By February of 1944, the traffic problems on the Tideflats, resulting from the increased employment at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyard, had subsided so much that after a nation wide survey it was found to have the "best handled traffic of any plant" in the US. This photo, looking north on Alexander Ave., was taken of the outgoing traffic, involving thousands of employees, just after the change of shift. Over 300 Victory busses, privately owned vehicles of all shapes and sizes, carried 28 per cent of all traffic to outlying areas, such as Enumclaw, Olympia and Aberdeen. Municipal busses carried 44 per cent and private cars, with car pools, carried 28 per cent. It took about 18 minutes to clear out the congestion after shift change. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. III, No. 4, pg.4-5; February 26, 1944 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--War work--Tacoma; Automobiles--1940-1950; Traffic congestion--Tacoma--1940-1950; Mass transit--Tacoma--1940-1950; Buses--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Several thousand workers at the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard on Tacoma's tideflats gathered on December 7,1943, the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, to watch their company receive the Army -Navy "E" pennant for excellence in production. During WWII the "E" Pennant was the highest award that could be conferred on an industrial plant. Factors in the selection of a plant for recognition were high quality and quantity of production. This was one of several ceremonies held at the shipyard to allow all shifts of workers to celebrate the awarding of the pennant and for the presentation of individual pins to plant employees . (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. XII, pg. 3; December 24, 1943 issue; T.Times 12-8-43, p. 1-article)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Awards;

On December 7, 1943, the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. was awarded the prestigious "E" Award for excellence in production. At the center of the photo, in overcoat and hat, is O.A. Tucker, vice president and General Manager of the yard. As part of the ceremony, employees were presented with a memorial "E" pin. This is possibly a ceremony connected with the presentation of those pins. The Tacoma yard was being recognized for cutting more than a million man hours from the amount needed to produce an escort carrier. Tacoma built flattops and their escorts were famous as submarine destroyers. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. XII, pg. 3; December 24, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Awards;

A Seattle-Tacoma shipyard employee, dressed in work overalls and hatless, makes a heartfelt speech during the December 7, 1943 presentation of the Army-Navy "E" Award flag and employee pins. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. XII, pg. 3; December 24, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Awards;

On December 7, 1943, the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. was awarded the prestigious "E" Award for excellence in production. In this photo, an unidentified man was making a speech from a flag festooned platform loaded with various shipyard dignitaries and Naval officers. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. XII, pg. 3; December 24, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Awards;

In a special December 7, 1943 ceremony, held on the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyard was presented with the prestigious Army-Navy "E" Award. The "E" Award was in recognition of excellent production, beyond the expectations of the government. The awards were made before the largest crowd ever assembled, 25,000, in the Pacific Northwest for this type of event. Here a uniformed Naval officer stands before a microphone on a flag draped podium in what appears to be a secondary event connected with the award. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. XII, pg. 3; December 24, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Awards;

A Naval officer pinned an "E" Award pin on an employee at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyard during a special December 7, 1943 ceremony presenting the company and employees with the prestigious Army-Navy award. The award was the highest that could be conferred on an industrial plant and its workers. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. XII, pg. 3; December 24, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Awards;

A shipyard worker in a hard hat proudly displayed the Army-Navy "E" pennant for inspection. The "E" pennant was the highest award conferred on an industrial plant. It was awarded to the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. during a special December 7, 1943 ceremony. The flag was given in recognition of excellent production, far exceeding the expectations of the government. The Tacoma yard had cut more than a million man hours in the production of its escort carriers. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. XII, pg. 3; December 24, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Awards;

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. This aerial photograph was taken at night as a test with new infra red film. In the brightly lighted area, work was going on 24 hours a day on warships contracted by the military, now heavily involved in World War II. (WSHS)

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

This aerial photograph of the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation yard on Tacoma's tideflats was taken at night in November of 1943, partly as a test of a new infra red film. To the right, in the brightly lighted area, at least four hulls are under construction as work work went on 24 hours a day on warships contracted by the military, now heavily involved in World War II. The lights of Tacoma cut through the night sky.

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

This photograph of workers at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyard on Tacoma's tideflats was used as the September 4, 1943 cover for the Labor Day issue of the shipyard newspaper, the Keel. It showed men and women celebrating the holiday by working. "Sea-Tac marching to war. A war of production." More than in any war before or since, defense workers during World War II saw themselves as directly contributing to the war effort and affecting its outcome. TPL-795 (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. V, cover; September 4, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma;

Seaman Basil D. Izzi shakes hands with an unidentified female employee during the sailor's visit August 25, 1943 to the Tacoma yard of the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. Seaman Izzi had survived for a record 83 days on a 8x9 foot life raft adrift in the South Atlantic. In the upper left background is the "Battle of the Sexes" attendance record. In an effort to reduce absenteeism, the shipyard had turned an attendance contest into a battle of the sexes, men vs. women. The thermometer charts below show on a daily basis which group has better attendance. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. V, pg. 3; September 4, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Izzi, Basil;

In August of 1943, Thomas Nelson had been working at the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyards for almost a year. He worked on the second shift labor gang at Shop A. Not married, Mr. Nelson lived and shared expenses with another bachelor employee and did his own cooking and canning. He had a victory garden, where he spent most of his time away from work. He had, at one time, been in charge of the kitchen at a swanky summer resort at Blowing Rock, N. Carolina, in the Blue-Ridge Mountains. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. V, pg. 8; September 4, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Nelson, Thomas;

Seaman Basil D. Izzi, left, is photographed with Lt. Robert Mallett during a visit to the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyards on August 25, 1943. Seaman Izzi, who had survived a record 83 days on a life raft, spoke at the shipyards and helped present Suggestion Awards. The awards were presented to those employees who made suggestions that cut down production time or improved the quality of workmanship. Seaman Izzi, while serving as a gunner on a United Nations merchant ship that was torpedoed, went overboard and clung to wreckage before sighting and swimming to the life raft. He and four other sailors subsided on the raft, with provisions for only 16 days, by eating fish and birds that they caught and drinking rainwater captured on a canvas. They spent Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day on the raft. Only three of the sailors survived. By the time they were rescued, Izzi had dropped over 65 pounds. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. V, pg. 3; September 4, 1943 issue; TNT 8/26/1943, pg. 1)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Izzi, Basil; Mallett, Robert;

Nancy Linebaugh was typical of the many "war widows" employed at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyards during August of 1943. Her husband Haden was attending Marine officers' school and rather than sitting at home, she was doing her bit to help the war effort by working in the accounting department at the shipyards. The couple had met at Rainier National Park, where she was employed and he was a Park Ranger. The couple had a three year old son, Haden Jr. Mrs. Linebaugh played the piano and favored popular music. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. V, pg. 8; September 4, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Linebaugh, Nancy; World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma;

Seattle-Tacoma shipyard employee Art Faith, right, shook hands with Seaman Basil D. Izzi during the sailor's visit to the Tacoma yard on August 25, 1943. Art Faith worked in Material Control, 2nd shift, where he held his own despite the fact that he had only one hand. Seaman Izzi had survived a record 83 days adrift in the South Atlantic, the longest in Navy history. He was assigned as a gunner on a United Nations merchant ship that was torpedoed. The nineteen year old clung to wreckage for 2 nights and a day before locating and swimming to the life raft. The 8x9 foot raft, with provisions for 16 days, drifted 2,200 miles before the three survivors were rescued. Izzi's weight had dropped from 145 to 80 pounds. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. V, pg. 3; September 4, 1943 issue; TNT 8/26/1943, pg. 1)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Faith, Art; Izzi, Basil;

On August 11, 1943, the Treasury Department's mobile Victory House pulled into the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyard. It was accompanied by two charming hostesses, center. The purpose of the entertainment center was to acquaint workers with the national program of War Bond sales as it related to the war effort; however, the message was cloaked in a vaudeville program, made up from the best of Ft. Lewis talent. The Victory House trailer itself was pulled by a red, white and blue truck and was equipped with a stage, PA system, microphones, mixing panel and even a mammoth Hammond organ. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, NO. III, pg. 3; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); War bonds & funds; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma;

One of the most difficult aspects of the defense industry was finding enough skilled workers to fill the large number of positions available when the wartime factories ran 24 hours a day. The Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. solved this problem by operating its own in house training center. In this center, W.W. Mallery, shipfitter instructor, illustrated a point on the blackboard in July of 1943 for the benefit of his class. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg. 4; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Blackboards; Classrooms;

The laborers seem dwarfed by this large piece of machinery used to puncture steel plates at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyard. Used in Steel Shed A on July 27, 1943, it was being operated by (in no particular order) Fred Wright, John Bickel, Bert Kissick, Lars Heen and Robert Lawson, 2nd shift shipfitters. Lawrence A. "Bert" Kissick is the employee at far left. Men and women came to Tacoma from all over the country to train in the specialized field of wartime shipbuilding. TPL-653 (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg. 4; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Kissick, Lawrence A.; Wright, Fred; Bickel, John; Heen, Lars; Lawson, Robert;

In July of 1943, pipefitters C.V. Beggan, Joe LaPlant and J.B. Kindell were photographed putting the finishing touches on a difficult pipe job at the Tacoma yard of the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. People came to Tacoma from all over the country to fill well-paying defense jobs, where they could also help in the war effort. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg. 4; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Beginning in the late 1930's, as war contracts sped up the pace of industry in the Puget Sound, workers were drawn to the area, seeking the abundant jobs in the well-paying defense industry. The Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. employed over 33,000 workers in its Tacoma yard. Some, like Larry Miller, came for a visit and stayed to work throughout the war. Mr. Miller came around 1941 from Spokane to visit his sister and brother-in-law and stayed to work as a painter at the shipyard. He had previously been a bridge painter. By 1943, he was painter leadman on the second shift and had been awarded the "L" symbol on his helmet. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg. 8; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma)--People; Miller, Larry;

