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Franklin D. Roosevelt letter to Albert Bauer, 1944 August 17

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945
Title
Franklin D. Roosevelt letter to Albert Bauer
Dates
1944 August 17
Quantity
0.1 cubic feet, (1 folder in shared box)
Collection Number
Coll 957
Summary
Letter from U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) to Albert Bauer (1900-1993) about the importance of manufacturing amphibious combat transports. Bauer was the general manager of the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation, which built ships and other watercraft for the U.S. armed forces during World War II.
Repository
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) was the 32nd president of the United States, holding office from 1933 until his death in April 1945.

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Biographical Note

Albert Bauer was born in 1900 in Portland, Oregon, and studied civil engineering at Oregon Agricultural College (later Oregon State University), graduating in 1922. He then worked for the Portland Water Bureau and was involved in engineering projects, including the construction of the Ben Morrow Dam and the Bonneville Dam. In 1941, he became general manager of the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation, which built ships and other watercraft for the U.S. armed forces during World War II. After the war, Bauer worked for the Kaiser Corporation, then for the industrial supply firm Woodbury & Co. In 1955, he began working at Pacific Power & Light Company, where he served as vice president and general manager. He retired in 1966, but continued to be a consultant for the company.

Bauer married Myrtle Frances Gardner (1900-1986) in 1930; the couple had two children. Bauer died in 1993.

Sources: Obituary in the Oregonian, August 11, 1933; vital records on Ancestry.com.

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Content Description

The collection consists of a one-page letter from U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Albert Bauer, general manager of the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland, Oregon. In the letter, Roosevelt says he has returned from a conference with figures involved in the Pacific Theater of World War II, including Admiral Charles Nimitz and General Douglas McArthur. He says he believes amphibious combat transports that the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation is manufacturing will play an important role in upcoming military campaigns, and urges that all shipyard employees be informed of the importance of their work. Roosevelt also expresses confidence that the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation will meet or surpass production schedules, based on past performance.

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Use of the Collection

Alternative Forms Available

Facsimiles of this letter at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library are located in the Military Collection, Mss 1514; and the Billie H. Strmiska shipbuilding memorabilia, Coll 939.

Preferred Citation

Franklin D. Roosevelt letter to Albert Bauer, Coll 957, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Restrictions on Use

The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.

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Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

Gift of Betty Bauer, March 2023 (RL2023-018).

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Subject Terms

  • Shipbuilding industry--Oregon--Portland--20th century
  • World War, 1939-1945--Oregon--Portland
  • World War, 1939-1945--Pacific Area

Personal Names

  • Bauer, Albert, 1900-1993--Correspondence
  • Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945--Correspondence

Corporate Names

  • Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation

Form or Genre Terms

  • correspondence
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