Army soldiers speak with a couple at Union Station. On May 17-18, 1942, 859 residents of Tacoma of Japanese descent were forced to leave their homes and board trains to the Pinedale "Assembly Center" near Fresno California. They were allowed to take a few approved possessions to their new "homes." This woman, dressed in her Sunday best for the trip, is transporting an irregularly shaped parcel and a First Aid kit, uncertain about the future. One of the soldiers inspects her package. (T. Times 5/18/1942, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Relocation camps; Japanese Americans--Evacuation & relocation, 1942-1945; Union Station (Tacoma);

A uniformed soldier checks the baggage of the Japanese Americans boarding a train at Union Station to be shipped to Pinedale "Assembly Center." The adults are dressed in their best clothing for the trip and wear smiles, hiding the uncertainty that they must be feeling. On May 17-18th, 859 Tacomans were sent by train to the internment camp, in accordance with Executive Order 9066. (T. Times 5/18/1942, pg. 1+)

World War, 1939-1945--Relocation camps; Japanese Americans--Evacuation & relocation, 1942-1945; Union Station (Tacoma);

Five year old Toshiyuki Hattori smiles at the camera over his book. At his side is military guard Pvt. Nat Schwartz. On Feb. 19th, 1942 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued an executive order authorizing the military to banish anyone it considered potentially dangerous from any region considered to be at risk. On March 2nd, the plan was revealed to remove anyone with Japanese ancestry from the entire West Coast. Tacoma's turn came May 17 & 18th, 1942, when 859 Japanese Americans were shipped from Union Station to Pinedale Assembly Center near Fresno California. (T. Times 5/18/1942, pg. 1; TNT 5/18/2003, pg. B8+)

World War, 1939-1945--Relocation camps; Japanese Americans--Evacuation & relocation, 1942-1945; Union Station (Tacoma); Hattori, Toshiyuki; Schwartz, Nat;

On May 17, 1942, 418 Tacoma residents of Japanese ancestry were shipped, in accordance with Executive Order 9066, to Pinedale Assembly Center near Fresno California. Tsuyoshi Horike, left, and Hanako Horike reach out the train window to Miya Fukuyama. An unidentified youth reaches for the hand of Salem Yagawa. Isamu Kawakumi & Charles Miyoshi bid farewell to Noboru Taki, in uniform. The 418 departing on the 17th would be joined with their friends in California as 441 more departed on Monday. All four of the young men in the photograph grew up in the White River Valley area near Auburn. The Taki family owned a parking garage in downtown Tacoma and the young men were helping their friend Noboru, 22, with the business. In early 1942, Noboru was drafted and, in March, inducted into the army. The same day as he departed, his father was arrested by the Department of Justice for suspected anti-American affiliations. He was later released to reunite with his incarcerated family. Norboru Taki, after serving his country at war as his family resided in a detention camp, settled in Auburn. He and his wife later moved to Seattle where they raised five children. (T. Times 5/18/1942, pg. 1; TNT 5/18/2003, pg. B8+ by Stan Flewelling)

World War, 1939-1945--Relocation camps; Japanese Americans--Evacuation & relocation, 1942-1945; Union Station (Tacoma); Horike, Tsuyoshi; Horike, Hanako; Fukuyama, Miya; Kawakumi, Isamu; Miyoshi, Charles; Taki, Noboru; Yagawa, Salem;

This photograph of six year old Yukie Suekawa and Pvt. Howard L. Loudermilk at Union Station was chosen to grace the front page of the May 17, 1942 Tacoma Times with the caption "Goodbye for the Duration." As Pvt. Loudermilk adjusts the bonnet on the head of the little girl's doll, they are surrounded by a group of smiling Japanese adults. The smiles were considered the proper face to put on the hard facts that 859 Tacoma residents of Japanese ancestry were being removed from their homes and shipped by train to the Pinedale Assembly Center near Fresno California, despite the fact that many of them were US citizens. (T. Times 5/18/1942, pg. 1; TNT 5/18/2003, pg B8+, by Stan Flewelling)

