Publicity shots made at airfield, CAA. The Tacoma Squadron, Civil Air Patrol sponsored the Tacoma Air Show August 19, 1948, at Spanaway Sky Ranch. The exhibition was for the benefit of the cadets' treasury and funds were used for the purchase of new equipment for the unit. Major Orville French, commanding officer of the squadron, left, shows tickets to Joe Sim, College of Puget Sound student and former Air Force pilot who took an active part in the air show. (TNT, 8/22/1948, p.A-5)
For several years in the late 1940s, David Johnston owned and operated the South Side Auto Laundry at 5648 1/2 South Tacoma Way. In this photograph from August of 1948, an unidentified employee steam-cleans the whitewall tires on what appears to be a 1941 Ford Sedan, while a young boy in the front seat leans out the window to watch.
Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cleaning establishments--Tacoma; Cleaning personnel; Car washes--Tacoma; Tires; Signs (Notices); Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; South Side Auto Laundry (Tacoma);
Pacific Boat, the "Julia B." is out for her water trials. She was a 66 foot purse seiner built for owner, Spiro Babich with a 200 hp Washington engine. (Pacific Fisherman Yearbook 1949, p.82 and p.170)
Accident at South 15th Street and Tacoma Avenue, intersection. J.B. Evans, adjuster. A view of the intersection of South 15th Street and Tacoma Avenue South looking east along South 15th. The Tacoma tideflats can be seen in the distance. Pangis Grocery is on the corner at 1501 Tacoma Avenue South. A Jordan Baking Company Truck is stopped before the cross-walk. The photograph would have been taken for insurance purposes.
Washington Steel and Welding Company advertised steel ship building, tanks, ornamental work, acetylene welding, electric welding, portable welding and steel fabricating. The company had two plants, the main plant was located at 701 East D Street, their other plant was at 1601 Taylor Way. View of large "Oshkosh" truck with logging equipment at Washington Steel and Welding Company.
On July 28, 1948, this unidentified man, possibly the Bart's Drive-In airplane pilot, had landed his small plane on an ocean beach. It appears that he had made a quick stop for razor clams as his shovels and metal cans seem to indicate. Publicity photo ordered by O'Connell-Ragan advertising agency. (Additional information provided by a reader)
Birchfield Boiler company were builders of all steel welded vessels of all types and designs. Birchfield fabricated the steel used in their ship building and also specialized in ship repairs and conversions. View of Birchfield Boiler built "Situk", a 48 foot by 16 foot by 28 inch power scow built for Libby McNeill and Libby.
Barges--Tacoma; Construction industry--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma);
The "Mary S." was joining a big fleet of Manuel Sousa and Associates fishing boats in San Diego, California. Manuel Sousa was visiting his native land, Portugal, therefore he was not able to attend the launching; L. L. Livesly, partner and managing owner, represented the company. View of the recently launched J. M. Martinac tuna clipper, the "Mary S." (T.N.T., 4/15/49, p. 29). TPL-8995
The "Mary E. Petrich" would be capable of fishing for tuna in Australian waters, these waters have never been fished by American coast-based vessels. The tuna clipper could travel at a speed of 13-1/2 knots. View of the large crowd gathered at Western Boat's main plant, for the launching of the "Mary E. Petrich", the largest tuna clipper ever built (T. Times, 3/16/49, p. 1). TPL-8989
Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma; Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);
The largest tuna clipper ever built, the "Mary E. Petrich" would be capable of carrying 450 tons of tuna under quick freeze refrigeration. This new vessel would be known as the queen of the tuna fleet, named after the late wife of Martin Petrich. View of Helen C. Petrich (right), wife of James F. Petrich Sr. and daughter-in-law to Martin Petrich; Helen was the "Mary E. Petrich" launching sponsor (T. Times, 3/16/49, p. 1). TPL-8990
Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma; Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);
57-foot purse seiner, interior and water shots, Birchfield Boiler, Bob Dorrer. The galley of the "Esther B." is seen on the left and the helm is straight ahead. The cabinets and the walls are gleaming white. A plaque to the right of the hall towards the helm shows the name of the "Esther B." and that she was built by Birchfield Boiler. This photograph was taken on June 14, 1949.
