Lt. Richard Wood, youngest son of Lord Halifax, British Ambassador to the United States, and others aboard escort carrier under construction at Sea-Tac Shipyards. Soldier to the far right is Sgt. Hall, orderly to Lt. Wood, and also a veteran of the North African campaign. Lt. Wood lost both legs at the battle of El Alamein in Egypt, where his older brother was killed. An unexploded bomb from Stuka dive bombers destroyed his legs; however, Lt. Wood (later Baron Holderness of Bishop Wilton) took pleasure in pointing out his survival was due to the mis-assembly of the bomb by anti-Nazi Czech munition workers. He later wrote a biography of his mother and spent 29 years as Tory Member of Parliament for Bridlington. Richard Frederick Wood, politician, businessman and disablement activist, died on August 11, 2002, at the age of 81. (The Guardian, 8-17-02). ALBUM 3.

Visits of state--Tacoma; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of; Wood, Richard Frederick; Nobility--England; Signs (Notices); Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Dorothy, Lady Halifax, wife of the British Ambassador to the United States, receives a corsage from women workers at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. Joan Evangelist, shipfitter's helper originally from Michigan, had the honor of pinning the large orchid corsage on Lady Halifax. Standing by Joan Evangelist are Ann Tryggestad, burner's helper, and Alma Sayers, welder trainee. The woman in black in the background is believed to be Mrs. Harold Swan, wife of the British consul in Seattle. She was to receive a gardenia corsage pinned on her by Betty Jensen, pipefitter. Lord and Lady Halifax, along with their son and their entourage, visited the shipyard to inspect escort aircraft carriers under wartime construction. (TNT 7-22-43, p. 2, TNT 7-23-43, p. 1) ALBUM 3.

Visits of state--Tacoma; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of--Family; Nobility--England; Evangelist, Joan; Tryggestad, Ann; Sayers, Alma; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Lord Halifax, British ambassador to the United States, appears engrossed in conversation with naval and Seattle-Tacoma shipyard officials during a tour of escort aircraft carriers currently under construction. The ambassador, his wife and son, and entourage were escorted to the shipyard by TPD motorcycle officers in vehicles driven by Tacoma police. After a one-hour tour of the facility, the ambassadorial party journeyed on to the College of Puget Sound where Lord Halifax received a honorary Doctorate of Laws degree. After luncheon on the campus and a visit to the British American War Relief Center, Lord Halifax received a police escort to the Boeing aircraft plant where he was able to view the construction of the Boeing Flying Fortresses. (TNT 7-23-43, p. 1) ALBUM 3.

Visits of state--Tacoma; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of; Nobility--England; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Beginning in the late 1930's, as war contracts sped up the pace of industry in the Puget Sound, workers were drawn to the area, seeking the abundant jobs in the well-paying defense industry. The Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. employed over 33,000 workers in its Tacoma yard. Some, like Larry Miller, came for a visit and stayed to work throughout the war. Mr. Miller came around 1941 from Spokane to visit his sister and brother-in-law and stayed to work as a painter at the shipyard. He had previously been a bridge painter. By 1943, he was painter leadman on the second shift and had been awarded the "L" symbol on his helmet. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg. 8; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma)--People; Miller, Larry;

One of the most difficult aspects of the defense industry was finding enough skilled workers to fill the large number of positions available when the wartime factories ran 24 hours a day. The Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. solved this problem by operating its own in house training center. In this center, W.W. Mallery, shipfitter instructor, illustrated a point on the blackboard in July of 1943 for the benefit of his class. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg. 4; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Blackboards; Classrooms;

On August 11, 1943, the Treasury Department's mobile Victory House pulled into the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyard. It was accompanied by two charming hostesses, center. The purpose of the entertainment center was to acquaint workers with the national program of War Bond sales as it related to the war effort; however, the message was cloaked in a vaudeville program, made up from the best of Ft. Lewis talent. The Victory House trailer itself was pulled by a red, white and blue truck and was equipped with a stage, PA system, microphones, mixing panel and even a mammoth Hammond organ. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, NO. III, pg. 3; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); War bonds & funds; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma;

In July of 1943, the Tacoma yard of the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. had a brand new $14,000 fire truck, the latest in fire fighting equipment. But even this fine new truck couldn't fly over obstacles on the way to fight a fire. A series of pictures showing what NOT to do in fire prevention highlighted an article on this topic in the company newspaper, the Keel. This photo served as a reminder to keep passages clear. A fire could get out of control in the time that it took to remove obstacles. Fire, according to the Keel, was "Home Front Enemy #1." (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol.II No.II, Pg 3 July 24, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--War work--Tacoma; Fire engines & equipment--1940-1950; Fire prevention;

