Air Raid Warden Service, Arlington County, Thomas D. Whitely, Warden.
(Realia)

RG 135 is arranged in files based on the subjects of the material.

Please contact the Center for Local History in advance to view these materials. There are no research restrictions.

The collection includes material from Arlington County's Air Raid Warden Service from 1941 through 1943. Much of the material was produced by Arlington County or organizations in the Metropolitan area and included what to do during an air raid both in terms of both to prepare your home and specific information about combating a fire bomb or gas attack.

The Air Raid Warden Service began during World War II. Local citizens served as wardens under the command of the Chief Control Officer. Within the Northern Virginia area, Arlington County was divided into Civilian Defense Zones. The twenty-eight zones in the county were further subdivied into sectors, the smallest air-raid protection unit. Each sector included a population of about 500 people. The senior sector warden was in charge of each sector iwht the help of assistant air raid wardens, firewatchers, and messengers. The wardens attended workshops on chemical warfare, incendiary devices, and gas masks.

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