Coast Artillery from Fort Worden were photographed landing from the Artillery cutter Chelan for tactical maneuvers at the Bremerton Navy Yards on March 23, 1936. The men are wearing heavy coats, ammunition belts, and helmets. The Navy Yard is in the background. (Bremerton Sun).

Naval yards & naval stations--Bremerton; Puget Sound Navy Yard (Bremerton); Military personnel--Bremerton--1930-1940;

ca. 1908. Battleships in what is probably Commencement Bay - off Tacoma with the tree covered cliffs of Browns Point in the background.

Perched high above the flight deck of the U.S.S. Lexington on the 8-inch guns of the forward turrets, these young women do not appear at all nervous during their visit to the aircraft carrier in December, 1929. The Navy did permit tours of the ship which was tied up at Baker Dock from mid-December, 1929, to mid-January, 1930, to provide power to the City of Tacoma. Schoolchildren and Boy Scouts were among those who visited the large ship. On December 23, 1929, Freda Gardener, of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce, Ethel Haasarud, RKO cashier, and Naomi Dykeman, head usher, Fox Rialto, were present to promote the Chamber of Commerce's big dance for the Lexington's enlisted men to be held on December 26 at the Greenwich Coliseum. They would be the judges awarding prizes to the most handsome, most happy and best dancer present at the dance. TPL-1774 (T.Times, 12-23-29, p. 1)

L.M. Phillipotts, seaman second class, sights a five inch broadside gun from the deck of the New Mexico directly on City Hall during a gun drill July 22, 1927. The U.S.S. New Mexico, flagship of the Pacific Fleet, was in Tacoma's harbor until the first of August. The battleship was commissioned in May of 1918 and spent the first World War close to the U.S. In 1919, she steamed to Europe and escorted President Woodrow Wilson home from the Versailles peace conference. After playing a prominent role in World War II, she was decommissioned in 1946 and sold for scrap. (TNT 7/22/1927 p.1)

On July 20, 1939, as part of Tacoma's Washington State Golden Jubilee celebration, six Navy dreadnoughts, the powerhouses of the Pacific Fleet, entered Commencement Bay at 8:30 in the morning and dropped anchor at the mouth of the Puyallup River. The ships and their 8,000 men and officers would be in Tacoma for the Jubilee celebration and depart on Monday, July 24th. The six battleships, the USS California, USS Pennsylvania, USS Arizona, USS New Mexico, USS Mississippi and the USS Idaho, were available for tours 1-4 p.m. through Sunday. They also provided searchlight shows in the evening and their crews took part in the water carnival races. On December 7, 1941, the California, the Pennsylvania and the Arizona were stationed at Pearl Harbor. The California and the Pennsylvania were damaged; the Arizona was destroyed, with the loss of 1,104 personnel. TPL-9081 (TNT 7/20/39, pg 1-article)

This is the Grand Rapids PG-98 gunboat about a month before her launch date of April 4, 1970. She was the 11th of 12 gunboats built for the US Navy by Tacoma Boatbuilding. Susan Ford, young daughter of Rep. (later President) and Mrs. Gerald R. Ford of Michigan, was the ship's sponsor. The Grand Rapids was named after the hometown of Rep. Ford. The vessel would be commissioned the USS Grand Rapids on September 5, 1970 and be decommissioned on October 1, 1977. Photograph ordered by US Steel. (www.navsource.org/archives)

Gunboats--United States; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Three military men: soldier, sailor and marine. Tactical maneuvers at the Bremerton Navy Yards on March 23, 1936 brought together 2500 members of diverse military groups for "war practice." (Bremerton Sun)

Naval yards & naval stations--Bremerton; Puget Sound Navy Yard (Bremerton); Military personnel--Bremerton--1930-1940;

Men shown leaving work at the Puget Sound Navy Yard in Bremerton. The men must show their badge to Navy personnel before they can pass through the gate. Wooden buildings are in the background. (Bremerton Sun).

