On October 30, 1941, the men of the 3rd Infantry, a division of Fort Lewis, march down the street in mass formation, suggesting the tremendous military power of the US. The line of marching men was over 6 miles long.

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1940-1950;

On April 6, 1942, the Army held its first wartime parade in downtown Tacoma. It was held on the anniversary of the US war declaration of World War I (4/6/1917). The parade included an whole infantry of soldiers, fully outfitted. They also demonstrated their current equipment, such as these light scout cars armed with automatic rifles. (T. Times 4/6/1942, pg.1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1940-1950; Soldiers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Marching--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Military personnel--Tacoma;

Recruits receive training at a new Recruit Center set up near the old Tacoma Field hangar, now part of McChord Field. They will participate in six weeks of training, including the use of gas masks. The group of 900 current recruits are destined for specialized branches of the service, such as medical corps, signal corps and ordnance. They will serve a tour of duty of three years. (T. Times 11/27/1940, pg. 1)

Soldiers--Tacoma--1940-1950; McChord Field (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Military training; Military life; Gas masks;

ca. 1940. Christmas banquet, National Guard. Also labelled last reunion of non commissioned officers held at the Grey Goose.

Washington National Guard (Tacoma);

National Guard parading in groups on playground across from Armory. They are marching steadily three abreast. (T. Times.)

Washington National Guard (Tacoma); Marching--Tacoma--1940-1950;

ca. 1940. Anniversary banquet Company E 116th Medics, National Guard. The company poses around a large cake with the Red Cross emblem.

Washington National Guard, Company E, 116th Medics (Tacoma); Banquets--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Fort Lewis arranged a 3-5 hour parade of military might on May 9, 1941 in honor of Lt. General John L. DeWitt, commanding general of the 4th Army. 45,000 troops would pass in review, as well as 5,000 mechanized units. In this picture, trucks pull artillery, with 10 soldiers riding in the back of each truck. (T. Times 5/6/1941, pg. 2; 5/9/41, pg. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Fort Lewis; Artillery (Weaponry)--Fort Lewis;

On May 9, 1941, a large military review, the largest since World War I, was held at Fort Lewis for the benefit of Lt. General John L. DeWitt. Here, all terrain vehicles tow artillery mounted on trailers. (T. Times 5/6/1941, pg. 2; 5/9/41, pg. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Fort Lewis; Artillery (Weaponry)--Fort Lewis;

A three star review, the largest since World War I, was held at Fort Lewis in honor of Lt. General John L. DeWitt, the West's only 3 star General. Lt. Gen. DeWitt, commanding general of the Fourth Army, was visiting the Fort from his Headquarters at the Presidio, San Francisco. Over 45,000 troops would pass in review, as well as tanks, a blimp, artillery with its pack mules and Cavalry. During the parade, ten bands comprised of 400 musicians played continuously for the 3-5 hours. (T. Times 5/6/1941, pg. 2; 5/9/41, pg. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Fort Lewis; Musicians--Fort Lewis--1940-1950; Fort Lewis (Wash.); Marching bands;

A squad of R.O.T.C. cadets from Bellarmine High School fired three volleys with their rifles at the Memorial Day service held in front of Stadium High School in May of 1941. The entire student body assembled in front of the building for the solemn ceremony. Special tribute was paid to the 11 Stadium alumni who lost their lives in WWI. (T. Times 5/30/1941 p.1)

Military training--Tacoma; Cadets--Tacoma; Reserve Officers Training Corps--Bellarmine High School (Tacoma); Stadium High School (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Memorial Day; Memorial rites & ceremonies--Tacoma; Commemoration--Tacoma;

Studio picture of soldier for Times. Private Inder Chhabra, a native of India, now serves in the U. S. Army. Pvt. Chhabra received his degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of CA and speaks four languages. He is stationed at Fort Lewis in the radio section of Headquarters Battery Field Artillery (T. Times, 5/5/44, p. 1).

Soldiers--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Military personnel--Tacoma; Chhabra, Inder;

War bond campaign. No fireworks will be seen this 4th of July, but the War Fund drive is in full swing during the last few days of bond sales. Six year old Charles Ray Fowler, is being helped by two unidentified War Bond Salesmen, they have just finished counting 7,500 white pennies which are being exchanged for a war bond. The white pennies were made of zinc-coated steel. They were issued in 1943 to conserve copper for the war, and were collected by his grandfather. The War Bond sales wagon can be seen in background (T. Times, 7/1/44, p. 14).

