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15 Vintage Photos of the 1940s That Hit the Rewind Button

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A man leads a large group of people in exercise on a grassy field, standing on a platform with arms bent, while rows of participants mirror his movements behind him.
Fox Photos / Getty Images

The later years of the 1940s was a time of rapid rebuilding as well as a building sense of cautious optimism near the end of World War II. Cities continued to expand, families were settling, and the photos themselves captured were working together to tell a tale of healing. These colorized as well as black-and-white photos in particular provide a visceral glimpse into an era since passed.

1. The lunch breaks took on a whole different feeling

A group of women in work uniforms and bandanas sit at a table, eating lunch together. Lunchboxes and thermoses are visible in front of them. The setting appears to be a break room or industrial workplace.
Jack Delano / Getty Images

2. A taxi driver in Manhattan fixing a tire on the job, 1947

A man in a white shirt and dark pants changes the rear tire of a yellow De Soto taxi on a city street, with the car trunk open and old buildings visible in the background.
eggsackley/VIA Reddit.com

3. Gathering for their grandfather’s 60th birthday, 1947

A vintage color photo of seven women and two men standing behind an older seated couple, all dressed formally, posing outdoors on green grass with trees in the background.
sbetner/VIA Reddit.com

4. Norma Richter, showing off a dress especially made to demonstrate new photographic fabrics

A smiling woman in a black dress sits on a white bed. The skirt of her dress is spread out in a circle and features multiple images of her own smiling face printed on the fabric.
morganmonroe81/VIA Reddit.com

5. The uniforms here are really on point, aren’t they?

A man in a suit serves ice cream sodas at a vintage soda fountain counter to three women seated on stools, while another worker prepares drinks in the background.
Ivan Dmitri / Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

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6. Public pools in the summertime can get to be all kinds of packed

People in swimsuits gather by a busy outdoor pool, some standing and others walking. A woman in blue walks toward the camera, while a man carrying items walks away. The scene is lively and sunlit.
Keystone / Getty Images

7. They have that look of determination on their faces

A group of soldiers in brown uniforms march in formation along a tree-lined path in a park, carrying rifles on their shoulders. The background shows barbed wire and buildings in a misty setting.
Fox Photos / Getty Images

8. They are in a real windsprint here

Pilots with parachutes run toward military aircraft lined up on an airfield, preparing for takeoff. The scene appears historical, with propeller planes visible and a cloudy sky overhead.
Keystone / Getty Images

9. The Pacific had a lot going on in 1943

Soldiers in landing crafts approach a distant shore at dawn, with mountains in the background and several boats on the water, suggesting a military amphibious landing.
Keystone / Getty Images

10. Looks to be an active game at hand here

A vintage black-and-white photo of women playing soccer; one player throws a ball while others run toward her on a grassy field, with spectators and buildings in the background.
Fox Photos / Getty Images

11. Those walks could prove to be tremendously long

A group of soldiers in uniform and helmets walk in a rocky landscape, carrying gear and rifles. The sky is partly cloudy, and the soldiers appear focused and determined as they move uphill.
Keystone / Getty Images

12. Those drills had to have been tough in the early morning hours

A man leads a large group of people in exercise on a grassy field, standing on a platform with arms bent, while rows of participants mirror his movements behind him.
Fox Photos / Getty Images

13. The whole Women’s Auxilary Air Force responsiblity was a significant part in the whole system working like it did

A woman in a dark coat and beret speaks into a weathered megaphone against a clear blue sky, viewed from a low angle.
Fox Photos / Getty Images

14. Everyone seems to be paying intense attention

Black-and-white photo of several women seated at desks, writing in notebooks and turning to look toward the right side of the image, possibly listening to someone speak.
Hulton Archive / Getty Images

15. They look happy as be working away there

Four women in heavy coats and hats clean large vehicle wheels with hoses in a steamy, industrial setting. Brick walls and machinery are visible in the background, with a sign labeled “K-2” on the wall.
Fred Morley / Getty Images

Want to see more colorized photos?

Check out 30 Colorized Photos From The Early ’30s, or take a look at 22 Colorized Photos That Open A Window Into 1922. Finally, if you want to see colorized photos from 100 years ago, check out 20 Colorized Photos That Make 100 Years Ago Feel Like Yesterday.

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Meet the Writer


Matt Staff

Matt has spent over the last 8 years as both a writer and editor, working in Seattle and Brooklyn, where he is now based. He loves escaping the tirelessly fast pace of the “Mad Apple” that is NYC by taking walks and runs through parks where he’s able to catch up on the latest tea about society from the city’s ever chatty, always hungry, occasionally maniacal, pigeons. They always have a lot to say. When he’s not taking his urban nature strolls, or dutifully combing the deepest rabbit holes of the internet to find the content that’s worth sinking your mind’s teeth into, he’s likely holed up at a dark-lit dive bar with a new book and/or some friends, or just as easily he could be on the hunt for the next addition to his steadily growing plant family.

These days Matt’s caught up in trying to provide folks as many vivid glimpses into the days long since passed as he can, through fun and engaging collections of hand-picked vintage photos.



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