'Vetville' at N.C. State University Following WW II

After World War I veterans struggled as they returned to civilian life. Congress passed the Bonus Act of 1924 but stated that the bonus would not be paid until 1945. By 1932, frustrated veterans were really suffering during the Great Depression and 20,000 vets marched on the capitol in Washington, D.C. demanding their bonus money now. President Herbert Hoover called up the Army to break up the crowds. It was a mess.

To avoid similar problems at the end of World War II President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Congress passed the G.I. Bill. Veterans could continue their education in college or vocational school, and almost 49 percent of college admissions in 1947 were veterans. The bill also provided a weekly unemployment benefit for up to one year, and guaranteed loans for veterans who wanted to buy a home, business or farm. Medical care for veterans was also included, and new hospitals were established for veterans. By 1956, almost 10 million veterans had received some form of benefit from the G.I. Bill.

Many veterans attended N.C. State University in Raleigh after the war, and housing was a problem. These are pictures from what was informally referred to as “Vetville,” housing set up for veterans and their families. These photographs are from Special Collections Research Center at NCSU Libraries. The woman working in the Vetville grocery co-op is identified as the wife of a veteran.