Interviewer
Susan J. Buchel
Files
Description
Mary Bell recalls moving from Minnesota in 1941 to work at Glacier National Park before relocating to Missoula, Montana to serve as the Director of Food Operation at the Florence Hotel. Bell talks about the food rationing that occurred during World War II and the strain that put on the hotel, which was the most popular social hub of Missoula at the time. She also remembers how many young American men were drafted into the war, which required the hotel to bolster its service staff with predominantly Italian-American internees who were held at Fort Missoula. Bell describes her positive interactions with those staff members and provide brief details about the other places in Missoula that employed internees.
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Document Type
Oral History
Subjects
World War, 1939-1945; Fort Missoula, Montana; Florence Hotel, Missoula, Montana; Wartime workforce; Internees, United States, World War
Original Date
12-5-1979
Time Period
Twentieth century
Geographic Coverage
Montana
Language
eng
Original Collection
World War II Detainees at Fort Missoula Oral History Collection, Archives and Special Collections, Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula
Digital Publisher
University of Montana--Missoula. Mansfield Library
Rights
Copyright to this collection is held by the interview participants and by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula. Permission may be required for use. For further information please contact Archives and Special Collections: (406) 243-2053 / library.archives@umontana.edu
Oral History Number
OH 065-001
Media Type
Sound; Text
Original Format
1 sound cassette (01:00:00 min.) analog + 1 transcript (10 p.: 28 cm.)
Digital Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Run Time
00:30:35 minutes
Local Filename
OH_065_001.mp3; OH_065_001.pdf
Citation
Bell, Mary E., "Mary E. Mista Bell Interview, December 5, 1979" (1979). World War II Detainees at Fort Missoula Oral History Collection. 3.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/fortmissoula_interviews/3