Fifth War Loan Campaign parade. Thousands of Tacoma residents gathered on Broadway to see the Fifth War Loan Campaign parade, which was organized by the Retail Men of Tacoma and held on "Infantry Day". Parade Marshal was Reno Odlin, State Chairman of War Finance. View of Birchfield Boiler Inc. float with their employees in their work clothes (T. Times, 6/16/44, p. 5).
War rallies--Tacoma; War bonds & funds; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma);
On June 15, 1944, thousands of Tacomans lined the streets downtown to cheer on the Fifth War Loan Campaign parade. The military and industrial parade was held to boost the sale of bonds during the loan drive and in honor of "Infantry Day." The Tacoma Retail Trades Committee awarded the Mt. Rainier Ordnance Depot float pictured above the first place trophy for outstanding float. The float featured a bevy of pretty girls employed at the Depot with the accent on Miss Liberty, Katherine Hansen (left), holding aloft the torch of freedom. (T. Times, 6/16/44, p. 5).
War rallies--Tacoma; War bonds & funds; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot (Tacoma); Hansen, Katherine;
Fifth War Loan Campaign parade. Thousands of Tacoma residents gathered on Broadway to see the Fifth War Loan Campaign parade. The parade was arranged by Retail Men of Tacoma and held on "Infantry Day". View of Todd Pacific Shipyards Inc. float with model ship on top (T. Times, 6/16/44, p. 5).
War rallies--Tacoma; War bonds & funds; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. (Tacoma);
Fifth War Loan Campaign parade. Thousands of Tacoma residents gathered on Broadway to see the Fifth War Loan Campaign parade. The parade was held on "Infantry Day". Parade Marshal was Mr. Reno Odlin, State Chairman of War Finance. View of fire trucks following parade caravan (T. Times, 6/16/44, p. 5).
War rallies--Tacoma; War bonds & funds; Political pageantry--Tacoma; Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma;
Tacoma Council of Churches breakfast for service men. The Tacoma Council of Churches collaborated with the United Service Organization Travelers Aid Service and hosted a fellowship breakfast for servicemen. Servicemen who participated in the event are seated in the USO lounge. (T. Times, 7/29/44, p. 7).
Military personnel--Tacoma; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Tacoma Council of Churches (Tacoma);
United Church Service Center will be dedicating their new center, which has a recreational facility and 300 bed dormitory. The ceremony will feature four talented musicians from the medical training session at Fort Lewis. Left to right are William Hanley, Abraham Gershkowitz, Leona Louise and Jack Ringler (T. Times, 10/28/44, p. 1).
Military bands; Musicians--Tacoma; Building dedications--Tacoma; United Churches Service Center (Tacoma);
Hooker Electrochemical Co. was awarded the Army Navy "E" award by Major General Joseph D. Patch and Navy Officer W. C. Gilbert. An impressive ceremony was held at plant. Music was provided by the 440th Army Service Forces. Acting Mayor C. Val Fawcett was the Master of Ceremonies (T. Times, 1/10/45, p. 3).
Military decorations--Tacoma; Awards; Flags; Rites & ceremonies--Tacoma; Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Hooker Electrochemical Co. was awarded the Army Navy "E" award by Major General Joseph D. Patch and Navy Officer W. C. Gilbert. An impressive ceremony was held at plant. Music was provided by the 440th Army Service Forces. Acting Mayor C. Val Fawcett was the Master of Ceremonies (T. Times, 1/10/45, p. 3).
Military decorations--Tacoma; Awards; Rites & ceremonies--Tacoma; Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Acting Mayor Val Fawcett leads the singing of "God Bless America" during a Army-Navy "E" award ceremony at Hooker Electro-Chemical Company. Employees were honored for outstanding production of materials vital to the war effort. ALBUM 14. TPL-6654
Military decorations--Tacoma; Awards; Rites & ceremonies--Tacoma; Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma); Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fawcett, Clarence Valdo, 1900-1965; Chemical industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;
This photograph of Vernon Stewart Cunningham was taken in November 1944 shortly after he received his honorable discharge from the service and returned to Tacoma. Before the war, he had been a locally successful sculptor. Among other works, he had created busts of both Mayors James G. Newbegin and M. G. Tennent. While part of a volunteer squadron involved in collecting information about Japanese defenses on Nissan Island, in the Solomons group, he was hit by enemy fire. He lost the sight in one eye and the practical use of his left hand. (T. Times, 11/7/44, p. 2). (Listed incorrectly in the T. Times as Vernon Michael Cunningham)
Military personnel--Tacoma; Eye patches--Tacoma; Purple Heart; Cunningham, Vernon S.;
ca. 1945. Close-up of soldier in D18757, image 4. The young soldier has a small smile on his face in this circa 1945 handtinted studio portrait. He is wearing his Army formation uniform. Ordered by A.J. Holmes, Jr.
Avenger at Todd Pacific. Todd Pacific Shipyards will have "Avenger", the tank used in the battle of Tarawa in the South Pacific. The tank used by the Marines, will be here for one week. View of three unidentified individuals sitting next to "Avenger" (T. Times, 8/24/44, p. 3).
Tanks (Military science)--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Tank warfare; Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. (Tacoma);
Avenger at Todd Pacific. The "Avenger" tank, commonly called by Marines "Water Buffalo" is visiting Tacoma for one week and can be seen at Todd Pacific Shipyards. It is technically called a LVT or landing vehicle tracked. View of two unidentified men standing in front of "Avenger" (T. Times, 8/24/44, p. 3).
Tanks (Military science)--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Tank warfare; Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. (Tacoma);
Avenger at Todd Pacific. The side of the "Avenger" has gaping holes it received in the battle of Tarawa. The man made tank crawled out of the South Pacific Sea and up to Japanese beachheads. View of large group standing in front of "Avenger" at Todd Pacific Shipyards (T. Times, 8/24/44, p. 3).
Tanks (Military science)--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Tank warfare; Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. (Tacoma);
Avenger at Todd Pacific. This amphibious tractor was caught in the crossfire with machine guns and artillery, which put it out of commission after the battle of Tarawa. View of five unidentified men standing in front of "Avenger" (T. Times, 8/24/44, p. 3).
Tanks (Military science)--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Tank warfare; Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. (Tacoma);
Avenger at Todd Pacific. Todd Pacific Shipyards has "Avenger", the tank used in the battle of Tarawa in the South Pacific. The tank used by the Marines, will be here for one week. View of large group at Todd Pacific Shipyards gathered to see "Avenger" (T. Times, 8/24/44, p. 3).
Tanks (Military science)--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Tank warfare; Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. (Tacoma);
Navy Mothers' Club window at Penney's. A window display featuring photographs of men from Tacoma who are serving in the war, was set up by the Navy Mothers' Club in honor of Navy Day. The Navy Mothers' Club is one of the most active groups in Tacoma (T. Times, 10/26/44, p. 3).
Men--Commemoration--Tacoma; Military personnel--Tacoma; Window displays; J.C. Penney Co. (Tacoma);
The staff at the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company public telephone station at 1109 Pacific Avenue tried to bring a little Christmas joy into the lives of servicemen stationed far from home. Wreaths and swags hung on the walls, and a Christmas tree stood against in the back corner. It was Christmas Eve day 1944 and a group of servicemen with no particular place to go crowded around the telephone station's service desk, some chatting with the operators and station attendants. Most of the phone booths for both local and long distance calls stand empty. The serviceman seated on left side can be seen reading a Life magazine. In December of 1944 "I'll be Home for Christmas" sung by Bing Crosby hit the charts for the second year in a row, and earned Bing his fifth gold record.
Parties--Tacoma; Military personnel--Tacoma; Christmas decorations; Telephone booths--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);
The U.S.S. Laffey was on display at Tacoma Municipal Dock after being hit by five Japanese kamikaze planes and four bombs in an attack 30 miles north of Okinawa. The crew suffered 103 casualties--32 dead and 71 wounded. The destroyer, "riddled like a sieve above the water-line"--the hull and superstructure twisted by the impact, was drydocked at Todd Shipyards for repairs. In 1946, she participated in the atomic bomb tests at Bikini. (T.Times, 5/26/1945, p.1; Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. IV, pp. 16-19).
