Fleet Week, July 5 through 11 1938, Tacoma. Four U.S. Navy Battleships in Commencement Bay, tideflats in background. Taken from a high bluff, framed by trees.

Battleships--1930-1940; Celebrations--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The military man in the center is speaking on a field telephone, while the man on the left operates the unit, during the June 1934 Washington National Guard training encampment at Camp Murray. The other men in the photograph have additional rolls of wire and a shovel and pick for laying the wire.

Camp Murray (Wash.); Military personnel; Washington National Guard (Wash.); Communication devices--1930-1940;

ca. 1934. View of Citizens Military Training Camp (C.M.T.C.) constructed in a vast open field and containing a number of buildings and tents. Uniformed men are lined-up across the parade ground. After World War I, the country could not afford to maintain a large standing army. Nor could it afford the time needed to train hastily summoned volunteers in an emergency. The compromise was the Citizens Training Camps. In these annual camps held in the summer, young men interested in military careers could train as well as reservists needing a refresher course. (T. Times). (WSHS)

Citizens Military Training Camp--Tacoma; Washington National Guard (Tacoma); Military camps--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Interior of recently completed $90,000 chapel at Fort Lewis. The two-story chapel is supported by wood trusses. Colored Corinthian columns of imitation marble support the arcaded plastered walls and upper-story windows. The bronze lighting fixtures cost $2,000 each. A key feature of the chapel is the simple well lighted altar, appropriate to services of any faith. The chapel is the showpiece of the 6 year, 5 1/2 million dollar development program at Fort Lewis. The bill for the work was covered by the federal government and provided jobs for thousands in the depression weakened economy. (T. Times 11/23/1934, pg. 1) (WSHS)

Fort Lewis (Wash.); Military facilities--Wash.; Chapels--Fort Lewis;

New brick buildings erected at Fort Lewis, part of a 6 year development program scheduled to be completed by the end of 1934. (T. Times 11/24/1934, pg. 5) (WSHS)

Fort Lewis (Wash.); Military facilities--Wash.;

A happy group of soldiers wave to the photographer as he captures a close-up of members of the "Can Do" 15th Army Infantry regiment returning to Fort Lewis from China. The soldiers pose on the deck of the US Grant transport ship, which whisked them away from China as bombing increased by Japan. Their departure ended 26 years of continuous service in China by the regiment, during which they assisted the Chinese through flood and famines. (T.Times, 3/24/1938, p.1).

Troop movements--1930-1940; Government vessels--1930-1940; Warships--1930-1940; Military personnel--1930-1940; Military uniforms--United States --1930-1940;

Some of the 808 army officers and men of the 15th US Infantry, dressed in military overcoats, crowd the U.S. Grant's deck as naval officers ready the transport ship for its arrival in Tacoma. Airplanes from Fort Lewis fly over Commencement Bay. (T.Times, 3/24/1938, p.1).

Troop movements--1930-1940; Government vessels--1930-1940; Warships--1930-1940; Military personnel--1930-1940; Military uniforms--United States --1930-1940;

Soldiers with duffel bags and foot lockers wait patiently on home ground to clear customs in Tacoma after fleeing China and traveling 21 days aboard the army transport U.S. Grant. The 15th Infantry Regiment is being reassigned from China to Fort Lewis. The men had been removed from China because of the escalating hostilities between that country and Japan. (T.Times, 3/24/1938, p.1)

Troop movements--1930-1940; Military personnel--1930-1940; Military uniforms--United States --1930-1940;

General Carlos A. Penington, of Tacoma, and his staff salute as they pass by the Governor's reviewing stand on horseback. They are taking part in Camp Aston, the 58th annual training encampment of the Washington National Guard, held June 11th- 25th at Camp Murray. Over 3,000 troops took part in the Governor's review held June 20th. (T. Times 6/20/1938, pg. 1)

Washington National Guard (Wash.); Camp Murray (Wash.); Military uniforms; Military personnel--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Although the United States was not at war in 1938, Washington National Guardsmen kept their skills fresh by attending the annual summer training camp. Most journeyed to Camp Murray near Tacoma but coast artillery units were stationed at Fort Worden near Port Townsend. Here they practiced loading and firing the big coastal artillery guns from bunkers. Strategically placed batteries were capable of defending the coast against battleships and enemy landings. (St. George: Fort Worden History-article)

Washington National Guard (Wash.); Fort Worden (Wash.); Military personnel--1930-1940; Artillery (Weaponry)--Fort Worden;