War bonds & funds; Fourth of July celebrations; Fowler, Charles Ray;

Red Cross Board Members. The American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter assisted the nation with the War Fund Drive by setting their quota at twice the amount as last years, in order to help support the war effort. View of American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter Board Members.

War bonds & funds; Patriotic societies--Tacoma; American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma);

Fifth War Loan Campaign parade. Thousands of Tacoma residents gathered on Broadway to see the Fifth War Loan Campaign parade, which was organized by the Retail Men of Tacoma and held on "Infantry Day". Parade Marshal was Reno Odlin, State Chairman of War Finance. View of Birchfield Boiler Inc. float with their employees in their work clothes (T. Times, 6/16/44, p. 5).

War rallies--Tacoma; War bonds & funds; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma);

United Church Service Center will be dedicating their new center, which has a recreational facility and 300 bed dormitory. The ceremony will feature four talented musicians from the medical training session at Fort Lewis. Left to right are William Hanley, Abraham Gershkowitz, Leona Louise and Jack Ringler (T. Times, 10/28/44, p. 1).

Military bands; Musicians--Tacoma; Building dedications--Tacoma; United Churches Service Center (Tacoma);

Avenger at Todd Pacific. The side of the "Avenger" has gaping holes it received in the battle of Tarawa. The man made tank crawled out of the South Pacific Sea and up to Japanese beachheads. View of large group standing in front of "Avenger" at Todd Pacific Shipyards (T. Times, 8/24/44, p. 3).

Tanks (Military science)--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Tank warfare; Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. (Tacoma);

Avenger at Todd Pacific. Todd Pacific Shipyards has "Avenger", the tank used in the battle of Tarawa in the South Pacific. The tank used by the Marines, will be here for one week. View of large group at Todd Pacific Shipyards gathered to see "Avenger" (T. Times, 8/24/44, p. 3).

Tanks (Military science)--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Tank warfare; Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. (Tacoma);

Christmas Party at attended station. The Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Public Telephone Station was set up in February 1943. The telephone center was used primarily by servicemen and war workers. Many war workers were recent residents of Tacoma and were unable to obtain telephone service. Materials needed for phones were being used for production of weapons and other war industries. Interior view of attended telephone station decorated with Christmas wreaths and swags for party. Unidentified servicemen and telephone staff gathered for party.

Parties--Tacoma; Military personnel--Tacoma; Telephone industry--Tacoma; Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. (Tacoma); Public Telephone Center (Tacoma);

The 1,050 students at Jason Lee School in 1943 became personally involved in supporting the war effort. Many worked a 4-hour shift after school in local factories and shops to raise money for war bonds and stamps. From the start of the school year in September to April of 1943 when this photo was taken, the Jason Lee students bought over $4,400 in war bonds. This is the fifth jeep they helped buy for Uncle Sam. (T.Times, 4/19/1943, p.14; TNT 4/19/1943, pg.4)

War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); School children--Tacoma--1940-1950; Jeep automobile;

Petrich Boat Building. US Army Transportation Corps. Hull no. 8 - TP225, 96' Wooden Utility Boat, Design #333, Petrich Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma.

U.S. Army Transportation Corps; Boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Transportation--Tacoma; Petrich Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Petrich Boat Building. US Army Transportation Corps. Hull no. 8 - TP225, 96' Wooden Utility Boat, Design #333, Petrich Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma.

U.S. Army Transportation Corps; Boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Transportation--Tacoma; Petrich Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

US Army Transportation Corps. Hull no. 8 - TP225, 96' Wooden Utility Boat, Design #333, Petrich Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma. Docked under the 11th Street Bridge. Petrich Shipbuilding was located on the City Waterway. TPL-8025

U.S. Army Transportation Corps; Boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Transportation--Tacoma; Waterfronts--Tacoma; Petrich Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

An unidentified Washington State Guardsman scans the skies with binoculars, searching for enemy aircraft. He leans his chair back against the wall of the primitive observation post. The soldier was part of a special detachment of the 4th Volunteer Infantry, Wa. State Guard, sent to the Olympic Peninsula on active duty to serve as spotters of enemy aircraft.

