Photograph showing Melva Lillian Cole standing on a train car and leaning down to kiss and unidentified man. Cole, of Fargo, North Dakota, visited Portland from December 12, 1942 to January 8, 1943. Cole came to Portland to christen a ship, PC 816, a submarine chaser known as Hell Hornet, at Albina Engine & Machine Works in Portland. Her husband, Navy serviceman Wilson Burnett Cole, was killed in a German submarine attack off Cape Hatteras in 1942. Image note: The number 33 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / Hell Hornet / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0435, 375A0436, 375A0437, 375A0439, 375A0440, 375A0441, 375A0442, 375A0443, 375A0444, 375A0445, 375A0446, 375A0447, 375A0448, 375A0449, 375A0450, and 375A0451.

Photograph showing Melva Lillian Cole (standing, at center, in dark-colored dress and hat) posing with a group of unidentified women. Cole, of Fargo, North Dakota, visited Portland from December 12, 1942 to January 8, 1943. She came to Portland to christen a ship, PC 816, a submarine chaser known as Hell Hornet, at Albina Engine & Machine Works in Portland. Her husband, Navy serviceman Wilson Burnett Cole, was killed in a German submarine attack off Cape Hatteras in 1942. This photograph may have been taken on December 30, 1942; Melva Cole is wearing the same clothing as in image Nos. 375A0446 and 375A0447, taken just after her arrival. A story about her arrival, published on the front page of the Oregon Journal’s December 30 final edition, reported that Cole had been a breakfast guest of the Portland Federation of Women’s Clubs that day. A story on Page 5, Section 2 of the same edition reported that Cole would also attend the federation’s silver tea on New Year’s Day. Image note: The number 36 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / Hell Hornet / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Light leak on negative. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0435, 375A0436, 375A0437, 375A0438, 375A0439, 375A0441, 375A0442, 375A0443, 375A0444, 375A0445, 375A0448, 375A0449, 375A0450, and 375A0451.

Photograph showing Melva Lillian Cole (right) and an unidentified woman standing at the bottom of a staircase and facing each other. Cole, of Fargo, North Dakota, visited Portland from December 12, 1942 to January 8, 1943. She came to Portland to christen a ship, PC 816, a submarine chaser known as Hell Hornet, at Albina Engine & Machine Works in Portland. Her husband, Navy serviceman Wilson Burnett Cole, was killed in a German submarine attack off Cape Hatteras in 1942. This photograph may have been taken on December 30, 1942; Melva Cole is wearing the same clothing as in image Nos. 375A0446 and 375A0447, taken just after her arrival. A story about her arrival, published on the front page of the Oregon Journal’s December 30 final edition, reported that Cole had been a breakfast guest of the Portland Federation of Women’s Clubs that day. A story on Page 5, Section 2 of the same edition reported that Cole would also attend the federation’s silver tea on New Year’s Day. Image note: The number 38 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / Hell Hornet / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0435, 375A0436, 375A0437, 375A0438, 375A0439, 375A0440, 375A0441, 375A0442, 375A0443, 375A0444, 375A0448, 375A0449, 375A0450, and 375A0451.

Photograph showing four people standing in the ring at a boxing match. At left and right are two unidentified boxers. Second from right is an unidentified man in a military uniform. Second from left is Melva Lillian Cole of Fargo, North Dakota, who visited Portland from December 12, 1942 to January 8, 1943. Cole was visiting Portland to christen a ship, PC 816, a submarine chaser known as Hell Hornet, at Albina Engine & Machine Works in Portland. Her husband, Navy serviceman Wilson Burnett Cole, was killed in a German submarine attack off Cape Hatteras in 1942. Image note: The number 32 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / Hell Hornet / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0435, 375A0437, 375A0438, 375A0439, 375A0440, 375A0441, 375A0442, 375A0443, 375A0444, 375A0445, 375A0446, 375A0447, 375A0448, 375A0449, 375A0450, and 375A0451.

