Early in May of 1943, a quintet of adventurous Tacoma lasses posed in front of the locomotive at Union Station that was their first step to going "over there." The local women left Tacoma May 6th for the new training center at Monticello, Arkansas, to begin basic training in the year old Womens Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC.) They are, left to right, Agnes Dittbenner, Mary Dittbenner, Ellen V. Vail, Marie J. Stith and Grace Garner. They travelled in a special car along with 47 other potential privates from Washington and Oregon. Over 150,000 American women served in the Army Corps in World War II. (T. Times 5/7/1943, pg. 8; TNT 5/7/1943, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (Tacoma); Dittbenner, Agnes; Dittbenner, Mary; Vail, Ellen; Garner, Grace; Stith, Marie;

Five local women pause to pose for the camera at Union Station prior to leaving Tacoma May 6, 1943 to begin their careers as members of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. Pictured are, left to right, Agnes Dittbenner, Mary Dittbenner, Ellen V. Vail, Tacoma recruiter Dorothy Kerr, Grace Garner and Marie J. Stith. The bill authorizing the Womens Army Auxiliary Corps was enacted on May 14, 1942. By August of 1943, there were over 50,600 women in the WAACS. In August of 1943, in recognition of their service, the WAAC was converted to the Womens Army Corp, a bona fide part of the United States Army. (T. Times 5/7/1943 p.8; TNT 5/7/1943, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (Tacoma); Dittbenner, Agnes; Dittbenner, Mary; Vail, Ellen; Kerr, Dorothy; Garner, Grace; Stith, Marie;

A joyous new mother poses with her baby at St. Joseph's Hospital on April 5, 1943, accompanied by a Red Cross Nurse's Aide.

Henry Mill and Timber Company along the Tacoma waterfront. Henry Mill began operations at this site in 1925. Prefabricated trusses can be seen in the foreground. During the World War II, the company specialized in prefabricated bridges and hangars for the military.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Mills--Tacoma--1940-1950; Waterfronts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Metal Trades convention. Large group portrait of men. A scenic tapestry covers a large portion of the wall at the Hotel Winthrop behind the men. Photo ordered by the Labor Advocate.

Metal Trades Convention--Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Metal Trades Council (Tacoma); Group portraits--1940-1950;

Pacific Iron & Steel Works, 1602 Canal St.(now Portland Ave.) The worker appears tiny next to a large piece of machinery in the foundry and the steel manufactured piece that he is working on.

Pacific Iron & Steel Works (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Steel industry--Tacoma-- 1940-1950;

Pacific Iron & Steel Works, 1602 Canal St. (now Portland Ave.) Large machinery designed for working with steel covers the warehouse floor.

Pacific Iron & Steel Works (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Steel industry--Tacoma-- 1940-1950;

Interior of Pacific Iron & Steel Works at 1602 Canal St. (now Portland Ave.) The foundry was built in 1914. The company produced heavy machinery for logging, hoisting, dredging and farming, as well as steel castings. The 1942 City Directory gives the company address as 1602, the pattern shop as 1801 Canal and the plant as 1601 Canal.

Pacific Iron & Steel Works (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Steel industry--Tacoma-- 1940-1950;

Reception area of Hanson and Rowland offices

Henry Mill, box girder at end of new dock. Side-view detail of boards. Large nail-shaped spikes are shown near the edges may be spacers. Sign on one of the buildings in background says "Drifted Snow Flour".

Girders--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Structural frames--Tacoma; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma);

Students work as farm laborers in Puyallup fields. Nine women harvest rhubarb in an open field.

Agricultural laborers; World War, 1939-1945--Students--Tacoma; Croplands--Puyallup Valley;

ca. 1943. American Lake Gardens. New war-time housing. Single-story building with gable roof. Individual wood boxes and posts in front of complex, tall fir trees in background. These units, probably duplexes, were built to help wartime housing shortage.

American Lake Gardens Housing Center (Tacoma); Housing developments--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Forest Ind. research operations for Westinghouse Electric. (Possibly Forest Products Industries, Inc. Westinghouse Electric Corp. was located at 1930 Pacific Avenue in 1945). Man working in work shop appears to be testing products.

Workshops--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Laborers--Tacoma; Westinghouse Electric Co. (Tacoma); Forest Products Industries, Inc. (Tacoma);

General construction, erosion and piling at Todd Pacific. Todd Pacific Shipyard is the largest shipyard in Tacoma, and the largest single war producing unit in Pierce County. Over 50 vessels have been built for the Navy. View of three unidentified men repairing shipyard facility (T. Times, 9/1/44, p. 22).

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Laborers--Tacoma; Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. (Tacoma);

Christmas Party at attended station. The public telephone center opened up in February 1943. Telephones were available for public use and attendants were present to offer assistance. Exterior view of Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. Public Telephone Center, ionic column to the right of Christmas decorated window.

Wreaths--Tacoma; Show windows--Tacoma; Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. (Tacoma);

The Ohio Ferro Alloys Co. started a new metal alloys plant in July 1941 on the tideflats at 3002 Taylor Way. They produced fluxes and alloys that could be used in steel manufacturing. Attracted to Tacoma by our access to both water and rail, and by cheap electricity, Ohio Ferro produced ferro-chrome alloys that were used for armor plate on tanks and other weapons during the war. They eventually ceased operations due to increasing power rates and foreign competition.

Furnaces--Tacoma; Metallurgical industry--Tacoma; Ohio Ferro-Alloys Corp. (Tacoma);

Sears Garden Store shrub display. Sears Farm & Garden store features farm, dairy, stock and victory garden equipment. It is the third farm store established by Sears in this state. The store is conveniently located on Market Street but is connected to the main store by a stairway. View of shrub display by farm store entrance. TPL-8557

Gardening equipment & supplies; Signs (Notices); Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma);

Christmas Party at attended station. The Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Public Telephone Station was set up in February 1943. Twelve telephone booths with a service attendant available to help were available for anyone needing access to a telephone. Window view of people gathering for a Christmas party through the telephone center's entrance.

Parties--Tacoma; Doors & doorways--Tacoma; Telephone industry--Tacoma; Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. (Tacoma); Public Telephone center (Tacoma);

Christmas Party at attended station. The Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Public Telephone Station was set up in February 1943. The telephone center was used primarily by servicemen and war workers. Many war workers were recent residents of Tacoma and were unable to obtain telephone service. Materials needed for phones were being used for production of weapons and other war industries. Interior view of attended telephone station decorated with Christmas wreaths and swags for party. Unidentified servicemen and telephone staff gathered for party.

Parties--Tacoma; Military personnel--Tacoma; Telephone industry--Tacoma; Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. (Tacoma); Public Telephone Center (Tacoma);

Group of women at Mrs. Charles B. Roger's residence. Leona K. Roger likely hosted a women's group meeting at her home on October 26, 1944. View of seventeen unidentified women.

Roger, Charles B.--Homes & haunts; Roger, Leona K.; Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Henry Mill pictures for National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Henry Mill & Timber Co. is working on a frame, built out of pre-fabricated lumber products for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. The structure will be used for an airplane hangar and shop. Interior view of plant.

Structural frames--Tacoma; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma);

On February 8, 1945, a flatbed truck with an extra long load was parked in front of Tacoma GMC Truck Co. at the corner of East C and Puyallup Ave. East. The 60 foot long retort was being moved by Inter-City Auto Freight. Inter-city Auto Freight was founded in March 1938 with just two trucks and no facilities. They primarily did hauling between Seattle and Tacoma, but they had done heavy hauling throughout the state. They had set up ideal facilities, including having their own railroad siding which facilitated unloading, storage and distribution. John H. Galbraith was president of both Inter-City Auto Freight and Tacoma GMC Truck Co. Born in So. Dakota, Mr. Galbraith was prominent in Tacoma/Pierce County in both the lumber and transportation businesses, and was mayor of Eatonville for 23 years, resigning in 1941. He died in 1960 at the age of 70.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Moving & storage trade--Tacoma; Inter-City Auto Freight, Inc. (Tacoma); Tacoma GMC Truck Co. (Tacoma); Mack trucks;

Lincoln High School boys baseball players. L-R, front row, Don Berge, Frank Dalsanto, John Hansler, Dick Columbine and Louis Raphael. Second row, Al Malanca, John Scalara, Dean Mellar, Bob McGuire, Joe Sharman and George Marcoe. Third row, Milt Hegstrom, Jack Smith, Len Vallor, Vern Kohout, Tony DeLuca, Roy Jacobsen and coach Phil Sorboe. (T.Times, 5/12/1945, p.5) 7" x 11 1/4" format.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Students--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Boat - water shots of the "Voyager". A look at the starboard side of the vessel. The "Voyager" is an 83 foot purse seiner built for the Ancich Brothers of Gig Harbor. Tacoma Boat Building Company built wooden boats, both fishing and for the government, until 1946 when they built their first all-steel boats. TPL-8884

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ship trials--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Boat - water shots of "The Voyager". A view of the port side of the vessel. Tacoma Boat Building Company returned to building fishing boats after having built minesweepers and patrol craft during the war. TPL-8885

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ship trials--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Three women bowlers show their Midway Amusement Center bowling vests to Leon Sides, operator of the amusement center.

Bowlers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Midway Amusement Center (Tacoma); Sides, Leon; Bowling alleys--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Caswell Girls Bowling Team. Caswell Optometrists bowling team have won the Class A Women's Bowling League championship on the Broadway alleys. The team is shown wearing their team uniform, a skirt and blouse. L-R, Mary Leifester, Kitty Barber, Peggy Ruehle, Jean Colbo and Neva Hurlbut. (T.Times, 4/28/1945, p.5)

Bowlers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950; Caswell Optometrists;

In March of 1945, Reverend George J. G. Grieve, as guest of honor at a program held at the Winthrop Hotel, spoke on the subject "The Britain of the Future". The program was sponsored by the International Services committee and the British Service Club. The entertainment for the day included a variety show presented by this enthusiastic group of young Tacomans. The third girl in from the right in the second row, with a sailors hat, is Dolores Horr. On her left (the second girl in that row) is Gale Gustafson. TPL-8572

Children performing in theatrical productions--Tacoma; Costumes; British Service Club (Tacoma); Tap dancing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Dancers--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The "Martiann" was built as a Higgins landing craft by the Western Boat Building Co. in Tacoma. When the Army cancelled the contract in 1945, the Petrich family donated the craft to Madigan hospital for the summer. She was used for a series of cruises, fishing and picnic trips for the Madigan patients. On her maiden voyage, she carried ten wounded soldiers on a cruise around the sound, stopping at Burton for a picnic lunch. (T.Times, 6/25/1945) TPL-10384

Commencement Bay (Wash.); Bays; Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Waterfronts--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Times Carriers were honored at a fried chicken banquet, 175 boys and girls received recognition for their outstanding work on their routes. The banquet featured novelty acts and special performances for the carriers. View of performance by three men dressed as women (T. Times, 3/27/45, p. 5).

Cross dressing--Tacoma; Theatrical productions--Tacoma; Banquets--Tacoma; Tacoma Times Publishing Co. (Tacoma); Newspaper carriers--Tacoma--1940-1950;