Community Chest Travelers Aid at Union Depot. The War Chest in conjunction with the U.S.O. will be opening a men's lounge for service men to have a place to rest on the second floor of Union Depot with cots, a library, comfortable chairs, reading lamps, tabels and writing desks. (T.Times, 11/10/1943, p.10)

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

Community Chest Travelers Aid at Union Depot. The War Chest in conjunction with the U.S.O. council will be opening a servicemen's lounge at the Union Depot. Going over the plans on November 1, 1943, are, L-R, Dick Richer, Phoebe Lea, J.T. Kane, Rhoda Reynolds, and Andy Rome. (T.Times, 11/10/1943, p.10)

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Union Station (Tacoma); USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Richer, Dick; Lea, Phoebe; Kane, J.T.; Reynolds, Rhoda; Rome, Andy;

Titus Motor group of four War Finance public picnic. War Bond Loan Drive by the American Red Cross. L-R Josephine Fetty, Marguerite Ammann and son Robert, Nellie White and Geraldine Mojean. (T.Times, 9/29/1943, p.8)

War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma;

Women bus drivers at Tacoma Transit. A man and two women bus drivers were photographed on September 7, 1943, at the transit yard. The man is unnamed. The women are, L-R, Octa L. Girard and Thelma Derrickson. (T.Times, 9/10/1943, p.1; 9/13/1943, p.5) TPL-3205, TPL-1381

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Girard, Octa L.; Derrickson, Thelma; Bus drivers--Tacoma; Tacoma Transit Co. (Tacoma); Buses--Tacoma;

Thelma Derrickson was one of the many women hired by the Tacoma Transit Company to drive the cities busses during WWII. She was hired in September of 1942. The Transit Department was looking for women 21 to 40, preferably with a high school education, some previous driving experience and an aptitude for mechanics. They fully expected that within a short time 3/4 of their drivers would be women. (T.Times, 9/10/1943, p.1; 9/13/1943, p.5) TPL-4559

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Buses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bus drivers--Tacoma;

Labor heads and service men at the U.S.O. Open houses will be held at all four U.S.O. centers in Tacoma. Standing L-R Phillip Robbins, Ralph Chaplin, Frank Horton, next three men unnamed, and Ted Hopkins. Seated L-R H.S. McIlvaigh, Betty Terry (who will be singing in the program), Rudy Davis, Paul Wesdett and an unnamed man. (T.Times, 9/3/1943, p.3) TPL-10199

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

On September 9, 1943, the third War Loan Drive for WWII kicked off. Americans were encouraged to "Back the Attack" with their dollars. Pierce County's portion of the nation's 15 Billion dollar goal was 19 million dollars. In this photograph, the soldier was having a difficult time choosing which war bond to buy from the ten young women offering them to him. The women were dressed in similar floor length split-skirt jumpsuits. Photograph ordered by the War Finance Committee.

War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950;

These female employees of the Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot were placing a wooden body built in Tacoma by the Northwest Chair Company onto a U.S. Army truck in September of 1943. The woman on the left was operating a forklift to lift the body onto its place on the Army truck chassis under the direction of the woman at right center. Other women were waiting to set the bolts that completed the assembly of the truck and then send it on its way. These Army trucks were going to war as completely assembled units for the first time. Women made up 50-60% of the work force at the ordnance depot. All women employees were trained as mechanics and became experts in their line. (T. Times, 9/2/1943, p.1) TPL-10353;

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hoisting machinery; Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot (Tacoma);

Salishan War Housing. Exterior view of a building with a small sign at the corner, "Manager's Office". Salishan is a government war housing project.

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Housing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Salishan Housing Project (Tacoma);

Army maneuvers. Soldiers at Ft. Lewis wearing camouflage, carrying packs, canteens, and ammunition belts train with a small cannon or machine gun are training at a mock village. (T.Times, 8/27/1943, p.1)

World War, 1939-1945--Camouflage--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Equipment & supplies--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Military personnel--Tacoma;

Army maneuvers. Soldiers at Ft. Lewis wearing camouflage are training with a rifle. Several soldiers look on. (T.Times, 8/27/1943, p.1)

World War, 1939-1945--Camouflage--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Equipment & supplies--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Military personnel--Tacoma;

Salishan War Housing. Ordered by War Housing. Small log and concrete bridge, three boys (two in bathing suits) sitting on far rail in this August, 1943, photograph. Tall trees are behind them and they are looking down behind them. Foreground shows a dry creek bed. The street has been identified as East 44th St. just west of East T. TPL-8218 (Additional information provided by a reader)

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Housing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Salishan Housing Project (Tacoma); Residential streets--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A Mexican Fiesta at the South Tacoma U.S.O. Dressed in Spanish costumes, a group of women serenade the audience.

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

A Mexican Fiesta at the South Tacoma U.S.O. People in costume; military band on bandstand.

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

A Mexican Fiesta at the South Tacoma U.S.O. Two guitar players wearing sombreros serenade the audience.

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

A Mexican Fiesta at the South Tacoma U.S.O. Four young women carry baskets of cut flowers while two soldiers look on. They are standing behind large urns full of flowers and a bird bath.