Puget Sound Navy Yard (Bremerton); Naval yards & naval stations--Bremerton--1930-1940; Boat & ship industry--Bremerton--1930-1940

Fleet Week 1938 began in Tacoma with the arrival of 4 battleships of the US fleet and their 5200 officers and men. In Tacoma for the week of July 5- 11 were the USS California, West Virginia, Tennessee and Maryland. Pictured are five U.S. Navy battleships which have dropped anchor in Commencement Bay. Northeast Tacoma can be seen in the background. During Fleet Week, officers and enlisted men will be wined and dined, a military parade will feature 3,000 troops and 4 military bands, the ships will be open for tours and boating contests will take place. (T. Times 7/5/1938, pg. 1; 7/7/1938, pg. 1) TPL-9110

Battleships--1930-1940; Celebrations--Tacoma--1930-1940;

On board the U.S.S. Lexington, aircraft carrier known as the "Queen of the Flattops,"in mid-December, 1929, were those instrumental in bringing emergency power to Tacoma. L-R, Chief Engineer Lt. Cdr. H.L. White, General Electric (maker and owner of the generators) representative Robert E. Lee, Utilities Commissioner Ira S. Davisson, City Light Supt. Llewellyn Evans, Tacoma Mayor James G. Newbegin (appointed in March of 1929 to replace the resigning Melvin G. Tennent), and ship commander, Frank D. Berrien. Tacoma experienced a severe shortage of electricity due to drought conditions; the Lexington, with its enormous generators, would deliver over 4 million kilowatts or about 25% of the city's power. TPL-1775. ALBUM 16.

U.S.S. Lexington (United States Navy); Aircraft carriers--United States; White, H.L.; Lee, Robert E.; Davisson, Ira; Evans, Llewellyn; Newbegin, James G.; Berrien, Frank D.; Power shortages--Tacoma; Mayors--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1929. U.S.S. Lexington, aircraft carrier, who came to the aid of the City of Tacoma and provided electricity from mid-December, 1929, to mid-January, 1930. The ship was berthed at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton with Capt. Frank D. Berrien in command. The fourth Navy ship to bear that name, she had been built by the Fore River Shipbuilding Corporation of Quincy, Mass. Her overall length was 888 feet and she had four turbo-generators. TPL-1937

U.S.S. Lexington (United States Navy); Aircraft carriers--United States;

U.S.S. Lexington tied up at old Baker Dock below Stadium Bowl, December, 1929. Power cables are attached to her side. Tacoma received an early Christmas present as the large aircraft carrier was used as an auxiliary power plant to lend a helping hand to the City suffering from severe drought conditions. During its one month stay, it provided over four million kilowatt hours of electricity to a city whose residents had been utilizing candles, kerosene lamps, and living with dim streetlights and smaller night shifts. The Lexington made its last power deliveries to Tacoma on January 16, 1930, and departed for San Francisco the following day. TPL-1936; G71.1-117.

U.S.S. Lexington (United States Navy); Aircraft carriers--United States; Power shortages--Tacoma;

3 young ladies looking at cannon of U.S.S. Lexington, December, 1929. The Navy did permit some tours of the ship which had come to Tacoma to assist in the production of auxiliary power. These young women appear intrigued at the size of the Navy's firepower. They had persuaded the ship's officers to lower the 8-inch guns so that they could more closely view the muzzles. Ethel Haasarud, Freda Gardner, and Naomi Dykeman were the panel of judges of the "Supreme Beauty Court of Tacoma." These ladies would choose the most handsome, most happy, and best dancer at the big Chamber of Commerce dance for enlisted personnel of the Lexington on December 26th. TPL-005 (T.Times, 12-23-1929, p. 1)

From mid-December, 1929 to mid-January, 1930 the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Lexington used its enormous generators to provide electricity for the city of Tacoma. It took four powerful navy tugboats assisted by three Foss tugs to push the 33,000 ton vessel into position at the Baker Dock. A severe drought had greatly reduced the amount of electricity available to Tacoma from the city's hydro-electric dams. During its month long stay the Lexington generated enough power to furnish 25% of the city's power needs. (T.Times, 12-16-29, p. 1)