World War, 1939-1945--Relocation camps; Japanese Americans--Evacuation & relocation, 1942-1945; Union Station (Tacoma); Suekawa, Yukie; Loudermilk, Howard;

Members of the Yoshigiro Yamada family gather around a radio on the train departing Tacoma's Union Station for Fresno's Pinedale Assembly Center on May 17, 1942. During the late 30's and early 40's, the Yamada family was separated. The six children lived with their mother Chiyeko Yamada in Seattle; their father ran the Vasa Hotel on Pacific Avenue in Tacoma. In June of 1941, Mrs. Yamada died and the children came to live with their father in Tacoma. Several months after President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, the children were uprooted a second time and sent to the internment camp.The group are, left to right, twins Teddy and Kathryn (12), Robert (8) and Eddie (19.) (T. Times 5/18/1942, pg. 1, 14; TNT 5/18/2003, pg. B8+ by Stan Flewelling)

World War, 1939-1945--Relocation camps; Japanese Americans--Evacuation & relocation, 1942-1945; Union Station (Tacoma); Yamada, Teddy; Yamada, Kathryn; Yamada, Robert; Yamada, Eddie; Children--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Salvage for Victory meeting at Mayor's office in City Hall. Representatives of agencies interested in collecting scrap iron, rubber, waste paper and other salvageable items discuss plans for organization of a Tacoma committee with state chairman J.C. Haley and Mayor Harry Cain. Front row, left to right- Guy Thompson, Haley, Mayor Cain. Center row: Rev. H.W. Michener, J.H. Titcomb, Fred Hughes, George Russell, Elmer Nelson, J.R. Kiely. Rear: Chas. McIntyre, Ray Ecklund. The local committee would be the first to be formed in the "Salvage for Victory" program under Haley's control. The proposed committee would be made up of eight men representing local charitable agencies and three business men. Citizens with salvage materials to give to the nation's defense program would donate through one of these agencies. There was no official government agency for this purpose. Agencies represented in this picture are the Community Chest, Goodwill, St Vincent dePaul, Salvation Army, Youth Defense Committee, Volunteers of America and the Air Raid Wardens. (T. Times 3/5/1942, pg. 1, picture pg. 7; TNT 3/5/1942, pg. 8)

World War, 1939-1945--Scrap drives; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950;

On April 8, 1942, the first Washington State mobile canteen unit arrived in Tacoma. Some military personnel gratefully accept coffee and doughnuts as the rolling kitchen, one of 10 in the nation donated by Henry Ford, was put immediately into action. It was operated out of Tacoma jointly by the USO and the Salvation Army. The mobile units would serve members of the armed forces in outposts with games, magazines and writing materials. They could even show movies with a projector mounted on the rear of the truck. Major and Mrs. Alva H. Holbrook of the Salvation Army were placed in charge. She is pouring coffee and he is far right in the picture. The Holbrooks had arrived recently from Hawaii, where they had run a canteen after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. (T. Times 4/9/1942, pg. 9; TNT 4/9/1942, pg. 6)

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; United Service Organizations (Tacoma); Canteens (Wartime, emergency, etc.)--Tacoma; Holbrook, Alva;

Members of the USO and the Salvation Army are shown stocking the interior of Washington's first mobile canteen. The canteen, one of 10 donated by Henry Ford to the USO, arrived in Tacoma on April 8, 1942 and was immediately put into use. It would be operated jointly by the USO and the Salvation Army and would offer military personnel in the smaller stations games, magazines, writing materials, coffee and doughnuts. Mrs. A.M. Holbrook makes coffee left. (T. Times 4/9/1942, pg. 9)

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; United Service Organizations (Tacoma); Canteens (Wartime, emergency, etc.)--Tacoma; Salvation Army (Tacoma) ;

By January of 1942, the new USO center at 4851 South Tacoma Way in South Tacoma was finished. It was dedicated on February 7, 1942. It was one of two new USO centers built at a combined cost of $101,60; the other center was downtown at 13th and Fawcett. The building was essentially completed by December 23, 1941, fifty days after ground breaking; however, the dedication was delayed by the late arrival of furnishings and fittings. By January the United States had officially entered WWII and the new recreation center received a lot of use over the next few years. In 1944, the center was given to Metropolitan Parks for use as the South Park Recreation Center. (TNT 2/7/1942, pg. 1) TPL-10328

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

Barn dance at South Tacoma U.S.O. The back of the building provides some space for a little archery practice range.