Dorothy, Lady Halifax, wearing an enormous orchid corsage, is photographed speaking to U.S. Naval officers on July 22, 1943. Lord and Lady Halifax were taking an extensive tour of the Seattle-Tacoma shipyards to view escort aircraft carriers under construction. Lord Halifax was the British ambassador to the United States. His main purpose on the short one-day visit to Tacoma was to accept an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from the College of Puget Sound; however, he also wanted to tour the shipyards. Lady Halifax was the former Dorothy Evelyn Augusta Onslow before she married Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 3rd Viscount Halifax, and later Earl of Halifax. (TNT 7-22-43, p. 1) ALBUM 3.

Halifax, Dorothy Evelyn Augusta Onslow Wood; Nobility--England; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

British ambassador to the United States, Lord Halifax, strides alongside U.S. Naval officers onto the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyards on July 22, 1943. The Governor-General of Canada and its Commander-in-Chief, the Earl of Athlone, had previously paid a visit to the shipyards only two months before the ambassador's tour. ALBUM 3

Visits of state--Tacoma; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of; Nobility--England; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Lord Halifax, British Ambassador to the United States and Lady Halifax are greeted by U.S. Naval Officers and others at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. Accompanying the couple was Lt. Richard Wood, their son, seated in his wheelchair near the automobile. Lt. Wood, later Baron Holderness of Bishop Wilton, had earlier lost both legs in North African desert fighting. Lord Halifax's main purpose in visiting Tacoma was to accept an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from the College of Puget Sound but he also chose to tour the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyards to see escort carriers being built. ALBUM 3.

Visits of state--Tacoma; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of; Wood, Richard Frederick; Nobility--England; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Lt. Richard Wood, third and youngest son of Lord Halifax, British Ambassador to the United States, and others in open automobile at Sea-Tac Shipyards. Lord and Lady Halifax, their son, and entourage had paid a visit to the shipyards to inspect escort aircraft carriers in stages of construction. Lt. Wood is seated in the passenger's front; soldier in rear is a Sgt. Hall, his orderly and fellow North African campaign veteran. Lt. Wood was able to tour the shipyards seated in an aluminum-like wheelchair. Both of his legs were amputated above the knee due to war injuries. Later, after adjusting to artificial legs, he returned to the United States to encourage other wounded servicemen. Remaining an advocate for the disabled war-wounded, he spent 29 years as a Member of Parliament, Tory party, before retiring in 1979 and assuming the title of Baron Holderness of Bishop Wilton. (The Guardian, 8-17-02) ALBUM 3.

Wood, Richard Frederick; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Lt. Richard Wood accompanied his parents, Lord and Lady Halifax, when they visited the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyards on July 22, 1943 during their visit to Tacoma. Lord Halifax (at left) was the British Ambassador to the United States. Lt. Wood, shaking the hand of 19 year old Al Sturtevant, lost both his legs at the Battle of El Alamein in Egypt, where his older brother was killed. He had enlisted as a private in the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry before enrolling in Sandhurst and being commissioned in the King's Royal Rifle Corp. After loosing his legs, he toured the United States to counsel and encourage other wounded veterans. He went on to serve 29 years in the House of Commons, and was named Baron Holderness of Bishop Wilton in 1979. Always a champion of the war-disabled, he died August 11, 2002 at the age of 81. Shipyard employee Al Sturtevant had also been wounded in the North Africa campaign. He had a medical discharge due to a hip injury received in action. (The Guardian, 8-17-02; Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, August 7, 1943 issue). ALBUM 3.

Visits of state--Tacoma; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of--Family; Wood, Richard Frederick; Nobility--England; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Sturtevant, Al;

Bright eyed, curly topped Irene Flemish was selected by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyard 1st shift electricians to be their candidate for 1943 "All Yard Queen." She posed for the Richards photographer with her name neatly monogrammed on her collar above her employment badge. The Queen would be crowned at the August company picnic. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg.6; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma)--People; Flemish, Irene;

As a shipyard worker during World War II, superior attendance at work was part of your patriotic duty. As the "Sea-Tac Keel's" Civilian War Creed stated "Wasting precious working hours is sinful in war time." Rigger Outfitting Foreman Art Bagley, pictured, had only lost 1 1/2 days in the 3 and one half years he had worked at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyard. Preferring to be in the great outdoors, before coming to Sea-Tac Mr. Bagley had worked as a logger, longshoreman and pile driver. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg. 8; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma)--People; Bagley, Art;