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

A Mexican Fiesta at the South Tacoma U.S.O. Three soldiers gather around while a young woman reads the palm of another soldier.

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

The popular dance team of Joyce Sheets and Richard Fechko performed several dances at the Mexican Fiesta held for servicemen at the So. Tacoma USO on Friday, July 16, 1943. The gala affair was the USO's most ambitious undertaking of the season. Junior and senior hostesses wore authentic Spanish costumes, real chili and tortillas were available from booths, and peanut vendors, flower girls and musicians strolled from table to table. The So. Tacoma USO was at 4851 So. Tacoma Way in the South Park Community Center building.

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Ballroom dancing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Sheets, Joyce; Fechko, Richard;

Young students registering in the Gray school office for farm labor in the Puyallup Valley fields.

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

Teenage students line-up at the counter in the Gray school office to register for farm labor in the Puyallup Valley. Students formed a large part of the labor required to plant and harvest crops during WWII as more and more adults became involved in the defense effort and were unavailable for farm work.

World War, 1939-1945--Students--Tacoma; Gray Junior High School (Tacoma); Agricultural laborers;

Major Hooker. He is standing outside a house in July of 1943 wearing his uniform. His wife, Ellen J. Hooker, and daughter, Mary Rogan, are in the background. Major Albert Hooker, president of Hooker Electro-chemical Company, is on furlough from London where he serves as a chemical warfare officer. (T.Times, 7/20/1943, p.1)

World War, 1939-1945--Military personnel--Tacoma; Hooker, Albert H.; Hooker, Albert H.--Family; Hooker, Ellen; Hooker, Mary; Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma);

Students registering at Gray school for farm labor in the Puyallup Valley fields. Five students gather around a desk to fill out employment slips.

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

Tacoma Day Nursery, interior view. The Tacoma Times has sponsored the Jack Spratt Club in conjunction with the War Food Committee to lessen food waste during the war. Children at the Day Nursery may sign the Jack Spratt pledge. Several young boys and girls are seated at child sized tables eating. A kitchen is seen through a doorway at the back of the room. (T.Times, 8/27/1943, p.10)

World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Day care; Tacoma Day Nursery (Tacoma);

On August 4, 1943, National "Molly Pitcher" Tag Day, members of the American Legion Auxiliary from both the Edward B. Rhodes Post No. 2 and the Tacoma Unit No. 138 planned to tag every man, woman and child who showed their support for our troops overseas during the War bond sale.The six women working with cards and string are: (l to r) Wahneatah Hough, Gertrude Champagne, Josephine Gillam, Hazel Slater, Maude Overdahl and Lillian Burrows. The Auxiliary had booths at department stores and stood at street corners to tag people. Pierce County's quota for stamp and bond sales was $1 for every man, woman and child. The fabled Revolutionary War heroine Molly Pitcher was evoked in a popular WWII ditty "Jolly Molly Pitcher," used to encourage citizens to buy treasury bonds and use ration cards. Two of the women pictured also appear in Series D14380 Image 3. (T.Times, 8/3/1943, p.16-article & alternate photograph)

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; War bonds & funds; Women--Organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Patriotic societies; American Legion Auxiliary (Tacoma);

During the week of July 14-21, 1943, the members of Navy Wives Club held a drive in Tacoma to collect "junk jewelry". The navy personnel stationed on the islands in the south Pacific had discovered that trinkets were worth more then money to many of the native islanders. One officer had reported that, "Fifty-two fox-holes were dug for a brooch and a pair of earrings." Two of the navy wives, wearing bathing suits, try on some of the collected items before the jewelry is shipped to San Francisco - and on to the Navy. (T.Times, 7/13/1943, p.18, and 8/11/1943, p.2) TPL-9860

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; Military spouses--Tacoma; Jewelry; Costume jewelry; Bathing suits

During WWII, women in Tacoma filled many of the jobs that had been traditionally occupied by men. This unidentified woman, holding a piece of wood against a planer, worked in one of Tacoma's many lumber mills. In 1942 there were 16 furniture manufacturing companies in Tacoma and 11 saw mills.

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Day Nursery, interior view. Several young boys and girls are seated at child sized tables eating in this photograph from July of 1943. The childred are permitted to join the Jack Spratt Club to help reduce waste food during the war sponsored by the Tacoma Times in conjunction with the War Food Committee. (T.Times, 8/27/1943, p.10)

World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Day care; Tacoma Day Nursery (Tacoma);

Women working in defense plant. Woman working with piece of wood on lathe.

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

War Savings staff. Members of the American Legion Auxiliary, Edward B. Rhodes Post No. 2, stand holding tags. They will have booths at department stores and stand at street corners to tag people for "Molly Pitcher" Day. L-R Lillian Burrows, Maude Overdahl, Hazel Slater, Gertrude Champagne, Josephine Gillarm and Wahneatah Hough. Some of these women are shown in D14380-3. (T.Times, 8/3/1943, p.16)

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; War bonds & funds; Women--Organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Patriotic societies; American Legion Auxiliary (Tacoma);

First Congregational Church Group. A woman sings into a microphone while accompanied by a man in uniform on an upright piano. There is a draped archway in the background.

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; First Congregational Church (Tacoma); Congregational churches--Tacoma;