Phil Seymour, a North End auto mechanic, built this cabin cruiser, "Sea-More", with friends in their idle moments over a period of nine months. Seymour finishes the project as he paints number 4212CGA on the side of the boat. Officially launched on April 24, 1943, she was used by the Coast Guard as an auxiliary during World War II. (T.Times 4/26/43 p.1.)

Boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Transportation--Tacoma; Coast defenses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Seymour, Phil;

Phil Seymour, a North-end auto mechanic, built this cabin cruiser, "Sea-More", with friends in idle moments over a period of nine months outside his auto shop. Seymour hands a pair of slacks to a woman kneeling on top of the boat. His auto repair shop, Seymour's Big Six Garage, is shown in the background. (T.Times 4/26/43 p.1.)

Boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Transportation--Tacoma; Coast defenses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Couples--Tacoma--1940-1950; Seymour, Phil; Seymour's Big Six Garage (Tacoma);

Coast Guard off Old Town Dock in Commencement Bay with five fire barges during a May 7, 1943 drill with the city's Fireboat #1. The fire barges are displaying streams of water used to extinguish marine fires. The three larger barges could pump 4,000 gallons a minute. The two smaller vessels in the center were designed for fighting fires under docks. They could pump 600 gallons a minute. (T.Times, 5/8/1943, pg. 3; 5/10/43, p.14.)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Coast defenses--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Military personnel--Tacoma;

On May 7, 1943, five Coast Guard fire fighting barges took part in a drill off the Old Town Dock, showing their ability to stamp out waterfront fires. Also participating in the drill was Tacoma's Fireboat #1. The three larger barges can be seen in the background with the two smaller ones, designed to fight fires under docks, in the center. (T. Times 5/8/1943, pg. 3)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Coast defenses--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Military personnel--Tacoma;

On May 7, 1943, Tacoma's Fireboat #1, as well as five Coast Guard fire fighting barges, took part in a drill off the Old Town Dock. The group was showing their ability to effectively stamp out waterfront fires. They were also calling attention to the clean up drive along the front sponsored by the Waterfront Defense Committee. (T. Times 5/8/1943, pg. 3)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

On May 7, 1943, five fire barges from the Coast Guard took part in a drill off the Old Town Dock. The drill was intended to show their ability to stamp out waterfront fires. The three larger barges are pictured. They could pump 4,000 gallons a minute. (T. Times 5/8/1943, pg. 3)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

Tacoma's Fireboat #1, with several streams of water shooting into the air, demonstrates its ability to defend the waterfront from fire during a May 7, 1943 drill. (T. Times 5/8/1943, pg. 3)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Waterfronts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

On May 7, 1943, Tacoma's Fireboat #1 took part in a drill with the Coast Guard, demonstrating the city's ability to fight a waterfront fire. The city's fire boat and five Coast Guard fire fighting barges went through their paces, shooting 50 streams of water high into the air. (T. Times 5/8/1943, pg. 3)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

In May of 1943, Tacoma Fireboat #1 was used to patrol Tacoma's 36 miles of marine shoreline. Tacoma's first fireboat, it was launched in 1929 and served for 53 years, putting out waterfront fires and responding to emergencies such as sinking vessels and water rescues. During the war years, the city fire department and the Coast Guard patrolled waterfront businesses looking for fire hazards and awarding Waterfront Defense "Good Housekeeping" pennants. Fireboat #1 was retired from service in 1982 and designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1989. She is displayed in a permanent dry berth at Marine Park off Ruston Way. The long, low and narrow riveted steel hulled vessel is 96.6 feet in length and could reach speeds of up to 15 knots. She is one of 10 vessels constructed as fireboats greater than 50 years of age left in the US. Of the five 1920's fireboats, she is the least modified and has not undergone extensive modernization. (T.Times, 5/10/43, p.14; National Park Service website under Maritime Heritage Program) TPL-8671

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Waterfronts--Tacoma--1940-1950;

City Firemen and their Fireboat #1, pictured, cooperated with the Coast Guard in an exercise on May 7, 1943 demonstrating their ability to cope with waterfront fires. The fireboat and the Coast Guard's five fire barges drilled off Old Town Dock, pumping a combined 23,700 gallons of water a minute. The drill also called attention to the last few days of the Tacoma Waterfront Defense Committee's clean up drive. (T.Times, 5/10/43, p. 14)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Waterfronts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

A spray of water calls attention to a May 7, 1943 fire fighting drill off the Old Town Dock. Participating are Tacoma's Fireboat #1 and five Coast Guard fire barges assigned to Tacoma. Together the vessels can pump over 23,000 gallons a minute. (T. Times 5/8/1943, pg. 3)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