Photograph showing Melva Lillian Cole (left) and an unidentified woman at a dining table. The woman at left is sitting at the table, looking at Cole, and holding a pot of tea or coffee in one hand and a cup and plate in the other. Cole is standing next to her. Cole, of Fargo, North Dakota, visited Portland from December 12, 1942 to January 8, 1943. She came to Portland to christen a ship, PC 816, a submarine chaser known as Hell Hornet, at Albina Engine & Machine Works in Portland. Her husband, Navy serviceman Wilson Burnett Cole, was killed in a German submarine attack off Cape Hatteras in 1942. This photograph may have been taken on December 30, 1942; Melva Cole is wearing the same clothing as in image Nos. 375A0446 and 375A0447, taken just after her arrival. A story about her arrival, published on the front page of the Oregon Journal’s December 30 final edition, reported that Cole had been a breakfast guest of the Portland Federation of Women’s Clubs that day. A story on Page 5, Section 2 of the same edition reported that Cole would also attend the federation’s silver tea on New Year’s Day. Image note: The number 37 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / Hell Hornet / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0435, 375A0436, 375A0437, 375A0438, 375A0440, 375A0441, 375A0442, 375A0443, 375A0444, 375A0445, 375A0448, 375A0449, 375A0450, and 375A0451.

Photograph showing five women standing in a row in front of a crane at the Albina Engine & Machine Works shipyard in Portland. At center is Melva Lillian Cole of Fargo, North Dakota; the other four women are unidentified. The photograph was taken on January 8, 1943, when Cole christened PC 816, a submarine chaser known as the Hell Hornet, during a ship-launching ceremony at the Albina Engine shipyard. The Oregon Journal published a story about the launching and a related photograph, image No. 375A0441, on Page 10 of its final edition on January 9, 1943. The story, headlined “Wife of Hero Launches Subchaser,” reported that Cole was the widow of a U. S. Navy serviceman, Wilson Burnett Cole, who had been killed in an attack by a German submarine off Cape Hatteras in June 1942. Image note: The number 27 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0435, 375A0436, 375A0437, 375A0438, 375A0439, 375A0440, 375A0441, 375A0442, 375A0443, 375A0444, 375A0445, 375A0446, 375A0447, 375A0448, 375A0449, 375A0450, and 375A0451.

Photograph showing Melva Lillian Cole standing in front of a ship during a launching ceremony at the Albina Engine & Machine Works shipyard in Portland on Friday, January 8, 1943. Cole christened the ship, a submarine chaser known as Hell Hornet. She is smiling and is holding a bouquet and a bottle wrapped in ribbon. The Oregon Journal published a story about the launching and a related photograph, image No. 375A0441, on Page 10 of its final edition on January 9, 1943. The story, headlined “Wife of Hero Launches Subchaser,” reported that Cole was the widow of a U. S. Navy serviceman, Wilson Burnett Cole, who had been killed in an attack by a German submarine off Cape Hatteras in June 1942. Image note: The number 24 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0435, 375A0436, 375A0437, 375A0438, 375A0439, 375A0440, 375A0441, 375A0442, 375A0444, 375A0445, 375A0446, 375A0447, 375A0448, 375A0449, 375A0450, and 375A0451.

Half-length portrait of Melva Lillian Cole (center) with two unidentified women on December 30, 1942, after she arrived in Portland from Fargo, North Dakota. Cole had been invited to the Albina Engine & Machine Works shipyard in Portland to christen PC 816, a submarine chaser known as Hell Hornet. Her husband, Navy serviceman Wilson Burnett Cole, had been killed in a German submarine attack off Cape Hatteras in June 1942. The Oregon Journal published a front-page story about Cole’s arrival on the front page of its December 30 final edition. The story, headlined “City Greets Widow of Sub Hero, Who Is Thrilled Over Launching,” reported that Cole was greeted by “Mrs. E. E. Trahan and Mrs. Ruth Ott of the Navy Mothers and Mrs. P. S. Kaadt and Mrs. Mary Prentice of the Portland Federation of Women’s Clubs.” She was also greeted by Navy servicemen K. A. Johnson and W. N. Edwards; see related image No. 375A0446. Image note: The number 40 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / Hell Hornet / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0435, 375A0436, 375A0437, 375A0438, 375A0439, 375A0440, 375A0441, 375A0442, 375A0443, 375A0444, 375A0445, 375A0448, 375A0449, 375A0450, and 375A0451.