The Gretna Victory, which was designated the Northwest Christmas Ship for this voyage, pulled out of dock in Tacoma before dawn on January 31, 1948. The 10,000 ton vessel was carrying food and clothing donations from the four Northwest states and Alaska to Bremen, Germany. The ship's holds were jammed with thousands of tons of flour, wheat, canned vegetables and meats, canned milk, clothing and shoes for the needy of Germany and Austria. One of the many local companies to donate was Brown & Haley; they contributed 150 cases of raisins. (TNT, 1/31/1948, p.1)
View of cars parked along A Street and So. 13th, business signs are posted for the Home Electric Company, Glass and Union Commissary; building in background has a fire escape; photo ordered by L. Ray Shute Company, local insurance adjusters.
Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Traffic accidents--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Fire escapes--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Parking--Tacoma; Insurance companies--Tacoma; L. Ray Shute Co. (Tacoma);
Sea port shipping, Ken Kenney shiploading, bundled pulp. Longshoremen are maneuvering a stack of bundled pulp into the hold of a ship using ropes and pulleys. One of the waterways in the Tacoma tideflats and industrial facilities are shown on the left.
Tacoma Boat Building had just completed the Yolande-Bertin, she was being launched and was out on a trial run through Commencement Bay. Tacoma Boat Building specialized in wooden and steel government, commercial, fishing and pleasure boats; the company was owned by Haldor Dahl and Arne Strom. View of Yolande-Bertin of Tegucigalpa, a diesel tuna clipper out on Tacoma's Commencement Bay (Pacific Fisherman Yearbook, 1950). TPL-9019
Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. was started in 1936 by H. Dahl and A. Strom. The partners wanted to build fishing vessels for North Pacific fishermen. In 1941 they signed their first contract to build government boats and moved into a larger, newly expanded plant at the head of the City Waterway. View of Yolande-Bertin of Tegucigalpa, a diesel tuna clipper (Pacific Fisherman Yearbook, 1950). TPL-9016
Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Tacoma Boat Building Company was the exclusive designer and manufacturer of the "Northern Dragger" winches, "North" purse seine winches, "Northern" anchor winches and "Northern purse seine and dandelion blocks. The company built wood and steel trollers, purse seiners and tuna clippers, and had built many government vessels during World War II. View of the boat's helm, compass and engine controls. TPL-9021
Boats--Tacoma; Helms; Control rooms--Tacoma; Compasses; Navigation; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Hunt and Mottet Company was a wholesale hardware and sporting good distributing company in Tacoma. The company's officers were: Ernest C. Richards, President, Albert H. Heath, Vice-President and Treasurer, J. Carroll Richards, Secretary; their offices were located in downtown Tacoma. View of the new Ford delivery truck, Number 88; an unidentified company representative is standing by truck. TPL-10344
Ford trucks; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hardware; Fishing & hunting gear; Sporting goods; Sporting goods industry--Tacoma; Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Hunt & Mottet Co. (Tacoma);
Students from the Clover Park High School pre-flight class were treated to an air show at McChord Field. The students, under direction of Fred Miner and Wilbur Snyder, were taken on an extended tour of flight operations, flight service, the weather station and the maintenance hangars. Three small airplanes are performing in the sky over the air field. Ordered by Kiwanis Club, H. Barker. (11/23/1952, p.B-6) TPL-5504
Airplanes--Tacoma; McChord Field (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Clover Park High School (Lakewood); School field trips--Lakewood;
Fuel Oil Service Co.; exterior of trucks. Fuel Oil Service was a distributer of furnace and stove oil. Mark C. Dolliver was the Manager & Roger C. Stewart the Sales Manager. The trucks were used to deliver the oil to the residential customers.
Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fuel Oil Service (Tacoma);
The launching of three 63 foot Army Transportation Corps wooden patrol boats, the Q625, Q626 and Q627, by Tacoma Boatbuilding. Delayed by strikes at the Tacoma boat yards, the boats were launched almost three months later than projected. The vessels built for the Army under Navy supervision were sponsored by Mrs. Honor Schwesinger, Ione Kvamme and Mrs. H.T. Burk. (TNT 9/24/1953, pg. B-4 & 9/27/1953, pg. C-12_
Government vessels--Tacoma--1950-1960; Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Launching of the A.M.S. (motor minesweeper) #97 by Tacoma Boatbuilding. A.M.S. #97 would be the last minesweeper to slide into the water as the company fulfilled its contract of five. All five vessels were in various states of completion with the first completed one to be delivered to the Navy in the fall. Mrs. Henry F. Agnew was the sponsor of #97 and Capt. J.R. Topper was the speaker. (TNT 9/27/1953, pg. C-12)
Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Government vessels--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Three Army Q-boats were launched within minutes of each other on April 20, 1954. These 63' crafts were built by Tacoma Boat Building for the Army under Navy supervision. View of several women and small children in front of Q-630; these were members of the christening party. From left to right are: Barbara Rutledge (flower girl), Mrs. Vincent J. Genn, sponsor of Q-630, Shanna Roley (flower girl), Mrs. Wilbert N. Nelson, sponsor of Q-628, Mrs. Alf R. Dahl, sponsor of Q-629, and Linda Dahl (flower girl). (TNT 4-21-54, A-5)
Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Government vessels--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Three tanks full of chlorine are are tightly wedged into place on board a barge in April, 1954. The vessel, Mogul, is docked nearby. By 1954, Tacoma was home to many large chemical producing companies, including Hooker Electrochemical and Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington. Chlorine and also caustic soda were made and then shipped, by boat and rail, to pulp and paper mills. Photograph ordered by Griffith Steamship Ltd.
Cargo ships--Tacoma; Storage tanks--Tacoma; Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;
A small stage, decorated in red, white and blue bunting, was constructed to be used in the February, 1953, launching of the USS Energy, #436, built by the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corporation. Martinac had landed the contract to build a series of 171-foot mindsweepers for the Navy; this is the second completed after the USS Endurance the previous year. Photograph ordered by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding.(TNT 2-1-53, B-2, TNT 2-14-53, p. 1)
Shadows darken the interior of Tacoma Boat Building as dim figures of spectators stand and gaze upon the A.M.S. #96 afloat in the distance. The 144-foot mindsweeper was the fourth of five being built by Tacoma Boat Building. The ship had just been launched the late afternoon of May 1, 1953. The launching was captured on television; it was the first launching to be televised in the area. (TNT 5-3-53, B-10)
Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Government vessels--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
ca. 1953. Launching of naval ship #445, the U.S.S. Force, with the skyline of downtown Tacoma in the background. The all wood craft was the fourth of nine contracted 171 foot Naval minesweepers to be built by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding. Mrs. Thomas D. Wilson, wife of a Navy Captain, served as sponsor and christened the ship with the ceremonial champagne. The band from the U.S.S. Essex played "Anchors Aweigh" as the ship slid down the ways. (TNT 6/21/1953, pg. B-2 & 6/27/1953, pg. 1)
Greyhound Lines bus involved in accident near Fort Lewis. Limited bus suffers front end damage. Parked along highway. Fort Lewis fence and buildings in background. Photograph was taken on June 23, 1952.
Launching of A.M.S. (motor mine sweeper) #113 at Tacoma Boat Building Company for the Navy. Ship sliding down the ways into the water as it leaves building. The AMS 113 was the first Navy minesweeper to be launched in Tacoma since WWII. Tacoma was rapidly becoming a major center of Naval boat building in our nation's rearmament effort. Tacoma firms held a total of $20 million dollars in Naval contracts. (T. Reporter 7/22/1952, pg. 2 & 7/8/1952, pg. 8)
Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
The rear of the hull of the USS Endurance (AMS 435) as they prepare for launching at J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding. The Endurance was the first of four 171 foot minesweepers constructed by Martinac for the Navy. Martinac was also the first firm on the Pacific coast to be designated by the Navy as a "qualified laminator." The frames for the minesweepers were laminated in their branch office on Baker dock and then barged up City waterway to the plant for placement in the new boats. (TNT 2-10-1952, pg. B-6, T. Reporter 8/11/1952, pg 2)
