Program coverage. U.S.O. Unit #2. A group of African American soldiers are sitting on stage looking out at the audience. In the 1940's, the military service was still segregated and the USO club on Commerce St. was intended for servicemen of color. [Also dated 02-29-1943] TPL-1958

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

Program coverage. U.S.O. Unit #2. A group of women standing and seated. Lady seated in front on left has a badge stating: Senior Hostess, U.S.O., No.2, Tacoma. USO #2 was located at 713-15 Commerce St. and was intended for use by servicemen of color. [Also dated 02-29-1943]

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

By 1943, there were five USOs in Tacoma. Because the United States Armed Services were still segregated, African American enlisted men had a separate U.S.O. This photograph from March 1943 is of a group of service men and hostesses at U.S.O. #2 which was located at 715 Commerce St. (Also dated 02-29-1943]

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

In 1943, although they fought side by side, the Army was still segregated. African American servicemen has their own USO Club in Tacoma, the U.S.O. #2 at 713-15 Commerce St. For Mothers Day in 1943, the black community of Tacoma tried to make the men feel at home by inviting them to a special church service. In honor of the holiday, the Lincoln High School a-capella choir (in robes) also presented a special program. (T. Times 5/8/1943,pg.7)

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

The Lincoln High School a-capella Choir (pictured) presented a special program for Mothers Day, May 9, 1943, at the USO Club #2. Since the Army was still segregated in World War II, this Club was intended for African American servicemen. (T. Times 5/8/1943, pg. 7)

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Choirs (Music); African Americans--Social life--1940-1950;

During the war, different organizations and companies would take turns entertaining the military men at the USO Clubs. On the last day in February, 1943, Northern Pacific played host at the 13th and Fawcett USO. Soldiers appear to be crowding behind a piano for a sing-a-long. (photograph damaged at right side)

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma);

A man dressed as a train engineer has captured the attention of many soldiers crowding the room as Northern Pacific plays host at 13th and Fawcett USO.

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma);

Northern Pacific Railway hosts and hostesses at 13th & Fawcett U.S.O. Several of the hosts and hostesses are holding lanterns and Northern Pacific logo signs. Different social organizations and companies would take turns acting as hosts at the USO Clubs. [Also dated 02-28-1943]

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Group portraits--1940-1950;

Portrait of Ted Bishop and his wife taken outside Turner Richards' Photography Studio. Mr. Bishop is wearing a sailor's uniform in this February, 1943 photograph.

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Military personnel--Tacoma; Bishop, Ted--Family; Turner Richards Studio (Tacoma);

May 11, 1943 review of Junior ROTC at Bellarmine High School. Portrait of dignitaries including priests, instructors, military officials and a woman. Over 300 guests witnessed the inspection and review. The event held soon after Mother's Day honored the mothers of the cadets and started with a military field mass and breakfast. This was followed by the military review on the school campus. (T.Times, 5/11/1943, pg. 11)

World War, 1939-1945--Students--Tacoma; Church schools--Tacoma; Bellarmine High School (Tacoma); Reserve Officers Training Corps (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

The Bellarmine ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps) Color Guard was photographed during the May 11,1943 ROTC unit inspection and review. Left to right: Robert L. Erickson, John M. Carey, Douglas Johnson, and James Buchanan. At the all male Catholic high school, military drill was compulsory for sophomores and juniors. Bellarmine was the only high school on the Northwest coast with a ROTC unit. (T.Times, 5/12/43, p. 3-picture, 5/11/1943,pg.11)

World War, 1939-1945--Students--Tacoma; Church schools--Tacoma; Bellarmine High School (Tacoma); Reserve Officers Training Corps (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Military art & science--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Mrs. Clyde Best was one of several defense worker mothers who was honored by the Tacoma Times on the nation's second wartime Mothers Day in May of 1943. Mrs. Best had a husband serving in the Army who was stationed in Africa and an eighteen year old son, James Gibson, who had been in the Army three months. (T. Times 5/8/1943 p.4)

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; Mothers; Best, Clyde--Family;

Tacoma honored its war-worker mothers of service men for Mother's Day, May of 1943. Mrs. Marietta Fleck was a welder at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Company. Her son James Albert Nickerson had been an instructor of trainees in the infantry at Salina, Kansas, but his present location was unknown. He had been in the service six years and had two brothers in the Marines. (T. Times, 5/8/43, p. 1, 4 & 5) TPL-1972

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; Mothers; Fleck, Marietta; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma)--People;

Early in May of 1943, a quintet of adventurous Tacoma lasses posed in front of the locomotive at Union Station that was their first step to going "over there." The local women left Tacoma May 6th for the new training center at Monticello, Arkansas, to begin basic training in the year old Womens Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC.) They are, left to right, Agnes Dittbenner, Mary Dittbenner, Ellen V. Vail, Marie J. Stith and Grace Garner. They travelled in a special car along with 47 other potential privates from Washington and Oregon. Over 150,000 American women served in the Army Corps in World War II. (T. Times 5/7/1943, pg. 8; TNT 5/7/1943, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (Tacoma); Dittbenner, Agnes; Dittbenner, Mary; Vail, Ellen; Garner, Grace; Stith, Marie;

Five local women pause to pose for the camera at Union Station prior to leaving Tacoma May 6, 1943 to begin their careers as members of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. Pictured are, left to right, Agnes Dittbenner, Mary Dittbenner, Ellen V. Vail, Tacoma recruiter Dorothy Kerr, Grace Garner and Marie J. Stith. The bill authorizing the Womens Army Auxiliary Corps was enacted on May 14, 1942. By August of 1943, there were over 50,600 women in the WAACS. In August of 1943, in recognition of their service, the WAAC was converted to the Womens Army Corp, a bona fide part of the United States Army. (T. Times 5/7/1943 p.8; TNT 5/7/1943, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (Tacoma); Dittbenner, Agnes; Dittbenner, Mary; Vail, Ellen; Kerr, Dorothy; Garner, Grace; Stith, Marie;

Modelling the latest in "tin hats" and armbands are Civilian Defense officers, left to right, Joseph Lanser, Frank Evans and George Russell. On Friday, April 17, 1942, Tacoma received its first shipment of steel helmets and armbands for their Air Raid Wardens. The shipment included 250 of each. The "tin hats" were made of steel thick enough to protect the wearer from shrapnel splinters. The trio is posing at the Civilian Defense Volunteer office at the City Hall Annex. (T. Times 4/18/1942, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; Lanser, Joseph; Evans, Frank; Russell, George; Helmets; Flags--United States;

In March of 1942 the civilian defense workers of precinct 37 in Tacoma gathered for a group photograph at the foot of the new fire watchers' tower that they designed and built themselves. R. J. "Rocky" Carino (at far right, with arm raised), the precinct air raid warden, was an employee of the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company. He talked his employers into donating the lumber for the tower. Idolf A. Youngberg, chief fire watcher for the precinct, designed the tower and superintended its construction. Precinct 37 included the area between So. 14th & So. 19th streets from "L" Street to Sprague Avenue. Standing in the tower (l to r) are Ralph Turco, I. A. Youngberg and Nels Olsen. The tower was situated on a hill, with a commanding view of the surrounding area. (T. Times 4/1/1942, pg. 3)

World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; Watch towers--Tacoma; Carino, R.J.;

On June 12, 1942, the Admissions Committee for the new Tacoma War Chest met for the first time. It was the Committee's job to recommend to the War Chest Board which war related agencies should benefit from the monies raised by the October campaign. Applications for funds would be reviewed until June 30th. The USO had already been approved and several war relief agencies had applied as well. Pictured in discussion at City Hall were, left to right, Hazel (Mrs. J.P.) Simpson, Fern (Mrs. Clay) Pratt, Guy Thompson, Leona (Mrs. Edward C.) Yoder, Freeman Cochran, Mayor Harry Cain, George Firth and Walter West. (T.Times 6/15/42, pg.7)

World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Community service--Tacoma--1940-1950; Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950;

On the morning of June 7, 1942, fifteen Tacoma men were sworn into the U. S. Navy during a special "Avenge Pearl Harbor Day" ceremony. The ceremony was held at 9th and Broadway. The members of the Navy Mother's Club were the special guests. Buildings in the photograph include the Bostwick Hotel, right , Roxy (Pantages Theater) and Winthrop Hotel at left. (T. Times 6/6/1942, pg. 1; 6/8/1942, pg. 12)

World War, 1939-1945--Recruiting & enlistment--Tacoma; Roxy Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A group of young Tacoma and Pierce County men were sworn into the U.S. Navy at a special "Avenge Pearl Harbor Day" ceremony held at the corner of 9th and Broadway on Sunday June 7, 1942 in front of the Roxy Theater. The members of the Navy Mother's Club were honored guests. The participants are standing in "V for Victory" formation. (T. Times June 8, 1942 p.12)

World War, 1939-1945--Recruiting & enlistment--Tacoma; Roxy Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A group of young Tacoma and Pierce County men were sworn into the U.S. Navy at a special "Avenge Pearl Harbor Day" ceremony held at the corner of 9th and Broadway on Sunday June 7, 1942 in front of the Roxy Theater. The new Naval recruits smile at someone's young son in a Navy uniform. (T. Times June 8, 1942 p.12)

World War, 1939-1945--Recruiting & enlistment--Tacoma; Roxy Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950;

On February 19, 1942 President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066. This action eventually led to the removal of some 110,000 Japanese-Americans to internments camps in remote areas of Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. This little girl was photographed at Tacoma's Union Station as she and her family prepared to board a train to the Pinedale, California assembly center camp. 879 Japanese-Americans from the Tacoma "restricted area" left for Pinedale beginning on May 14, 1942. (T. Times)

World War, 1939-1945--Relocation camps; Japanese Americans--Evacuation & relocation, 1942-1945; Union Station (Tacoma);

