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Charlotte Mansfield enlisted in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (W.A.A.C.) in 1942 to pursue work in photograph processing for the military. She was part of the first all-women graduating class from Lowry Field Photo School in Colorado, where she was trained to be a photo technician that developed primarily aerial shots in photography labs. Mansfield was stationed at various locations throughout the United States before being transferred to lab work overseas in England and Germany. By this time, W.A.A.C. had transitioned to Women's Army Corps (W.A.C.). Throughout her military service, Mansfield took numerous personal photographs that featured her friends and surroundings. They provide an unparalleled amount of insight into the private lives of W.A.C.s as they negotiated what it meant to serve in World War II. Mansfield reenlisted after the war, eventually becoming part of the Women in the Air Force (W.A.F.), and retired in 1973. Photography remained her passion until her death in 2007.

The biographical vertical files consist of articles from local publications including, but not limited to, the following: La Gaceta, The Tampa Tribune, The St. Petersburg Times and the Miami Herald. These files may contain feature length articles or obituary notices.