50th Anniversary banquet of Troop B Cavalry and Washington Cavalry Association, held in Tacoma June 25th, 1938. The banquet gathered together all the cavalrymen who had ridden under the flag of Troop B, Tacoma's most famous military organization. Troop B was the oldest military group in the state and was often referred to as the "City Troop" by old timers. Its actual designation was Headquarters Troop, 24th Cavalry Division, Washington National Guard. Troop B served as the guard of honor at the inauguration of the first Governor of the state in 1889, as well as in conflicts in Mexico and Berlin. (T. Times 6/23/1938, pg. 8)

Banquets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Washington National Guard, 24th Cavalry Division (Tacoma);

During Fleet Week, July 5 through 11, 1938, Tacoma played host to 5200 officers and men of the visiting battleships, the USS California, West Virginia, Tennessee and Maryland. In return, the Navy thrilled Tacoma with a military parade, boat races and nighttime searchlight displays. Pictured are five Navy battleships anchored in Commencement Bay.

Battleships--1930-1940; Celebrations--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1938. National Guard review. 148th Field Artillery Rifle team. (filed with Argentum)

Washington National Guard, 148th F.A. (Tacoma); Military personnel--1930-1940; Rifles;

Sgt. Lawrence A. Lewis, tank commander, flashes a grin at the camera despite his flour whitened face and the fact that he has just been "slain" by a Molotov cocktail. On October 21, 1941, Sgt. Lewis was one of 4500 soldiers participating in exercises where 41 tanks squared off against 37 and 75 mm anti-tank gun on the Fort Lewis reservation, near Roy. Luckily the "cocktail" contained only flour, and his be-floured face is evidence of the hit. Asked how it felt to be "killed," he replied, "It made me sneeze." (T. Times, 10-22-41, p. 1)

Military maneuvers--Fort Lewis; Military personnel--Fort Lewis; Lewis, Lawrence;

On October 30, 1941, the troops of the 3rd Infantry Division of Fort Lewis took to the streets of downtown Tacoma in a tremendous military spectacle. Over 10,000 soldiers, as well as their mechanized units, took part in an enormous Army parade. A crowd of Tacomans turned out to watch the spectacle.

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

On October 30, 1941, jeeps roll down the Broadway parade route as Fort Lewis shows off its military strength in a parade. Over 10,000 soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division marched as well as a steady flow of tanks, artillery and mechanized machinery.

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

On October 30, 1941, the 3rd Infantry Division of Fort Lewis took part in a huge military parade through downtown Tacoma. Men in jeeps pull artillery weapons. The Roxy Theater is on the right. The Bostwick building can be seen in the center background.

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

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;

October 21, 1941 tank maneuvers at Fort Lewis where Mayor Harry P. Cain was guest of honor. 41 tanks, weighing 10 tons and heavily armored, would participate in military exercises against anti-tank guns. Traveling through rough terrain, the "Blues" would ford streams and knock down fences as they attemped to dislodge the strongly entrenched "Reds." They "battled" to a draw. (T.Times, 10-22-41, p. 1)

Tanks (Military science)--Tacoma; Military maneuvers--Fort Lewis;

In June of 1942, Mary Rathfon (left) and Elizabeth Morris posed with a poster encouraging employees of the Internal Revenue Department to sign up for Payroll deductions to purchase war savings bonds. "Let's hit the bull's eye! Everybody. Every Payday. At Least 10%." Miss Rathfon holds an allotment card. Lots of those cards were filled out at the IRS office at the downtown Post Office; sign ups totalled 94.9 percent. (T. Times 6/5/1942, pg. 2)

War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; Internal Revenue Service (Tacoma); Targets (Sports); Arrows; Posters; Rathfon, Mary; Morris, Elizabeth;

Brig. General Walter J. DeLong and his wife and daughter Norma at Camp Murray. Norma, a junior at Clover Park High School, was the couple's middle child. They also had two sons, Walter Jr., who attended Washington State College, and Clarence, a sixth grader at Clover Park School.

Washington State Guard (Tacoma); DeLong, Walter J.; DeLong, Walter J.--Family;

Guardsman Irven W. Kenney kissed his mother goodbye on June 18,1942 as he left for active duty with the Washington State Guard. Emotionally looking on was his father, Lieut. Col. I. W. Kenney, a member of the staff of Adjutant General Walter J. DeLong. Irven had volunteered to go on active duty and was being sent to the Olympic Peninsula with 29 other Guardsmen to man air raid warning posts. In August of 1942 Lieut. Col. Kenney died suddenly while stationed in Ogden, Utah. His son, Irven Kenney, Jr. survived the war and returned to Tacoma where he lived for the rest of his life, dying in July of 1992. (T. Times 6/18/1942, pg. 1-picture)

Washington State Guard (Tacoma); Military uniforms--Washington State Guard; World War, 1939-1945--Military mobilizations; Kenney, Irvin W.; Kenney, I.W.; Kenney, I.W.--Family;

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;

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;