Army soldiers speak with a couple at Union Station. On May 17-18, 1942, 859 residents of Tacoma of Japanese descent were forced to leave their homes and board trains to the Pinedale "Assembly Center" near Fresno California. They were allowed to take a few approved possessions to their new "homes." This woman, dressed in her Sunday best for the trip, is transporting an irregularly shaped parcel and a First Aid kit, uncertain about the future. One of the soldiers inspects her package. (T. Times 5/18/1942, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Relocation camps; Japanese Americans--Evacuation & relocation, 1942-1945; Union Station (Tacoma);

Five year old Toshiyuki Hattori smiles at the camera over his book. At his side is military guard Pvt. Nat Schwartz. On Feb. 19th, 1942 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued an executive order authorizing the military to banish anyone it considered potentially dangerous from any region considered to be at risk. On March 2nd, the plan was revealed to remove anyone with Japanese ancestry from the entire West Coast. Tacoma's turn came May 17 & 18th, 1942, when 859 Japanese Americans were shipped from Union Station to Pinedale Assembly Center near Fresno California. (T. Times 5/18/1942, pg. 1; TNT 5/18/2003, pg. B8+)

World War, 1939-1945--Relocation camps; Japanese Americans--Evacuation & relocation, 1942-1945; Union Station (Tacoma); Hattori, Toshiyuki; Schwartz, Nat;

On April 8, 1942, the first Washington State mobile canteen unit arrived in Tacoma. Some military personnel gratefully accept coffee and doughnuts as the rolling kitchen, one of 10 in the nation donated by Henry Ford, was put immediately into action. It was operated out of Tacoma jointly by the USO and the Salvation Army. The mobile units would serve members of the armed forces in outposts with games, magazines and writing materials. They could even show movies with a projector mounted on the rear of the truck. Major and Mrs. Alva H. Holbrook of the Salvation Army were placed in charge. She is pouring coffee and he is far right in the picture. The Holbrooks had arrived recently from Hawaii, where they had run a canteen after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. (T. Times 4/9/1942, pg. 9; TNT 4/9/1942, pg. 6)

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; United Service Organizations (Tacoma); Canteens (Wartime, emergency, etc.)--Tacoma; Holbrook, Alva;

Barn dance at South Tacoma U.S.O. Members of the 183rd band form a jazz orchestra to supply plenty of swing for the dance. The addition of straw hats to their uniforms gives them a country flair.

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

On July 23, 1941, Boy Scouts from Troop 42, in the Larchmont area, were pictured at 9th and Broadway with their donations for the wartime scrap aluminum drive. The boys had quite a collection of old metal, including the washing machine that they are heaving into the main dump site. A large wire enclosure was being used to corral the donated metal during the weeklong city drive. The eleven boys in the troop brought 135 donation pieces from their Southeastern neighborhood. (T. Times 7/25/1941, pg. 3; eleven boys in troop named in article)

World War, 1939-1945--Scrap drives; Boy Scouts of America, Troop 42 (Tacoma); Aluminum;

On July 23, 1941, eleven Boy Scouts of Troop 42 from the Larchmont area of southeast Tacoma came downtown to contribute 135 pieces of scrap aluminum to the aluminum collection drive. The metal was needed to build bombers for the Army Air Corp. The main collection dump was at the corner of South 9th and Broadway, in front of the Music Box Theater. The Larchmont area centered near South 96th Street and Pacific Avenue; it was planned to be a select suburban community with streets named after famous colleges such as Harvard, Yale and Amherst. Boys taking part in the aluminum drive were: (in no particular order) Billy Bowlin, Walter Oden, Richard Ruth, Dickie Hansler, Don Lang, Elroy Burnett, Gerald Griffith, Raleigh Elkins, Stanley Vernon, Leslie Roley and Tomio Akimoto. (T. Times 7/25/1941, pg.3)

World War, 1939-1945--Scrap drives; Boy Scouts of America, Troop 42 (Tacoma); Music Box Theatre (Tacoma); Aluminum;

This photograph, taken on October 3, 1941, is of the corner of 11th and A Street, showing traffic from the shipyard into the city. The city had plans to extend Alexander Ave. across 11th Street to Lincoln Ave. to create a new route and hopefully relieve this bottleneck on 11th Street. However, federal aid would be needed to extend the road across the water covered Tideflats.The Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. had recently expanded its work force, due to military contracts, and this was causing increased traffic congestion. (T.Times 9/23/1941, pg. 4)

World War, 1939-1945--War work--Tacoma; Automobiles--1940-1950; Traffic congestion--Tacoma--1940-1950;

In October of 1941, long lines of automobiles crawl down Alexander Ave. at the end of the shift at the Seattle- Tacoma shipyard. The shipyard was located at the end of Alexander Ave. and there was only one way for the workers to get back into town. (T. Times 10/10/1941, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--War work--Tacoma; Automobiles--1940-1950; Traffic congestion--Tacoma--1940-1950;