The laborers seem dwarfed by this large piece of machinery used to puncture steel plates at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyard. Used in Steel Shed A on July 27, 1943, it was being operated by (in no particular order) Fred Wright, John Bickel, Bert Kissick, Lars Heen and Robert Lawson, 2nd shift shipfitters. Lawrence A. "Bert" Kissick is the employee at far left. Men and women came to Tacoma from all over the country to train in the specialized field of wartime shipbuilding. TPL-653 (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg. 4; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Kissick, Lawrence A.; Wright, Fred; Bickel, John; Heen, Lars; Lawson, Robert;

In July of 1943, pipefitters C.V. Beggan, Joe LaPlant and J.B. Kindell were photographed putting the finishing touches on a difficult pipe job at the Tacoma yard of the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. People came to Tacoma from all over the country to fill well-paying defense jobs, where they could also help in the war effort. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg. 4; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Seaman Basil D. Izzi shakes hands with an unidentified female employee during the sailor's visit August 25, 1943 to the Tacoma yard of the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. Seaman Izzi had survived for a record 83 days on a 8x9 foot life raft adrift in the South Atlantic. In the upper left background is the "Battle of the Sexes" attendance record. In an effort to reduce absenteeism, the shipyard had turned an attendance contest into a battle of the sexes, men vs. women. The thermometer charts below show on a daily basis which group has better attendance. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. V, pg. 3; September 4, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Izzi, Basil;

In August of 1943, Thomas Nelson had been working at the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyards for almost a year. He worked on the second shift labor gang at Shop A. Not married, Mr. Nelson lived and shared expenses with another bachelor employee and did his own cooking and canning. He had a victory garden, where he spent most of his time away from work. He had, at one time, been in charge of the kitchen at a swanky summer resort at Blowing Rock, N. Carolina, in the Blue-Ridge Mountains. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. V, pg. 8; September 4, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Nelson, Thomas;

This photograph of workers at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyard on Tacoma's tideflats was used as the September 4, 1943 cover for the Labor Day issue of the shipyard newspaper, the Keel. It showed men and women celebrating the holiday by working. "Sea-Tac marching to war. A war of production." More than in any war before or since, defense workers during World War II saw themselves as directly contributing to the war effort and affecting its outcome. TPL-795 (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. V, cover; September 4, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma;

Lois Tusler was chosen by her fellow employees in the Blueprint Dept. to be their candidate for "All Yard Queen" at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyard picnic in August of 1943 at Sutherland's Resort, Five Mile Lake. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg.6; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma)--People; Tusler, Lois;

Peggy Sparks was the choice of the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyard 2nd shift Shipwrights to wear the crown of "All Yard Queen." The winner would be crowned at the August 1943 company picnic. Miss Sparks posed for a photograph during her workday. Her employment badge, with photo, was attached to her lapel. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg.6; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma)--People; Sparks, Peggy;

Workers at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyards came from all walks of life and at least two of them had "checkered" careers. Kenneth (Mighty Mite) Grover, seated left, and Jesse (Bonaparte) Hanson, seated right, would be playing one another Lincoln's birthday, February 12, 1944, for the Pacific Coast Checker Championship. Kenneth Grover, employed at Sea-Tac as an electrician, was a U.S. crossboard checker champion, who played as high as 60 opponents at one time or six blindfolded. A published authority on checkers, he was the runner-up in the previous year's US checker championship. Jesse Hanson, who was a graveyard worker in the labor section at Sea-Tac, was the current Pacific Coast champion and had played in Europe, Mexico, Guatemala and every state in the Union. The three observers are not identified. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. III, No. 2, pg. 7; January 19, 1944 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Grover, Kenneth; Hanson, Jesse; Checkers;

Seaman Basil D. Izzi, left, is photographed with Lt. Robert Mallett during a visit to the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyards on August 25, 1943. Seaman Izzi, who had survived a record 83 days on a life raft, spoke at the shipyards and helped present Suggestion Awards. The awards were presented to those employees who made suggestions that cut down production time or improved the quality of workmanship. Seaman Izzi, while serving as a gunner on a United Nations merchant ship that was torpedoed, went overboard and clung to wreckage before sighting and swimming to the life raft. He and four other sailors subsided on the raft, with provisions for only 16 days, by eating fish and birds that they caught and drinking rainwater captured on a canvas. They spent Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day on the raft. Only three of the sailors survived. By the time they were rescued, Izzi had dropped over 65 pounds. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. V, pg. 3; September 4, 1943 issue; TNT 8/26/1943, pg. 1)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Izzi, Basil; Mallett, Robert;