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

Barn dance at South Tacoma U.S.O. Tacoma girls providing hostess duties wait on the sidelines for an offer to dance.

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

Barn dance at South Tacoma U.S.O. Two couples pull up a bale of hay for a seat between dances.

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

Barn dance at South Tacoma U.S.O. Members of the 183rd band form a jazz orchestra to supply plenty of swing for the dance. The addition of straw hats to their uniforms gives them a country flair.

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Military bands;

Barn dance at South Tacoma U.S.O. Members of the 183rd band form a jazz orchestra to supply plenty of swing for the dance. The addition of straw hats to their uniforms gives them a country flair.

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Military bands;

Barn dance held at South Tacoma U.S.O. in June of 1942. One clarinet player plays a swinging solo, surrounded by bales of hay.

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Military bands; Clarinets--Tacoma;

In May of 1942, the Tacoma Women's Emergency Motor Corps held a carnival in Horsfall Hall at 801-09 South 38th Street to raise money to help the corps carry on its work. At this booth a spin of the prize wheel could win the lucky contestant prizes ranging from a Carsten's ham to a box of crackers. The slogan of the motor corps was "Keep 'em rolling on the road." The women of the corps were trained to drive and maintain Tacoma's emergency vehicles. The carnival included bingo, a jitney dance, card games, a fortune teller, and various food and game booths. (T.Times 5/21/1942)

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

Two members of the Tacoma Women's Emergency Motor Corps handle the sale of candy, cookies and cakes at a bazaar and carnival held on South 38th St. on May 22, 1942. Their booth is decorated with balloons and tissue with the words "something to write home about" painted on the front of the booth. The event took place in Horsfall Hall, 801-09 South 38th St., and funds raised went toward helping the Corps continue their work. Women of the corps were trained to maintain and drive Tacoma's emergency vehicles during this time of war.

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

Guitarists entertain the crowd during the Linda Darnell Day War Bond Drive, July 11, 1942, at Victory Square, South 10th Street between "A" and Pacific. Miss Darnell was touring army camps with the USO Roxy Theater Revue. When she offered to appear in Tacoma and personally autograph all applications for the purchase of bonds, several of the performers in the revue came along to entertain the crowds.

War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma;

Crowd listens to Army Swing Band from Fort Lewis during Linda Darnell Day War Bond rally at Victory Square, South 10th Street between "A" and Pacific, on July 11, 1942. Nineteen year old movie star Linda Darnell was on a USO entertainment tour of army camps and naval stations. While at Fort Lewis, she agreed to come to Tacoma and lend a hand selling war bonds. While she autographed applications for bonds, members of the touring USO revue, as well as a full Army band, entertained the crowd.

War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma;

General view of Linda Darnell Day War Bond rally at Victory Square, South 10th Street between "A" and Pacific, on July 11, 1942. Thirteen piece Army Swing Band from Fort Lewis on stage, regular military band on street, entertaining the crowd while 20th Century Fox movie star autographs applications for war bond purchase. Hundreds of people turned out to purchase bonds and have them signed by the actress at a table at the rear of the platform. The crowd soon broke through police barriers to crowd the stage. (TNT 7/11/1942, pg. 1)

War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma;

General view of Linda Darnell Day War Bond rally at Victory Square, South 10th Street between "A" and Pacific, on July 11, 1942. Leon Titus as well as others on stage. Man speaking from microphone in the audience. Nineteen year old movie star Linda Darnell, on a USO tour at Fort Lewis, had agreed to appear in Tacoma and autograph all applications for the purchase of war bonds. Officials at the appearance included Bill Connor and KMO announcer Verne Sawyer.