U.S.S. Laffey (Ship); 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma); Vertical lift bridges--Tacoma; Ships; World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations; Piers & wharves--Tacoma; Municipal Dock (Tacoma);
Destroyer U.S.S. Laffey at 11th St. The USS Laffey was on display at Municipal Dock. The destroyer survived an attack by six Japanese suicide planes and two bombs sixty miles off Japan. The hull and superstructure were grotesquely twisted by the impact. (T.Times, 5/30/1945, p.9)
U.S.S. Laffey (Ship); 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma); Vertical lift bridges--Tacoma; Ships; World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations; Piers & wharves--Tacoma; Municipal Dock (Tacoma);
Destroyer U.S.S. Laffey at 11th St. Miss Marie Ruedin and Miss Doris Long inspect the battle-scarred aft gun turret of the U.S.S. Laffey. The destroyer was on display at the Tacoma Municipal Dock after it was hit by six Japanese suicide planes and two bombs. F 1/C Maurice Miller, showing the damaged gun to the women, was on the forward deck gun when Laffey was struck. One of his companions was killed, one wounded. (T.Times, 6/1/1945, p.1)
U.S.S. Laffey (Ship); Ships; World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations; Ruedin, Marie; Long, Doris; Miller, Maurice;
Western Boat. View of stern of YP 628. This ship, built for the US Navy, was the first to be sponsored by a WAVE, Lt. Mary Salber, a senior WAVE. (T.Times 5/26/1945) TPL-9444
War ships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound (Wash.); Petrich Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);
Western Boat. View of bow and side of YP 628. This 128 foot supply cargo carrier built for the US Navy was launched by Petrich yards February 1945. She is wooden hulled and equipped with refrigerator compartments and will carry cargoes for isolated detachments. Y.P. designates a patrol craft. (T.Times 2/15/45) TPL-8882
War ships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound (Wash.); Petrich Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);
Western Boat. Side view of YP 628. This is the second ship of its type to be built by Petrich yards. After launching in February 1945 she was outfitted for the Navy and is ready to be released to the Navy as of May 1945. (T.Times, 5/26/1945) TPL-9443
War ships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound (Wash.); Petrich Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);
Robert E. Hutchins Funeral. Aviation cadet Robert E. Hutchins, age 20, was killed in a mid-air plane crash 12 miles north of Merced, California. His casket at Trinity Lutheran Church in Parkland is surounded by flowers, several of which depict the medals Cadet Hutchins won during the war. The one to the left of the casket resembles the Army Distinquished Service Cross, the two on the right resemble the Silver Star, given for galantry in action. (T.Times, 5/19/1945, p.1; 5/21/45, p.11)
Hutchins, Robert E.; World War, 1939-1945--Casualties--Tacoma; Trinity Lutheran Church (Parkland);
Telephone center - Camp Murray. Telephone services during WWII were not as readily available as they would be in the decades following the 40s. Personnel at Camp Murray would need to report to the designated "Telephone Center" operated by Pacific Telephone & Telegraph in order to make local and long distance calls. Often due to the high demand, there would be long periods of waiting to use the phones. Photograph ordered by Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co.
Camp Murray (Wash.); Communication facilities--Camp Murray; Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Peace--Tacoma;
Two unidentified soldiers clean their rifles and polish their boots, as a barracks cat watches intently. Tacoma observed its first peace-time Army Day in five years on Saturday April 6, 1946. A cold, southwesterly wind failed to keep thousands from flocking downtown to watch soldiers, veterans, Wacs, state guardsmen and military equipment pass in review. An open house at McChord Field attacted thousands to the air force base to inspect all kinds of military planes and weapons. TPL-6691
Soldiers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Barracks--Tacoma; Rifles; McChord Field (Tacoma); Armed Forces Day;