Photograph showing four people standing in a row in front of a ship during a launching ceremony at the Albina Engine & Machine Works shipyard in Portland. At left is George Rodgers, president of Albina Engine; second from left is Melva Lillian Cole, who christened the ship, a submarine chaser known as Hell Hornet; and at far right is U. S. Navy Commander Leland D. Whitford, supervisor of naval shipbuilding in the Portland area. The second man from right is unidentified. The Oregon Journal published a story about the launching and a related photograph, image No. 375A0441, on Page 10 of its final edition on January 9, 1943. The story, headlined “Wife of Hero Launches Subchaser,” reported that Cole was the widow of a U. S. Navy serviceman, Wilson Burnett Cole, who had been killed in an attack by a German submarine off Cape Hatteras in June 1942. Image note: The number 31 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0435, 375A0436, 375A0437, 375A0438, 375A0439, 375A0440, 375A0441, 375A0442, 375A0443, 375A0444, 375A0445, 375A0446, 375A0447, 375A0448, 375A0449, and 375A0450.

Photograph showing Melva Lillian Cole and George Rodgers, president of Albina Engine & Machine Works, in an office at the Albina Engine shipyard in Portland. They are facing each other and holding a jewelry box that appears to contain a bracelet or watch. Cole is also holding a large bouquet of flowers. The photograph was taken on January 8, 1943, when Cole christened an Albina-built ship, a submarine chaser known as Hell Hornet, at a launching ceremony. The Oregon Journal published a story about the launching and a related photograph, image No. 375A0441, on Page 10 of its final edition on January 9, 1943. The story, headlined “Wife of Hero Launches Subchaser,” reported that Cole was the widow of a U. S. Navy serviceman, Wilson Burnett Cole, who had been killed in an attack by a German submarine off Cape Hatteras in June 1942. Image note: The number 28 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0435, 375A0436, 375A0437, 375A0438, 375A0439, 375A0440, 375A0441, 375A0443, 375A0444, 375A0445, 375A0446, 375A0447, 375A0448, 375A0449, 375A0450, and 375A0451.

Photograph showing six people, five women and a man, standing in a row in front of a crane at the Albina Engine & Machine Works shipyard in Portland. At center is Melva Lillian Cole of Fargo, North Dakota; the other five people are unidentified. The photograph was taken on January 8, 1943, when Cole christened PC 816, a submarine chaser known as the Hell Hornet, during a ship-launching ceremony at the Albina Engine shipyard. The Oregon Journal published a story about the launching and a related photograph, image No. 375A0441, on Page 10 of its final edition on January 9, 1943. The story, headlined “Wife of Hero Launches Subchaser,” reported that Cole was the widow of a U. S. Navy serviceman, Wilson Burnett Cole, who had been killed in an attack by a German submarine off Cape Hatteras in June 1942. Image note: The number 27 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0436, 375A0437, 375A0438, 375A0439, 375A0440, 375A0441, 375A0442, 375A0443, 375A0444, 375A0445, 375A0446, 375A0447, 375A0448, 375A0449, 375A0450, and 375A0451.

Photograph showing Melva Lillian Cole standing in front of a ship during a launching ceremony at the Albina Engine & Machine Works shipyard in Portland on Friday, January 8, 1943. Cole christened the ship, a submarine chaser. She is smiling and is holding a bouquet in one hand and a bottle wrapped in ribbon in the other. A cropped version of this photograph was published on Page 10 of the Oregon Journal’s final edition on Saturday, January 9, 1943. It had the following caption: “CHRISTENED IN MEMORY of a navy hero was thew subchaser Hell Hornet at Albina Engine & Machine Works Friday. Sponsor was Mrs. Melva Lillian Cole, Fargo, N. D., the hero’s widow.” The photograph accompanied a story, headlined “Wife of Hero Launches Subchaser. Cole’s husband, U. S. Navy serviceman Wilson Burnett Cole, was killed in an attack by a German submarine in June 1942. Image note: The number 35 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / Hell Hornet / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0435, 375A0436, 375A0437, 375A0438, 375A0439, 375A0440, 375A0442, 375A0443, 375A0444, 375A0445, 375A0446, 375A0447, 375A0448, 375A0449, 375A0450, and 375A0451.

