Duluth Civilian Defense Council records

The first meeting of the Duluth Civilian Defense Council was held on October 3, 1941 in response to growing concern for local defense. The Council's activities were accelerated after the U.S. became involved in the war. The general organization of the Council provided a chairman, an advisory division, a Cititzen's Service Corps and a Citizen's Defense Corps. The Service Corps included such functions as salvage, nutrition, employment, publicity, welfare, and women's services. The Defense Corps mobilized existing services such as police, fire, and public works. It also organized a network of air raid wardens. Many organizational changes were made throughout the war, and new divisions were often created. Control of the Duluth Council was exercised by the Federal Office of Civilian Defense (created on May 20, 1941) and the Minnesota State Defense Council.

R. S. Mars served as first chairman, and he was succeeded by Amasa Wheeler in 1943. Citizen's Survey Corps directors included F. Rodney Paine, Thomas Shefchik, and S. Valentine Saxby. Richard Fingall Peterson served as commander of the Citizen's Defense Corps.

The Defense Corps was involved in an intensive training program for medical, utility, fire, and rescue operations. By 1943, 2100 Air Raid Wardens had completed their training. A Victory Aid division was created under Women's Services to organize women as liasons between the community and the civil defense program. Other programs included salvage and war bond drives, health and first aid education, war history, and even glider building. The Duluth Council claimed a volunteer force of nearly 15,000 people by January, 1943.

The Duluth council incorporated in October, 1942. The Proctor Civilian Defense Council became associated with the Duluth Council in 1942. Although the Federal Office of Civilian Defense was abolished in May, 1945, the Duluth Council continued its activities on a smaller scale.

The Duluth Civilian Defense Council was organized in 1941 in response to growing concern for local defense. It was controlled, in part, by the Federal Office of Civilian Defense and the Minnesota State Defense Council. After the U.S. entered World War II, the Council's acitivities were accelerated and new programs, such as salvage, air raid protection, Victory Aide and bond drives were established. The Council was incorporated in 1942 and remained in existence after the termination of the war.