Sea-Tac Shipyard Swing Shift bowlers. Several bowlers have name tags on their jackets including "Rich" (2nd row far left), "Roy" (2nd row far right), and "Harry" (kneeling at right). [Also dated 03-27-1943]
This photograph is an overview of the ceremony on December 18, 1942 when the Tacoma Boat Building plant was presented with an "E Award" by the Army & Navy. The "E Award" was a production award, and the shipyard's was the first given for production of minesweepers. The award consisted of a "E" flag to fly over the plant and a pin for each employee. The company also took this opportunity to launch their newest minesweeper, the YMS 244.
Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Launching of "Pride of America" at Peterson Boat Building. The Peterson shipyard was owned by the father and son team of George and John Peterson. The yard was devoted entirely to the construction of fishing vessels. The site of their yard adjoined the Foss yard at the outer edge of the Middle Waterway. The shipyard was rebuilt in 1943 and the company remained at this site until it burned in 1969.
In September of 1942, Peterson Boat Building was preparing to launch the "Pride of America." The small shipyard was operated by father and son team George and John Peterson. It was located at 223 E. F St., a site that adjoined the Foss Yard (225) at the outer edge of the Middle Waterway. The busy shipyard specialized in the construction of fishing vessels. The shipyard was rebuilt in 1943 and remained at this location until it was destroyed in a fire in 1969.
Peterson Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Power Cranes putting up truss in Petrich Shipbuilding Corp., a new shipyard located on former Vermont Marble Company site, where the 11th Street Bridge crossed the City Waterway. This was the second of two plants operated by the Petrich family, headed by Martin Petrich Sr. The first was Western Boatbuilding on the Tideflats. The new yard had two parallel ways, capable of building ships up to 160 feet long. During the war, this yard would specialize in the mass production of wooden ships for the Army. They were used for Army South Seas and Alaska freight, passenger and supply transport. Note: Negative released to Michigan Power Shovel Company, Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Seventy five members of the brewing and allied industries gathered in Tacoma October 24, 1942 to pay tribute to Otto Birkmaier. Mr. Birkmaier was celebrating his 25th anniversary as brewmaster at Columbia Brewery, a position he had held since 1917. He held the longest record of continuous service of any brewmaster in the district. Some of the guests are pictured at the Saturday afternoon luncheon at the Brewery.
Brewing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1940-1950;
Henry Mill was located at the foot of No. Starr St., right at the waterfront. It was on the 28 acre site of the old Tacoma MIll Co. During the war, Henry Mill specialized in prefabricated elements for the military. The company was taken over in 1945 by Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. The photograph shows lots of stored lumber as well as a couple of cranes.
Henry Mill and Timber Company. Burner and lumber storage dock along the Tacoma waterfront. Henry Mill began operations at this site in 1925. It was formerly the site of the Old Tacoma Mill Co. TPL-8381
In July of 1943, with both an army and a civilian population to feed, harvesting the crops became a patriotic duty. With most of Washington's able-bodied men, and many of its women, serving in the military and in the defense industries, farm labor jobs fell to students. Two unidentified students are pictured working as farm laborers in Puyallup Valley in July of 1943. A young boy helps an older teenage girl lift a crate of leafy spinach onto a stack of crates placed in an open field. Boxes are labeled Kelley, Farquhar & Co., a major vegetable and fruit packing company with plants in Salem, Oregon and Tacoma. In 1958, Clyde Farquhar became sole owner of the company. (P.C. Herald 8/9/1984 p.3)
Agricultural laborers; World War, 1939-1945--Students--Tacoma; Croplands--Puyallup Valley;
In July of 1943, with our country at war and an army to feed, bringing in the crops became a patriotic duty. Most men were either in the service or working in the defense industry; therefore, the job of harvesting fell to women and youth. Especially targeted as a work force were youth organizations and the schools. Here, women and students work side by side in a Puyallup Valley spinach field. Wooden crates are placed in the field and Richards Studio's wood paneled station wagon is parked in the distance. Adults were also urged to join the youths in the harvest of valley peas and berries whose peak was to be reached soon. 1,200 kids had already been enrolled in Pierce County's harvest army through the Tacoma Agricultural Manpower Committee of the Chamber of Commerce. 7,000-10,000 adult workers were needed the first two weeks in July. Bus transportation would be provided by the Chamber of Commerce. (T.Times 7-2-43, p. 16-article on harvesting)
Agricultural laborers; World War, 1939-1945--Students--Tacoma; Croplands--Puyallup Valley;
On April 4, 1942, after several aborted attempts, the Northwest Hauling Company successfully raised a 150 foot smokestack at the new plant of Puget Sound Plywood located at 230 E. "F" Street. The huge steel stack weighed 13 tons and was constructed by Seattle Boiler Company. Once lifted into place on its 30 foot tall base, it jutted 180 feet into the air over the tideflats. The plant was expected to be fully operational in 30 days. The erection of the stack required several days of planning by the hauling company owned by Dan Cooney. Puget Sound Plywood, the first cooperative plywood plant in Tacoma, opened June 1, 1942. It had 298 members who each contributed $1,000 and received the same hourly pay and percentage of the company's profits. It was built on 3 1/2 acres at the mouth of the City Waterway. (T. Times 4/6/1942, pg. 2)
Shipyard bowling teams. Painters and fitters from the Seattle Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. Portrait of the champion team identified as (standing) Roy Besam, captain, Frank LaFleur and Al Levorson. On the front row are Jack Olson and Robert Robbins.