One of the three Coast Guard fire barges stationed to protect Tacoma's waterfront showed off its water pumping abilities in May of 1943. U.S. Coast Guard inspectors were visiting Tacoma to look for fire hazards and award "Good Housekeeping" pennants to the waterfront businesses that had eliminated fire hazards on their property. Accumulations of waste wood and bark, drifting logs and oil on pilings and bulkheads were the most serious problems found. The fire barges were propelled by two engines at the rear and could scoot around the waterfront at very rapid speed. (T. Times 5/10/1943 p.14)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

These two members of the Coast Guard took part in the May 7, 1943 fire fighting drill off the Old Town Dock. The pair are aboard one of the smaller CG fire barges. These smaller barges were designed to fight fires under the docks. They could pump 600 gallons a minute. (T. Times 5/8/1943, pg. 3)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Waterfronts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

The three larger Coast Guard fire barges assigned to Tacoma are photographed in formation on May 7, 1943. They were taking part in a drill along the Tacoma waterfront. The Coast Guard had a total of five barges assigned to Tacoma. (T. Times 5/8/1943, pg. 3)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Waterfronts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

Tacoma's Fireboat #1, shown underway, participated in a May 7, 1943 drill, showing its effectiveness in fighting waterfront fires. The drill was part of a campaign to clean up debris along the waterfront, removing fodder for deliberately set fires. The number one enemy of our port and waterfront defense industries was fire. (T. Times 5/8.1943, pg. 3)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Waterfronts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

Three of the Coast Guard's fire barges are photographed during the May 7, 1943 drill off Old Town Dock. The vessels can pump 4,000 gallons of water a minute each and move very quickly across the water. (T. Times 5/8/1943, pg. 3)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

Coast Guard off Old Town Dock in Commencement Bay with fire barges. The fire barges are displaying streams of water used to extinguish marine fires. Brown's Point is visible in the background. (T.Times, 5/10/43, p.14.)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

One of the five Coast Guard fire barges stationed in Tacoma showed off its pumping ability during a May 7, 1943 drill. The barges were propelled by two engines at the rear and could move across the water very rapidly. (T. Times 5/8/1943, pg. 3)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

Coverage of twin launching at McNeil. The 65-foot tugboat with a 16-foot beam was one of two tugs launched at McNeil Island on June 17, 1943, under a revived shipbuilding program. The tugs were built of Douglas fir except for the stem, sternposts and trim. They ran on Diesel engines. The ships were built using prison labor and there was much anticipation of the launchings by the 100 guests from the mainland plus the proud builders. No ships locally had been built by prisoners since 1907 when Capt. Neil Henley of Steilacoom directed that last construction. Capt. Henley had founded the shipbuilding industry at McNeil prison in 1883. With America now entered into WWII, the necessity of more ships resulted in the revival of the shipbuilding program. T-88 and T-89 were the second and third built for the Army Transport Service by McNeil with the first ship turned over to the Army in November of 1942. (T.Times 6-18-1943, p. 1, 3)

Launchings--McNeil Island; Boat & ship industry--McNeil Island; Tugboats--McNeil Island;

Coverage of twin launchings at McNeil Island. On June 17, 1943 Mrs. H.W. Algeo served as sponsor of one of the two tugboats launched at McNeil Island. Mrs. L. Delmore, Jr., was the other sponsor. Mrs. Algeo is pictured above in the act of christening the boat with a firm smash against her prow. It was reported that both she and Mrs. Delmore were drenched by the exploding champagne bottles. KMO radio broadcast the event as a twin launching was rare and launchings of any sort of prisoner-built vessels even rarer. As the United States was now at war, a revival of using prison labor in boat construction had commenced. 1907 had been the last time locally that a ship was built by inmates. The two tugs would become the second and third built under the revived shipbuilding program at McNeil. (T.Times 6-18-1943, p. 1, 3)

Launchings--McNeil Island; Boat & ship industry--McNeil Island; Tugboats--McNeil Island; Algeo, H.W.--Family;

Coverage of twin launching at McNeil. James V. Bennett (second from left), Seattle Mayor William F. Devin (second from right) and Warden P.J. Squier of McNeil Island (far right) were identified in this group of men who were attending the twin launching of tugboats for the U.S. Army Transport Service on June 17, 1943. The tugs were built with prison labor during a revival of the shipbuilding industry on McNeil, and were highly praised by military and civilian officials. (T.Times 6-18-1943, p. 1,3- various photographs)