Nancy Linebaugh was typical of the many "war widows" employed at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyards during August of 1943. Her husband Haden was attending Marine officers' school and rather than sitting at home, she was doing her bit to help the war effort by working in the accounting department at the shipyards. The couple had met at Rainier National Park, where she was employed and he was a Park Ranger. The couple had a three year old son, Haden Jr. Mrs. Linebaugh played the piano and favored popular music. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. V, pg. 8; September 4, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Linebaugh, Nancy; World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma;

Smilin' William (Bill) Mikesell came to the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyards from Montana about 18 months before this July 14, 1943 portrait. Although employed as a second shift welder on the ways, his heart was with his art work. He had been dabbling in oils since 1933 and had sold several of his paintings pre-war despite the fact that he had never had any art instruction. He found numerous subjects to paint at the shipyard and several of his paintings were hung in the welders' shack on Way No. 5. After the war, he planned to retire with his earnings and return to his brushes and paint. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. II, pg. 8; July 24, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma)--People; Mikesell, William;

Delegation looking at model of Sea-Tac Shipyards during visit of Lord Halifax, British Ambassador to the United States. Lord and Lady Halifax spent an hour touring the big steel shipyard on July 22, 1943. The Seattle-Tacoma Shipyards were builders of aircraft carriers for use in the war. O.A. Tucker, general manager of the shipyards, is standing next to Lady Halifax who is wearing a dark jacket over a flowered skirt. Lord Halifax is standing slightly behind her, next to a man believed to be Earle Bennett, training director, who is showing the shipyard's model buildings and vessels. This was the second visit from British royalty in two months; in May the Earl of Athlone, Governor-General of Canada, and his wife, HRH Princess Alice, toured the facility and inspected aircraft carriers under construction. (TNT 7-22-43, p. 1) TPL-1959 ALBUM 3.

Visits of state--Tacoma; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of; Nobility--England; Tucker, O.A.; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Lord Halifax, British Ambassador to the United States, Dorothy, Lady Halifax, US Naval Officers and others aboard escort carrier under construction at Sea-Tac Shipyards. Lord Halifax is standing next to O.A. Tucker, general manager of the shipyard. The ambassador's party spent an hour touring the facility. Lord Halifax praised highly American labor which is building hundreds of fighting ships. (T.Times, p. 1) ALBUM 3.

Visits of state--Tacoma; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of; Nobility--England; Tucker, O.A.; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Lord Halifax, British Ambassador to the United States, son Lt. Richard Wood, and others on elevator aboard escort carrier under advanced construction at Sea-Tac Shipyards. A sign in large lettering painted on the ship warns of the dangers of propellers. Members of the United States Navy and British Navy were among those accompanying the Ambassador on his visit to the shipyards. He was able to make a quick inspection of a carrier under construction and then ride the plane elevator down from the flight deck. ALBUM 3.

Visits of state--Tacoma; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of; Wood, Richard Frederick; Nobility--England; Signs (Notices); Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Lord Halifax, British Ambassador to the United States, and his entourage toured the facilities of the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyards on July 22, 1943. In town to accept an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from fellow Oxford alumnus R. Franklin Thompson of the College of Puget Sound, Lord Halifax managed to squeeze in several other stops, including an inspection of escort aircraft carriers under construction at the shipyards. View of crowded deck and military officers from both the British and American navies as well as company officials. Soldier in wheelchair was the third and youngest son of Lord Halifax, Lt. Richard Wood, who had both legs amputated due to war injuries. ALBUM 3.

Visits of state--Tacoma; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of; Wood, Richard Frederick; Nobility--England; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Lord Halifax, British Ambassador to the United States and Lady Halifax are greeted by US and British Naval officers and others at Sea-Tac Shipyards. The tall and lanky ambassador extends his hand as he is welcomed on an inspection tour of escort aircraft carriers being built by the shipyard. His entourage included his son, Lt. Richard Wood and British consul in Seattle, Harold Swan and wife. Acting Mayor C. Val Fawcett escorted the group to the Seattle-Tacoma shipyards. ALBUM 3.

Visits of state--Tacoma; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of; Nobility--England; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);