Sea-Tac Shipyard bowling teams. Painters and Fitters. Back row, standing: Pip Koehler, C. Skidmore, Jim Cartwright. Front row: George Winegarden, Ralph Conklin (captain)
On January 19, 1942, hard hatted workers at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyard lined up to purchase Red Cross buttons from two lovely female volunteers in a booth. Genevieve Hyde is pictured pinning a button on Rudolph Wolfe. The shipyard's goal was to raise $10,000 for the Red Cross emergency war fund. (T. Times 1/21/42, pg. 3)
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma); Fund raising--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Hyde, Genevieve; Wolfe, Rudolph;
Workers at the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyard are serenaded by the shipyard band during the kickoff for the Red Cross button sale. The shipyard had pledged to raise $10,000 for the Red Cross emergency war fund. For Keel Magazine. (T. Times 1/21/1942, pg. 3)
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950; American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma); Fund raising--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma;
Crowd of men reporting to work at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyards. During World War II, the shipyard was Tacoma's biggest employer. By June of 1942, over 20,000 persons were employed, with plans to add another 5,000 in July. Nineteen thousand of those were directly involved in the production of ships, with 1,000 more working in the office. Tacoma had to make special arrangements for transportation and construct housing for the influx of workers. The original houses at Salishan off Portland Ave. were built to house war workers. For a work force the size of a small city, the shipyard even had its own police force totaling 130. The private uniformed police force was the same size as that of the city of Tacoma. For Pacific First Federal Savings window display.
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. Highway traffic on Tacoma tideflats. A bus can be seen in the middle of the picture. The city was running three 60 passenger World's Fair buses, three 23 passenger, six 25 passenger and three 36 passenger buses. The buses were also getting stuck in the traffic congestion, slowing down their schedule. Plant personnel at the yard was expected to double by years end. (TT 5/8/1942, PG. 1)
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--War work--Tacoma; Automobiles--1940-1950; Traffic congestion--Tacoma--1940-1950;
On the evening of June 15, 1942, the sawmill at the Henry Mill & Timber Co. was fully engulfed in flames. The fire department managed to save the planer plant, warehouse and offices, but the sawmill was a complete loss. The owners swore to rebuild immediately. However, after the fire, the company's business began to consist mostly of prefabricated items for the military. (T. Times 6/16/1942, pg. 1)
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Fires--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Interior of the remodeled Great Northern Railroad Ticket Office in November of 1942. Pictured are the long, curved ticket counter with the agents' desks lying beyond. Three large landscape paintings decorate the walls. The office was located in the Drury building. It was part of "Transportation Row," 112-18 So. 9th St., which housed the ticket offices of all area railroads.
Railroad companies--Tacoma; Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960; Ticket offices; Great Northern Railway Co. (Tacoma);
Early in 1943, scaffolding still surrounds the dry dock and ways built at 223 East F St. for Peterson Boat Building. The small shipyard was founded by father and son partners George and John Peterson. They remained at this site until it burned to the ground in 1969. TPL-9442
Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Charts; Peterson Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);
The exterior of the St. Paul Restaurant was located in one corner of the St. Paul Lumber Company building. A public pay telephone stands at the corner under a sign for the restaurant that slants away from the building. This photograph was taken on a cold day when snow still lay on the ground and covered the limbs of the trees and the top of the telephone booth. The restaurant was owned by S.R. and Mrs. E.J. Hull.
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); St. Paul Restaurant (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma; Telephone booths--Tacoma--1950-1960; Snow--Tacoma--1950-1960;
This photograph from February, 1950, shows part of the engine rebuilding shop at TAM Engineering Corp, 3033 So. Lawrence St. Four workmen are assembling and bench testing rebuilt Ford "flathead" V8 engines. The TAM plant was the most modern Ford Authorized engine rebuilding plant in the Pacific Northwest. By 1950, they had already rebuilt over 50,000 engines and small parts for dealers in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. TAM Engineering Corp. was acquired by the Oklahoma City-based firm, Autocraft Industries, in 1995. (TNT 2-14-1950, A-4) TPL-8482
Machine shops--Tacoma; TAM Engineering Corp. (Tacoma);
A worker at the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. retail yard walks on top of a large piece of timber, preparing to hook up the hoisting machinery to it, and move it from the truck to a stack of lumber. St Paul's three mile long lumber yard was believed to be the largest in the world by the 1940's. St. Paul was a pioneer in the plywood industry, and also in reforestation.
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery;
Several Rucker Bros. trucks loaded with lumber at the St. Paul & Tacoma retail yard. The retail yard was the largest in the Northwest. Rucker Brothers Trucking was located at the retail yard, facilitating the delivery of the wood throughout the Northwest.
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Rucker Brothers (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;
