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University Archives: Researching Cal Poly

Researching Cal Poly in the University Archives and beyond

World War II at Cal Poly

World War II Era projects and programs at Cal Poly:

  • Civil Aeronautics Authority Civilian Pilot Training Program
  • National Youth Authority Resident Project 
  • Adult National Defense Training Program 
  • U.S. Air Depot program
  • Cooperative project with the Navy to train naval aviators and deck and engineering officers
    • Navy's V-1 training program
    • Naval Flight Preparatory School (NFPS); V-5 program
    • Naval Academic Refresher Unit (NARU)
  • Food Production War Training Program

Secondary Sources on Cal Poly's WWII History

Secondary sources - research including WWII-era history at Cal Poly

Cal Poly: The First Hundred Years. San Luis Obispo: Robert E. Kennedy Library, 2001.

Print copies: LD729.6.S5 C344 2001

​Kennedy, Robert E. Learn by Doing: Memoirs of a University President: A Personal Journey with the Seventh President of California Polytechnic State University. San Luis Obispo: California Polytechnic State University, 2001.

Print Copy in library: LD729.6.S5 K42 2001

Internet access full text: http://digital.lib.calpoly.edu/rekl-16279

Smith, Morris Eugene. A History of California State Polytechnic College: The First Fifty Years, 1901-1951. Dissertation. 1958.

Print copy: LD729.C99 S6 1958 

Internet access: https://digital.lib.calpoly.edu/rekl-94735​

University Archives collections with World War II records

President McPhee papers: Search the inventory here

Digitized Sources on World War II

President's Annual Reports (good summary overview of the year's activities)

Mustang Roundup (WWII-era Cal Poly magazine), 1942-48

1942 El Rodeo Yearbook (last one published until 1946)

Cal Poly Student Newspaper (not published 1943-1944)

Everything digitized from 1939-1948