Washington State Guard (Tacoma);

Pfc. Harry Anderson reports by phone to the Fourth Fighter Command on July 15, 1942 from a typical post in the rugged hills of the Olympic Peninsula. He was phoning in the report via the State Forestry lines. The sign on the hut read "State Division of Forestry Telephone." Pfc. Anderson was part of a special detachment of Washington State Guard serving as enemy aircraft spotters on the Peninsula. All of the posts were connected by telephone so that they could call in all reports of airplanes seen or heard. (T. Times 7/28/1942, pg. 3)

Washington State Guard (Tacoma); Anderson, Harry; Telephones;

First Lt. Wilbur E. Roberts (center), commander of the special duty detachment of the Washington State Guard, points out items of interest to Brig. General Walter J. DeLong (right), state Adjutant General, and an unidentified officer on a July 1942 inspection tour of detachment headquarters. The special detachment consisted of 32 men from the Guard assigned to active duty as spotters of enemy planes. Their first field headquarters was a commandeered school building in Forks, a mill and logging town in W. Clallam County. It housed the administrative center and supplied housing for those soldiers not at observation points. Sign on school building reads "Field Headquarters, 4th Washington Volunteer Infantry. Washington State Guard. (unreadable) Detachment." (T. Times 7/28/1942, pg. 3)

Washington State Guard (Tacoma); DeLong, Walter J. ; Roberts, Wilbur E.;

From a beach post, Pvt. Bernard Sweeney looked seaward through field glasses, searching for enemy aircraft. As the waves rolled in, Pfc. Charles Cooper stood guard fully armed. The pair were part of a volunteer special detachment of the 4th Volunteer Infantry, Washington State Guard, serving as lookouts in July of 1942 on the Olympic Peninsula and reporting back to the Army's Fourth Fighter Command. The members of the detachment were all from Tacoma and most were under draft age. They were armed mainly to protect them from cougars and bears in the wild. TPL-1986 (T. Times 7/28/1942, pg. 3- picture; TNT 8/2/1942, pg. 1)

Washington State Guard (Tacoma); Sweeney, Bernard; Cooper, Charles;

Western Boat. Side view of YP 628. This is the second ship of its type to be built by Petrich yards. After launching in February 1945 she was outfitted for the Navy and is ready to be released to the Navy as of May 1945. (T.Times, 5/26/1945) TPL-9443

War ships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound (Wash.); Petrich Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Robert E. Hutchins Funeral. Aviation cadet Robert E. Hutchins, age 20, was killed in a mid-air plane crash 12 miles north of Merced, California. His casket at Trinity Lutheran Church in Parkland is surounded by flowers, several of which depict the medals Cadet Hutchins won during the war. The one to the left of the casket resembles the Army Distinquished Service Cross, the two on the right resemble the Silver Star, given for galantry in action. (T.Times, 5/19/1945, p.1; 5/21/45, p.11)

Hutchins, Robert E.; World War, 1939-1945--Casualties--Tacoma; Trinity Lutheran Church (Parkland);

Two unidentified soldiers clean their rifles and polish their boots, as a barracks cat watches intently. Tacoma observed its first peace-time Army Day in five years on Saturday April 6, 1946. A cold, southwesterly wind failed to keep thousands from flocking downtown to watch soldiers, veterans, Wacs, state guardsmen and military equipment pass in review. An open house at McChord Field attacted thousands to the air force base to inspect all kinds of military planes and weapons. TPL-6691

Soldiers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Barracks--Tacoma; Rifles; McChord Field (Tacoma); Armed Forces Day;

Washington National Guard had just received 155mm howitzers, cannons and other large firing weapons, from the government. Guardsmen would receive training on how to use the new equipment at Camp Murray. The weapons would be used by the National Guard in future maneuvers. View of two Guardsmen inspecting the newly arrived four barreled firing weapon (T. Times, 10/9/47, p. 2).

Militias; Artillery (Weaponry)--Tacoma; Artillery (Troops)--Tacoma; Arms & armament--Tacoma; Washington National Guard (Tacoma);