Bright eyed, curly topped Irene Flemish was selected by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyard 1st shift electricians to be their candidate for 1943 "All Yard Queen." She posed for the Richards photographer with her name neatly monogrammed on her collar above her employment badge. The Queen would be crowned at the August company picnic. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg.6; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma)--People; Flemish, Irene;

As a shipyard worker during World War II, superior attendance at work was part of your patriotic duty. As the "Sea-Tac Keel's" Civilian War Creed stated "Wasting precious working hours is sinful in war time." Rigger Outfitting Foreman Art Bagley, pictured, had only lost 1 1/2 days in the 3 and one half years he had worked at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyard. Preferring to be in the great outdoors, before coming to Sea-Tac Mr. Bagley had worked as a logger, longshoreman and pile driver. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg. 8; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma)--People; Bagley, Art;

Lois Tusler was chosen by her fellow employees in the Blueprint Dept. to be their candidate for "All Yard Queen" at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyard picnic in August of 1943 at Sutherland's Resort, Five Mile Lake. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg.6; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma)--People; Tusler, Lois;

Peggy Sparks was the choice of the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyard 2nd shift Shipwrights to wear the crown of "All Yard Queen." The winner would be crowned at the August 1943 company picnic. Miss Sparks posed for a photograph during her workday. Her employment badge, with photo, was attached to her lapel. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg.6; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma)--People; Sparks, Peggy;

Pretty Marmie Osborn was chosen by the employees of the Engineering Department at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyard to represent the 1st shift Files in the August 1943 "All Yard Queen" contest. The winner would be crowned at the shipyard's picnic at the Sutherland Resort at Five Mile Lake. (Sea-Tac Keel, Vol. II, No. III, pg.6; August 7, 1943 issue)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma)--People; Osborn, Marmie;

Lt. Richard Wood, youngest son of Lord Halifax, British Ambassador to the United States, and others aboard escort carrier under construction at Sea-Tac Shipyards. Soldier to the far right is Sgt. Hall, orderly to Lt. Wood, and also a veteran of the North African campaign. Lt. Wood lost both legs at the battle of El Alamein in Egypt, where his older brother was killed. An unexploded bomb from Stuka dive bombers destroyed his legs; however, Lt. Wood (later Baron Holderness of Bishop Wilton) took pleasure in pointing out his survival was due to the mis-assembly of the bomb by anti-Nazi Czech munition workers. He later wrote a biography of his mother and spent 29 years as Tory Member of Parliament for Bridlington. Richard Frederick Wood, politician, businessman and disablement activist, died on August 11, 2002, at the age of 81. (The Guardian, 8-17-02). ALBUM 3.

Visits of state--Tacoma; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of; Wood, Richard Frederick; Nobility--England; Signs (Notices); Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Dorothy, Lady Halifax, wife of the British Ambassador to the United States, receives a corsage from women workers at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. Joan Evangelist, shipfitter's helper originally from Michigan, had the honor of pinning the large orchid corsage on Lady Halifax. Standing by Joan Evangelist are Ann Tryggestad, burner's helper, and Alma Sayers, welder trainee. The woman in black in the background is believed to be Mrs. Harold Swan, wife of the British consul in Seattle. She was to receive a gardenia corsage pinned on her by Betty Jensen, pipefitter. Lord and Lady Halifax, along with their son and their entourage, visited the shipyard to inspect escort aircraft carriers under wartime construction. (TNT 7-22-43, p. 2, TNT 7-23-43, p. 1) ALBUM 3.

Visits of state--Tacoma; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of--Family; Nobility--England; Evangelist, Joan; Tryggestad, Ann; Sayers, Alma; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Lord Halifax, British ambassador to the United States, appears engrossed in conversation with naval and Seattle-Tacoma shipyard officials during a tour of escort aircraft carriers currently under construction. The ambassador, his wife and son, and entourage were escorted to the shipyard by TPD motorcycle officers in vehicles driven by Tacoma police. After a one-hour tour of the facility, the ambassadorial party journeyed on to the College of Puget Sound where Lord Halifax received a honorary Doctorate of Laws degree. After luncheon on the campus and a visit to the British American War Relief Center, Lord Halifax received a police escort to the Boeing aircraft plant where he was able to view the construction of the Boeing Flying Fortresses. (TNT 7-23-43, p. 1) ALBUM 3.

Visits of state--Tacoma; Halifax, Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st earl of; Nobility--England; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Dorothy, Lady Halifax, wearing an enormous orchid corsage, is photographed speaking to U.S. Naval officers on July 22, 1943. Lord and Lady Halifax were taking an extensive tour of the Seattle-Tacoma shipyards to view escort aircraft carriers under construction. Lord Halifax was the British ambassador to the United States. His main purpose on the short one-day visit to Tacoma was to accept an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from the College of Puget Sound; however, he also wanted to tour the shipyards. Lady Halifax was the former Dorothy Evelyn Augusta Onslow before she married Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 3rd Viscount Halifax, and later Earl of Halifax. (TNT 7-22-43, p. 1) ALBUM 3.

Halifax, Dorothy Evelyn Augusta Onslow Wood; Nobility--England; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);