Photograph showing Melva Lillian Cole and an unidentified man standing in front of a ship during a launching ceremony at the Albina Engine & Machine Works shipyard in Portland on January 8, 1943. Cole christened the ship, a submarine chaser known as Hell Hornet. Cole is holding a large bouquet, and she and the man are facing one another. The Oregon Journal published a story about the launching and a related photograph, image No. 375A0441, on Page 10 of its final edition on January 9, 1943. The story, headlined “Wife of Hero Launches Subchaser,” reported that Cole was the widow of a U. S. Navy serviceman, Wilson Burnett Cole, who had been killed in an attack by a German submarine off Cape Hatteras in June 1942. Image note: The number 25 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0435, 375A0436, 375A0437, 375A0438, 375A0439, 375A0440, 375A0441, 375A0442, 375A0443, 375A0445, 375A0446, 375A0447, 375A0448, 375A0449, 375A0450, and 375A0451.

Three-quarters portrait of, from left, Navy serviceman K. A. Johnson, Melva Lillian Cole, and Navy serviceman W. N. Edwards. They are standing in a row and facing front. The photograph was taken in Portland on December 30, 1942, after Cole arrived in Portland from Fargo, North Dakota. Cole had been invited to the Albina Engine & Machine Works shipyard in Portland to christen PC 816, a submarine chaser known as Hell Hornet. A cropped version of this photograph was published on Page 1, Section 2, of the Oregon Journal’s December 30 final edition. It had the following caption: “HERO’S WIDOW—Mrs. Melva Lillian Cole, whose husband was killed in a submarine attack on a subchaser last June, is here to christen another subchaser at Albina next week. Meeting her were K. A. Johnson, motor machinist, second class (left), and W. N. Edwards, fireman, first class, who are waiting to ship out on an Albina subchaser.” The Journal also published a front-page story about Cole’s arrival, headlined “City Greets Widow of Sub Hero, Who is Thrilled Over Launching.” Image note: The number 39 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / Hell Hornet / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0435, 375A0436, 375A0437, 375A0438, 375A0439, 375A0440, 375A0441, 375A0442, 375A0443, 375A0444, 375A0445, 375A0447, 375A0448, 375A0449, 375A0450, and 375A0451.

Three-quarters portrait of two women sitting on a bench and facing front. The woman at left is unidentified; the woman at right is Melva Lillian Cole of Fargo, North Dakota. Both women are holding photographs. The top photograph in Cole’s hand appears to be a print of image No. 375A0448 or a very similar photograph. This picture was probably taken on January 8, 1943, when Cole christened a submarine chaser known as the Hell Hornet during a launching ceremony at the Albina Engine & Machine Works shipyard in Portland. The Oregon Journal published a story about the launching and a related photograph, image No. 375A0441, on Page 10 of its final edition on January 9, 1943. The story, headlined “Wife of Hero Launches Subchaser,” reported that Cole was the widow of a U. S. Navy serviceman, Wilson Burnett Cole, who had been killed in an attack by a German submarine off Cape Hatteras in June 1942. Image note: The number 34 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0435, 375A0436, 375A0438, 375A0439, 375A0440, 375A0441, 375A0442, 375A0443, 375A0444, 375A0445, 375A0446, 375A0447, 375A0448, 375A0449, 375A0450, and 375A0451.

Photograph showing a group of people standing in a row in front of a ship during a launching ceremony at the Albina Engine & Machine Works shipyard in Portland on January 8, 1943. At left is Albina Engine president George Rodgers; second from right is U. S. Navy Commander Leland D. Whitford, supervisor of naval shipbuilding in the Portland area; and fourth from right is Melva Lillian Cole, who christened the ship, a submarine chaser known as Hell Hornet. The other people in the photograph are unidentified. The Oregon Journal published a story about the launching and a related photograph, image No. 375A0441, on Page 10 of its final edition on January 9, 1943. The story, headlined “Wife of Hero Launches Subchaser,” reported that Cole was the widow of a U. S. Navy serviceman, Wilson Burnett Cole, who had been killed in an attack by a German submarine off Cape Hatteras in June 1942. Image note: The number 29 is written on the negative and is visible in the lower right corner of the image. The text “Albina shipbuilding / Launching / 1/8/43” is written on the negative sleeve. Also see image Nos. 375A0434, 375A0435, 375A0436, 375A0437, 375A0438, 375A0439, 375A0440, 375A0441, 375A0442, 375A0443, 375A0444, 375A0445, 375A0446, 375A0447, 375A0448, 375A0450, and 375A0451.