On April 29, 1941, the 30 members of the Women's Emergency Motor Corps practiced their first aid skills in a series of drills at the Woodbrook Hunt Club. Pictured, left to right, lifting "patient" Anna Eicholz are Elsie Heritage, Peggy Swenson, Lt. Minnie Winfield, Ruth Showman, Capt. Iris Bryan and Minnie Groeper. After a rocky start when the founder "Colonel" Harriet Virginia was charged with Grand Larceny, for taking money for substandard or undelivered uniforms, the group was hard at work training under the direction of an Army Sergeant. They drilled on Wednesday evenings and held First aid classes in Moose Hall on Thursdays. (T. Times 5/6/1941 p.1) Faye Langston Collection

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; First aid--Tacoma--1940-1950; Women's Emergency Motor Corps (Tacoma);

Mrs. Anna Eicholz, left, shades her eyes, watching for a response to the message sent by her signal flags. The woman in the center appears to be grading the member of the Women's Emergency Motor Corps, while the woman on the right looks for a response through her binoculars. Signalling, technically called semaphoring, was only one of the skills being taught to the female volunteers by their Army sergeant trainer. The women were part of the Home Defense Corps, ready to serve in case of an emergency. (T. Times 5/6/1941, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; First aid--Tacoma--1940-1950; Women's Emergency Motor Corps (Tacoma);

The Women's Emergency Motor Corps drills at Woodbrook. After an inauspicious beginning with a bogus group, the National Service League Motor Corps for Women, Tacoma's unit split from the parent organization and became part of the Home Defense Corps. The local group, under the leadership of Capt. Iris Bryan, was called out for field maneuvers at Woodbrook Hunt Club. The exercises would cover motor transportation, ambulance driving, First aid and semaphore. (T. Times 4/5/1941, pg. 4)

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; Women's Emergency Motor Corps (Tacoma);

ca. 1941. Army corporal sitting with young woman who is wearing a dress, his hat, and is saluting him, accompanied by a big smile. Neither was identified in this circa 1941 photograph, probably taken in Tacoma.

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Military personnel--Tacoma--1940-1950; Saluting--Tacoma;

Only two of these four children running in carefree abandon in October of 1940 are U.S. citizens. The two boys on the right are English, refugees from the German bombing of their home in England. The four children are (l to r) Harold and Marian Hellyer and Sandy and Nicholas Schlee. The Schlee boys were guests at the Hellyer home in Interlaaken for the duration of the European conflict. They are just two of the hundreds of children who fled England, but they were the first to come to Tacoma. Their home in England was near a Vickers airplane factory. Their family was forced to sleep in the basement to protect themselves from nighttime bombing. While in Tacoma, the boys attended Park Lodge School and enjoyed some northwest fishing. (T. Times 10/26/1940, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Hellyer, Marian; Schlee, Sandy; Hellyer, Harold; Schlee, Nicholas;

Mr. and Mrs. George Hellyer open their home in Interlaaken to their English friend's children for the duration of the European War. Pictured standing in the rear are Mr. and Mrs. George Hellyer flanking their friend Mrs. Robert Schlee. The children are, center row left to right, Nicholas Schlee and Marian Hellyer; bottom row left to right, Sandy Schlee and Harold Hellyer. Hundreds of English children had been sent to the U.S. to escape the German bombing of their own country. These boys are the first to come to Tacoma. They are also some of the last to leave England as the English government has forbidden future sailings of English children. Mrs. Schlee will return home to England. (T. Times 10/26/1940, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Hellyer, George--Family; Schlee, Robert--Family;

Four children play joyously on the swings, however two of these children are seeking refuge in the United States from the German bombing of England. English schoolboys Nicholas and Sandy Schlee arrived October 24, 1940 with their mother from England. Their mother will return home but the boys will remain at the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Hellyer for the duration of the war. Pictured, left to right, are Marian Hellyer (8), Sandy Schlee (9), Harold Hellyer (seated, 6) and Nicholas Schlee (10). The boys are thrilled to be in Tacoma, not for the reasons that you think, but because they hear that the fishing is great! The excited anglers will attend Park Lodge school. They are the first, and probably the last, refugee children to arrive in Tacoma. The English government had recently forbidden all sailings of children. (T. Times 10/26/1940, pg.1)

World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Hellyer, Marian; Schlee, Sandy; Hellyer, Harold; Schlee, Nicholas;

Mrs. Robert Schlee, right, a native of London, England, poses with Mrs. George Hellyer of Interlaaken at the home of the Hellyers. Mrs. Schlee has accompanied her two youngest sons to the Hellyer home. The boys will remain at the Hellyer home during the duration of the European war. The Schlee home in England is near a Vickers airplane factory and frequently is the target of bombs. The family sleeps in the cellar. The boys are the end of a wave of English children who have sought refuge in the US and the first to come to Tacoma. They will also probably be the last, as the English government has forbidden future sailings of refugee children. (T. Times 10/26/1940, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma;

In June of 1945 three unidentified women prepared to send Father's Day messages to servicemen from the special Post Yarns mailing center in Tacoma's Rhodes Department Store; an unidentified clerk working in the booth took their addressed messages. Rhodes joined with the Saturday Evening Post magazine in a special wartime Father's Day offer. The Saturday Evening Post made copies of Post Yarns, a pocket size version of their magazine, available at the department store; Rhodes provided free delivery for the miniature magazine - with a personal note from the sender.

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Fathers & children;

College of Puget Sound Soldiers taking exam. 235 soldiers taking exams after completing a specialized training course at College of Puget Sound. Many will then be transferred to a highly mechanized combat organization for basic training. Major L. E. Darlington is commander of group.

World War, 1939-1945--Recruiting & enlistment--Tacoma; Students--Tacoma; College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

University Union Club Honor Roll, Mr. Ireland. An outdoor plaque lists the names of the University Union Clubs members in service titled "Honor Roll".

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; University Union Club of Tacoma (Tacoma);

Eagles receive visit from National President in January of 1944. Large group portrait of men, those in front wearing uniforms, and several on stage behind and beside an Honor Roll plaque. Eagles' National President, Robert W. Hansen, is the man on the far right in the back row. (T.Times, 1/10/1944, P. 5; 1/18/1944, P.18)

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Fraternal Order of Eagles (Tacoma); Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hansen, Robert W.;