutian Islands--Alaska--History--Sources.
  • World War, 1939-1945--War work--Seattle (Wash.)--History--Sources.

Personal Names

  • Claude C. Hall--Archives.

Corporate Names

  • Pacific Huts, Inc.--History--Sources.
  • United States--Army--Corp of Engineers--Civilian employees--History--Sources.

Geographical Names

  • Aleutian Islands (Alaska)--History, Military--Sources.
  • Aleutian Islands (Alaska)--Photographs.

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Colodny, Robert Garland. -- Battle of the Aleutians. (contributer)
    • Flechter, Harry.-- Battle of the Aleutians. (contributor)
    • Hammett, Dashiell, --1894-1961. -- Battle of the Aleutians. (contributor)
    Corporate Names
    • Pacific Huts, Inc. (contributor)