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Title
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Interview with Eugene Salvay
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Description
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Interview with Eugene Salvay about his life and his family's experience with the Kansas City garment industry, with additional information provided by his nephew, Craig Salvay. He discusses his childhood in the 1920s, and his education in aircraft engineering which lead to job in World War II working on B-25s at the assembly plant in the Fairfax District in spite of antisemitism in the hiring process. He recalls his father's work as designer at Fashionbilt before moving on to mail-order company National Bellas Hess, and operating his own business designing custom coats. He also shares stories about his family roots in Lithuania, his Jewish identity and ancestry, and meeting Harry Truman in the 1930s. Salvay also mentions his participation in developing Israeli aviation and his relationship with Moshe Arens.
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Date
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2011-06-04
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Object Type
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Video Recording
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Title
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SC169 North American Aviation Collection Finding Aid
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Description
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The North American Aviation Inc. operated a B-25 factory at the Fairfax Airport in Kansas City, Kansas from 1942-1945. This collection, donated by relatives of former North American Aviation employees, consists of issues of the plant's employee newsletter, notices sent to employees, and a patriotic music catalog.
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Date
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1942/1945
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Object Type
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Finding Aid
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Title
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Riveted to KC History
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Description
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Article focuses upon the experiences of Kansas City women who worked in aviation assembly plants during World War II. Several women are interviewed and describe their lives before, during, and after the war.
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Date
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2015-01-18
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Object Type
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Newspaper Article
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Title
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''We All Had a Cause'': Kansas City's Bomber Plant, 1941-1945
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Description
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The B-25 bomber was crucial to the war effort during World War II and many of these bombers were made in North American Aviation's Kansas City, Kansas facility. "This article describes the origin and development of that defense plant, as well as the principal achievements of its employees, who made vital contributions to the war effort." The plant was located on a 75 acre site adjoining Fairfax Airport in the Fairfax Industrial District and the ground breaking ceremony for the plant was held on March 8, 1941. A ceremony on December 23, 1941, marked the completion of the first bomber to come out of the plant with the first test flight on January 3, 1942. There were 1,358 workers at the plant early in 1942. According to the article, by autumn of 1942, women held 27 percent of the jobs. Article also discusses the role of African Americans at the plant. When production of the airplane ended in August of 1945, 6,608 B-25s had been built in the Kansas City plant. General Motors eventially purchased the property and used it for car production.
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Date
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2005
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Object Type
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Magazine Article