Launchings--McNeil Island; Boat & ship industry--McNeil Island; Tugboats--McNeil Island; Bennett, James V.; Devin, William F.; Squier, P.J.;

Coverage of twin launching at McNeil. Mrs. L. Delmore, Jr., smashed a bottle of champagne against the prow of one of the two tugs launched at McNeil Island on June 17, 1943 during the tradition of christening the vessel. Since she did so before the tug slid down the ways, the force of the bottle exploding drenched her from head to toe. The tug was to be turned over to the Army transport service. She was built with labor from McNeil Island inmates. (T. Times 6-18-1943, p. 1, 3)

Launchings--McNeil Island; Boat & ship industry--McNeil Island; Tugboats--McNeil Island; Delmore, L.--Family;

Coverage of twin launching at McNeil. Two sister tugs, T-88 and T-89, slid down the ways on Thursday, June 17, 1943 to loud cheering from spectators. The two ships launched were the second and third under the revived shipbuilding program during WWII. Both of them were to be turned over to the Army. Present at the event were prison officials and honored guests: (from left) master of ceremonies A.F. Lykke, James V. Bennett, Richard McGee, LTC D.M. Jacques of the Army Transport Corp, Seattle Mayor William F. Devin and Warden P.J. Squier of McNeil Island Penitentiary. The point was heavily emphasized that both vessels were built by McNeil Island prisoners. (T.Times 6-18-1943, p. 1, 3)

Launchings--McNeil Island; Boat & ship industry--McNeil Island; Tugboats--McNeil Island; Lykke, A.F.; Bennett, James V.; McGee, Richard; Jacques, D.M.; Devin, William F.; Squier, P.J.;

Coverage of twin launching at McNeil. These two ladies were the official sponsors of the two tugs, T-88 and T-89, built for the Army Transport Service by prisoners at McNeil Island. Mrs. L. Delmore, Jr. and Mrs. H.W. Algeo (from left) are pictured holding large bouquets of roses on June 17, 1943. They participated in the tradition of christening the ships with bottles of champagne. (T.Times 6-18-1943, p. 1,3- alt. photographs)

Launchings--McNeil Island; Boat & ship industry--McNeil Island; Tugboats--McNeil Island; Delmore, L.--Family; Algeo, H.W.--Family; Roses;

Coverage of twin launching at McNeil. Boat with flags strung from bow to bow moored in water next to wharf. Markings indicate that it was a U.S. Army tugboat, either T-88 or T-89, both of which were launched at McNeil on June 17, 1943. Both tugs were 65-ft. long with 16-ft beams. Douglas fir was used for everything except stem, sternposts and trim. The tugs were powered by Diesel engines. They were built for the Army Transport Service by McNeil Island inmates. (T.Times 6-18-1943, p. 1,3- alt. photo)

Launchings--McNeil Island; Boat & ship industry--McNeil Island; Tugboats--McNeil Island;

Coverage of twin launchings at McNeil Island. Vessel in water adjacent to wharf with a one-story building on it. 100 guests from the Mainland and proud inmate builders celebrated the launching of two 65-ft. tugboats built for the U.S. Army on June 17, 1943. WWII saw the revival of the shipbuilding program on McNeil which had seen the last ship constructed there by inmates way back in 1907. By June of 1943, three ships had been launched and of the three, one delivered to the Army in November of 1942. (T.Times 6-18-1943, p. 1,3-various photographs)

Launchings--McNeil Island; Boat & ship industry--McNeil Island; Tugboats--McNeil Island;

Coverage of twin launchings at McNeil Island. Close view of decorated wooden vessel, one of two sister tugs, waiting to be sent down the ways on June 17, 1943. Many spectators lean eagerly over the railings overlooking the ship. The tugs were built by prison labor. (T.Times 6-18-1943, p. 1,3-alt. photo)

Launchings--McNeil Island; Boat & ship industry--McNeil Island; Tugboats--McNeil Island;

Group of 60 Tacoma Boat Maintenance workers. The deck is crowded with workers from Tacoma Boat together with their families.

Boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Tacoma Boat YMS 298 leaving. A side view of the mine sweeper with U.S. flag waving. Two men on the fore dock, five aft.

Ships--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Puget Sound Boat (Mann). US Army Transport Corps LT 214. This side view shows three men along the railing of the upper deck and someone looking out of the helm. TPL-6389

U.S. Army Transportation Corps; Boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Transportation--Tacoma; Puget Sound Boat Building Corp. (Tacoma);