In May of 1918, World War I soldiers in two trucks with "War Camp Community Service" banners pulled up in front of the Soldiers and Sailors Clubhouse. The Clubhouse was located in the Kaufmann-Wolff Building at 714-16 Pacific Ave. The building was designed by Farrell and Darmer, Architects, and also included 713-15 Commerce St. It was formally opened April 5, 1918 by the War Camp Community Service. The opening ceremony included speeches and a dance, but this was the last time the club was open to women or officers. It was strictly for the use of enlisted men. The address was later home to the Rhodes Post of the American Legion and the World War II USO Club for Servicemen of Color. The War Camp was created in 1917 to provide social activities in areas where servicemen spent their off duty time. BU 13,189, G68.1-108 (TDN 4/6/1918, pg.2) TPL-1675
Soldiers & Sailors Clubhouse (Tacoma); War Camp Community Service (Tacoma);
The 1930 Washington National Guard encampment, held on the grounds of Camp Murray, was called "Camp Dent." The Headquarters Company, 2nd Bn., 161st Infantry posed in front of their building on June 23, 1930. G69.1-136
Camp Murray (Wash.); Washington National Guard, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 161st Infantry, (Wash.); Military personnel;
These are non-commissioned officers from the Washington National Guard's 146th F.A., B Battery, as pictured at Camp Dent on June 28, 1930. Camp Dent was the 1930 encampment held on the grounds of Camp Murray. For two weeks 2600 officers and men including nearly 400 Tacoma-area residents participated in the annual summer maneuvers. G69.1-145 (TNT 6-13-30, p. 1-article on encampment)
Washington National Guard, Battery B, 146th F.A. (Tacoma); Military personnel; Uniforms; Camp Murray (Wash.);
A copy was made by photographer Marvin Boland on May 18, 1934, of this picture of a tank running over a man-made wood-and-dirt obstacle during maneuvers at Fort Lewis. Date of original photograph is not known. G70.1-018
Non-commissioned Officers Club. This one-story building with extended covered wraparound porch served as the Non-commissioned Officers Club at Camp Lewis circa 1920. The commissioned officers had their own separate building. G69.1-152 TPL-10307
ca. 1926. Montage of photographs taken of the Battery "F," 10th Field Artillery circa 1926. Copy was made on November 1, 1926. Most of the pictures were taken at the September, 1926, Western Washington Fair in Puyallup where the men were camped out and put on a demonstration of skills. There was also at least one taken at the Horse Show & Fair at South Tacoma. The 4th Section of Battery "F" were featured in several shots. G70.1-015
On September 14, 1927 Colonel Charles Lindbergh circled his famous craft, "The Spirit of St. Louis," over the Fort Lewis parade grounds as a 12-gun salute was fired in his honor on the orders of Brig. Gen. Richmond P. Davis. In May of 1927, Col. Lindbergh had made the first successful solo non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Prior to his arrival at Fort Lewis, Col. Lindbergh made an unexpected pass over Cushman Hospital and performed stunts for the benefit of the disabled veterans. His flight to Tacoma was part of a round-the country tour to promote aviation. (TDL 9-14-27, p. 1, 9-15-27, p. 3) TPL-953; G67.1-124 (see also G69.1-129)
Newly constructed building at Camp Murray. This one-story concrete structure was located near railroad tracks at Camp Murray in January of 1928. Camp Murray is the home of the Washington National Guard. G77.1-005
Five soldiers from the 10th Field Artillery sit on the ground in from of a small tent, mess kits in hand, at Brown's Farm, Nisqually, Washington, on August 15, 1932. TPL-7094
This group of buglers were from the 161st Infantry who were participating in the Washington National Guard 1930 encampment at Camp Murray. Each encampment was given a different name; in 1930, it was called "Camp Dent." G77.1-042
Washington National Guard, 161st Infantry (Wash.); Bugles; Military uniforms; Military personnel;
This photograph of the 6th Engineers, 1st Battalion barracks at Fort Lewis is nearly the same as Boland B24356 with the added entry of Mount Rainier (then called Mount Tacoma) and woods. The original photograph was taken on December 29, 1931; this photograph, taken slightly closer to the barracks, was snapped on January 23, 1932.
Exterior view of the Fort Lewis Hospital as seen on February 9, 1932. This is the same photograph as Boland B24470 except for the addition of Mount Rainier (then called Mount Tacoma by locals). New permanent brick buildings like this hospital continued to be built in the early 1930s at Fort Lewis to replace the WWl-era wooden structures.
Camp Lewis' 44th Infantry was noted for its fine athletes. Their tug-of-war team, under the direction of athletic officer Capt. Booth, had defeated teams from the Navy, Marines and the Bremerton Naval Shipyard in recent contests. In August of 1918 the 44th Infantry tug-of-war team posed with one of their many trophies. The shiny trophy is displayed on a large, thick coil of rope. Camp Lewis was host to a big track and field meet August 21-22nd, 1918. Although tug-of-war was be one of the events in competition, the outcome was not published in the News Tribune. The 44th Infantry was, however, the top point holder at the end of the meet with 59 points overall. (TNT 8-6-18, p. 11-article; TNT 8-22-18, p. 11-article) G69.1-156
Mounted artillery in semi-circle, probably at Camp Lewis. The Great War was over but this shining array of military might provided a reassuring sight for soldiers and civilians alike. G69.1-166
Unidentified building at Camp Murray as photographed in June of 1921. Railroad tracks located close by would make transporting men and equipment easier. Camp Murray was the home of the Washington National Guard and was located near American Lake. TPL-6466; G77.1-012
Arsenal at Camp Murray. The Arsenal was built on the grounds of Camp Murray in 1915 and nearly a hundred years later, is now the museum of the Washington National Guard. Here historical artifacts are collected and preserved to inspire and educate past and present Guardsmen and citizens alike. TPL-6467; G77.1-010
On February 24, 1922, ten Army personnel stood in front of a large truck which contained a wireless telephone and radio system with Magnavox speakers. A sign on the truck indicates that it belongs to the "Rock of the Marne Division," a nickname for the famed 3rd Infantry Division. The men and vehicle were at Camp Lewis. Army officers had planned back in November of 1921 to obtain a receiver and amplifier for radio concerts and were testing this process through Magnavox. By early February of 1922 Camp Lewis was able to hear music and daily news from San Francisco and weather reports from ships far out at sea. Arrangements would be made to transmit the music of the Camp Lewis military bands through space to areas far away. G69.1-164 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 11-31-21, A-12-article; TNT 2-1-22, p. 1-article) TPL-10311
Military personnel--Camp Lewis; Trucks--Camp Lewis; Signs (Notices);
On March 12, 1924, Maj. General Edwin Burr Babbitt and his new bride, the former Miss Maud Ainsworth of Portland, returned from their two week honeymoon in Southern California to their newly remodeled home at Camp Lewis. Gen. Babbitt was Camp Commander and during his absence for his wedding and honeymoon, his grim and neglected bachelor quarters had been transformed into this neat, if unpretentious, home. The crowning glory was the bulb garden in front, planned by Gen. Babbitt for his new bride. (TNT 3/13/1924, pg. 11) G69.1-160 TPL-10313
Camp Lewis (Wash.); Fort Lewis (Wash.); Military camps--Tacoma--1920-1930; Babbitt, Edwin Burr--Homes & haunts;
This photocopy of Battery "D", 10th Field Artillery's 12-gun salute to Charles Lindbergh was made on September 15, 1927, the day after Col. Lindbergh's pass over Fort Lewis's parade grounds occurred. It is almost identical to Boland B17378 but with the identification and date absent. Charles Lindbergh was traveling through the country promoting aviation. His pioneer non-stop solo voyage across the Atlantic to France was met with tremendous awe and admiration and the boyish aviator's photographs and activities drew much press. G69.1-129 (see also G67.1-124)
Main gates of Fort Lewis. The gates were built in 1917 using field stone and squared logs and paid for by a subscription fund set up by the employees who constructed the main buildings of (then) Camp Lewis. The cost was $4000. Camp Lewis was designated as a permanent Army post and officially became Fort Lewis in September of 1927. G69.1-159 TPL-10315
Gates--Fort Lewis; Military facilities--Wash.; Fort Lewis (Wash.);
Photograph of the 1935 Army Day Parade on 2nd Avenue, Seattle. Crowds of people watch army trucks roll by. The buildings in the background including the National Cash Register Co. at 1919 2nd Ave. TPL-7105
Military parades--Seattle--1930-1940; Military vehicles--Seattle--1930-1940; National Cash Register Co. (Seattle);
Around 1922, Marvin Boland took this photograph of the main gate and entrance to Camp Lewis (now Fort Lewis). The gate was erected toward the end of the year in 1917 and paid for by a subscription fund set up by the employees who constructed the main buildings at the Camp. In 1917, Pierce County donated 70,000 acres to the federal government for the establishment of a military base. Construction began July 5, 1917 and in the span of 90 days, 10,000 men built 1,757 buildings and 422 other structures. They installed lighting, plumbing and heating and started on streets, roads and railway spurs. They were so proud of their work that when the construction was completed, the workers subscribed $4,000 to build the main gate. The gate is still standing, although was moved from its original location due to the construction of Highway I-5. TPL-7070 (www.lewis.army.mil)
Camp Lewis (Wash.); Fort Lewis (Wash.); Military camps--Tacoma--1920-1930;
This photograph taken in December, 1929, is of the aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Lexington, who came to Tacoma's rescue in an acute power crisis due to severe drought conditions. Power cables run from the ship's generator to a transformer on Baker Dock. About this time rain finally started to fill the lakes necessary for the operation of power plants; with the addition of the Lexington's auxiliary power, Tacoma was able to once again function normally. The Lexington stopped power deliveries to Tacoma on January 16, 1930, and departed for San Francisco the following day. TPL-1857; G71.1-118
U.S.S. Lexington (United States Navy); Aircraft carriers--United States; Power shortages--Tacoma; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1920-1930;
In November of 1919, the battle scarred World War I tank Ermentrude was in Tacoma for a recruitment drive. Posing with her in front of the offices of the Tribune Publishing Co. (711-13 St. Helens Ave.) were her travelling corps, left to right, Pvt. James G. Hall, Sergeant Joseph Appleby and Capt. Edgar Dade Gunning. Gunning was in charge of the tank and Hall was the pilot. Appleby had served overseas with the tank, which was a veteran of 18 fierce battles fought in St. Mihiel and Argonne. (TDL 11/20/1919, pg. 10) G70.1-005 TPL-10065
Tanks (Military science)--1910-1920; Armored vehicles--1910-1920; Hall, James G.; Appleby, Joseph; Gunning, Edgar Dade; World War, 1914-1918--Veterans--Tacoma ; World War, 1914-1918--Recruiting & Enlistment; Tribune Publishing Co. (Tacoma);
On February 5, 1921, soldiers at Camp Lewis enjoy reading at the Liberty Library located near the camp's Hostess House. Books, magazines and newspapers were supplied without charge. The Liberty Library opened in November of 1917 with 6000 donated books. The collection had grown to roughly 50,000 volumes a mere six months later. Books were supplied through the auspices of the American Library Association. Camp librarian Arthur Beardsley later indicated that the library had circulated 62,682 volumes in a camp with approximate population of 7094 in 1921. An 40-foot square addition to the original one-story library was made about 1918 as the library needed more space for materials and for patron usage. This addition was a periodical reading room, perhaps shown above, which was attached to the center of the original building. Racks for 150 periodicals and about 50 newspapers were provided and good chairs and tables furnished by the Army and its friends. (www.historylink.org; Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 1-29-22, 10E) TPL-10309
These are the non-commissioned officers of the 146th F.A. at Camp Dent, the 1930 encampment of the Washington National Guard held at Camp Murray in June of that year. G69.1-144
Washington National Guard, 148th F.A. (Tacoma); Military personnel; Military uniforms;
Twelve non-commissioned officers from the 146th F.A., E Battery, pose in the grassy fields of Camp Dent, the 1930 Washington National Guard encampment on the grounds of Camp Murray. All are in uniform with several wearing whistles and chains. They were participating in the annual summer maneuvers which occurred in the last two weeks of June. G69.1-146
Washington National Guard, Battery E, 146th F.A. (Tacoma); Military personnel; Uniforms; Camp Murray (Wash.);