War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma;

On Labor Day, September 7, 1942, over 8,000 people gathered for the dedication of the modernistic Liberty Center, Tacoma's outdoor war activity theater. Also on hand were Hollywood celebrities Joan Leslie, Adolph Menjou and Walter Pidgeon. The trio were in town for their contribution to the motion picture industry's attempt to raise one billion dollars in war bond sales in the month of September. Tacoma's sale total exceeded $509,000, the largest sales in Tacoma to date. TPL-1952

War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma;

On September 7, 1942, over 8,000 people gathered in downtown Tacoma for the dedication of the modernistic Liberty Center at 1000 Pacific Ave. The outdoor theater was designed by Herbert Bell, architect, and was intended to serve as a stage for bond sales. In November of 1942, it was moved to 800 Broadway to improve the flow of traffic to and from the shipyards.

War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma;

A crowd of over 8, 000 gathers at the corner of 10th and Pacific for the September 7, 1942 dedication of the Liberty Center, at 1000 Pacific Ave. On hand for the festivities were actors Adolph Menjou, Walter Pidgeon and Joan Leslie.

War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma;

On Labor Day, September 7, 1942, Tacoma Mayor Harry Cain spoke to a crowd of over 8,000, dedicating the new outdoor war activity theater, the Liberty Center. The modernistic structure was designed by Herbert Bell. It was built totally from donated labor and materials and was dedicated to organized labor. A portrait of Gen. Douglas MacArthur graced the center and "V"s for Victory decorated each of the four corners.

War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Public speaking--Tacoma--1940-1950;

On Labor Day, Monday September 7, 1942 over 8,000 Tacomans crowded around the new Liberty Center building at 1000 Pacific Avenue for the largest one day war bond sale and rally ever held in Tacoma to that date. Three Hollywood stars - Walter Pigeon, Joan Leslie, and Adolph Menjou - joined local political and labor leaders on the buildings stage. Over $500,000 in war bonds were sold. In a special auction, items of a Fort Lewis soldier's uniform were sold to the highest bidders. His bayonet raised $23,635.

War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma; Crowds--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Mrs. R.H. Pugh, left, purchased a war bond from Esther (Mrs.Clinton) Beal at the Rhodes Bro. annex on July 3, 1942. Mrs. Pugh was currently residing in Tacoma. On December 7th, she had been living with her husband, an 27 year veteran of the Army, in Hawaii at Schofield Barracks. She witnessed the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Lying on the counter in the background between the two women is a piece of a Japanese plane that she saw shot down during the raid. (T. Times 7/6/1942, pg. 2)

War bonds & funds; World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma; Beal, Esther;

On July 3, 1942, Mrs. R.H. Pugh, left, purchased a war bond from Esther (Mrs. Clinton) Beal at the Rhodes Brothers Annex during the Retail War Bond Sales Drive. Mrs. Pugh witnessed the December 7th attack on Hawaii by the Japanese. She showed Mrs. Beal one of her most precious mementos, a piece of a Japanese plane that she saw shot down during the raid. The metal was painted bright red, once part of the rising sun insignia on the plane. At the time of the raid, Mrs. Pugh was living with her husband, a 27 year veteran Army Sergeant, in a cottage at Schofield Barracks. (T. Times 7/6/1942, pg. 2)

War bonds & funds; World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma; Beal, Esther;

In January 1943, Tacoma took part in the first "unexploded bomb" drill to take place in the Pacific Northwest. Members of the city public works department donned gas masks and protective suits to "decontaminate" a section of St. Helens Ave. that was exposed to a mock mustard gas attack. A critique of the exercise was held at Civil Defense headquarters in the Armory afterward. Unexploded high explosive bombs and gas bombs "fell" in each of the city's eight designated civilian defense zones Wednesday night, January 13, 1943. (T. Times 1/14/1943 p.1)

World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma;