During World War II, the US military was still segregated. Despite the fact that they fought side by side, servicemen of color were not allowed in the whites only USO clubs. In Tacoma, a group of prominent religious, community and civic leaders addressed this problem by opening USO #2 at 713-15 Commerce St. and dedicating it for the use of African American servicemen and women. This photograph is of an unidentified violinist and accompanist performing at USO #2.

This undated photograph appears to have been taken at the USO club #2, the Tacoma club reserved for servicemen and women of color. Second from left was Tacoma Mayor C. Val Fawcett (acting 1943-45, elected 1946-50) and on the far right is Rabbi Bernard Rosenberg of Temple Beth Israel.

The 70 piece Youth Symphony Orchestra of the Pacific Northwest performed in front of the temporary bandstand, topped with unfurled flags, at the USO Music Festival held July 28, 1946 at Point Defiance Park. The young orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Francis Aranyi, was one of the favorites of the 7,000 concert viewers. (TT 7/27/1946, pg 2 and 7/28/46, pg 1; TNT 7/27/46, pg.1 and 7/29/46, pg. 1& 2; Photo by F.L. Powell, YMCA, Tacoma)

Military Band plays outdoors with two tubas and a flute. Tents and coniferous trees are pictured in the background.

"Camp Hankens - 1935." Group of soldiers pose with tents in the background.

Crown gathered around man speaking in front of industrial architecture. In the distance, a man appears to be installing a utility pole.

Third Division Reunion at Fort Lewis. Military unit on parade grounds. The 3rd Division, American Expeditionary Force, fought three major engagements in France: at Marne, St. Mihiel, and Argonne- Meuse (T. Times 7/15/1937, p 1).

Events - Military Events - Military Reunions - Fort Lewis - 3rd DivisionFacilities - Military Facilities - Washington - Fort Lewis

Army Day. Iva (Mrs. Wesley) Lloyd with a group of women and a young girl standing under an oak tree. Mrs. Lloyd is the widow of the late US Congressman Wesley Lloyd. The Lloyds lived in Tacoma at 3919 No. 34th. The 1936 annual encampment of the Washington National Guard was named "Camp Wesley Lloyd" after the late congressman. It was held in June of 1936 at Camp Murray.

Fort Lewis (Wash.); Lloyd, Iva;

Army Day at Fort Lewis. 9th Field Artillery Battalion stepping off to the parade grounds for the review of troops. Soldiers in parade formation in front of 3-story, brick building. (T. Times 4/6 & 4/7/1936, pg. 1)

Fort Lewis (Wash.); Soldiers;

Army Day. Nine monoplanes flying flying in formation over an open field. Two Army trucks and several automobiles are traveling over a dirt road. Mt. Rainier visible in background.

Fort Lewis (Wash.); Soldiers; Aircraft--1930-1940;

Washington National Guard encampment, "Camp Wesley Lloyd." Mock retreat. Military band dressed in outrageous outfits.

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

Governor's Review of troops at Fort Lewis. Parade unit marching in formation followed by mules. A military band is marching on the infield. An expansive line of automobiles is parked along the parade grounds in the distance. Thousands of spectators were present to view the largest military review to date at Fort Lewis. 14,000 regular army and national guard troops paraded past the stand where the governors of Washington, Oregon and Montana, along with military officials, stood in review. Eleven bands marched with the units to which they were attached. Tanks, mules, motor trains including full motorized equipment, and men passed in formal review during the three hour show of military might. (T. Times, 8-21-37, p. 1, 8-23-37, p. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Fort Lewis;

Third Division Review, held at Fort Lewis on May 13, 1937. Soldiers stand beside mules hitched to spoke-wheel field artillery. a memorable transition to a modern motorized army of tanks and aircraft. The mules still played an important role in the military despite the mechanization of the army. (T. Times 5/14/1937, pg. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Fort Lewis; Fort Lewis (Wash.); Military facilities--Wash.; Mules;

Governor Clarence Martin's Review of troops on Fort Lewis. Large crowd on hillsides observing parade of military vehicles and personnel in an open field. A dirigible from the 3rd Balloon Co. is flying overhead. Army officials made sure there was plenty of parking for the thousands of spectators who wanted to see the impressive display of American military power. The three hour pageant included thousands of troops plus tanks, mules, horses and motorized equipment. (T. Times, 8-21-37, p. 1, 8-23-37, p. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Fort Lewis; Spectators--Fort Lewis;

Tacoma turned out in full force to welcome the marines and sailors from the U.S. Naval fleet during the big, colorful parade that was part of the July 1935 "Fleet Week" celebration. Tens of thousands viewed with patriotic pride Uncle Sam's best: the 1,700 sailors and marines and 2,500 Fort Lewis soldiers, R.O.T.C., and C.M.T.C. troops who marched in the joint naval and military four-mile parade. The Reserve Officers from Fort Lewis are pictured above marching down Broadway in front of buildings in the 900 block. The distinctive Bostwick building can be seen clearly in the right background. In addition, new motorized artillery were displayed including 75 mm guns and 165 mm howitzers. (T.Times 7/18/1935, pg. 1- picture; T.Times 7-17-35, p. 1-article) (almost the same image as 2600-12)

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Soldiers, Sailors and Marines parade down Pacific Ave. The large Navy massed marching band from the flagships is followed by the Marines in procession on Pacific Avenue. The Riviera Theater, Rust Building and other 900 Pacific Avenue block buildings in background. The parade was being held in honor of Fleet Week. The parade route was north on Pacific Ave, from 15th to 9th, up the hill to Broadway and south to 15th. (T. Times 7/30/1936, pg. 1).

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma); Riviera Theatre (Tacoma); Marching bands--Tacoma--1930-1940; Marines (Military personnel);

A military parade featuring the US Navy, Army and Marine Corps proceeds down the 900 block of Pacific Ave. Banners and flags strung across the street flap in a stiff breeze. Prominent on the right hand side of the picture are the Riviera Theatre at 906 Pacific Ave., Washington Hardware, at 924, and the Rust Building, at 950. This parade was part of Fleet Week, when the people of Tacoma welcomed back the fleet. (T. Times 7/30/1936, pg. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma); Riviera Theatre (Tacoma); Washington Hardware Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1937. Military unit on parade grounds in front of officers' quarters at Fort Lewis in this circa 1937 photograph. Truck with four loudspeakers on roof parked by street. Also see D795 series.

Military personnel--Fort Lewis; Trucks--Fort Lewis--1930-1940; Officers' quarters--Fort Lewis;

The whaleboat crew of the USS Salt Lake City posed, holding oars straight up, on October 27, 1936 before the starter's gun sent them to victory in the Navy Day boat race. The pictured crew finished a length and a half ahead of the crews from the USS Colorado and Texas, winning the Bremerton Sun trophy. (Bremerton Sun 10/28/1936, pg. 1)

Naval yards & naval stations--Bremerton; Puget Sound Navy Yard (Bremerton); Boat racing; Rowboats--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rowing races--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rowers;

In honor of Navy Day, October 27, 1936, the crews of the USS Salt Lake City, Colorado and Texas competed in a whaleboat race in the waters of the Puget Sound at the Bremerton Naval Yard. The Salt Lake City finished a length and one half before its nearest competitor, clinching the Bremerton Sun trophy. (Bremerton Sun 10/28/1936, pg. 1).

Naval yards & naval stations--Bremerton; Puget Sound Navy Yard (Bremerton); Boat racing; Rowboats--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rowing races--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rowers;

Washington National Guard encampment, "Camp Wesley Lloyd." Lt. Col. Wright and Capt. Van Rooy observing through instruments. Lt. Col. Wright is using a template to calculate artillery trajectory.

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

The wire laying & signal communication group at the annual encampment of the National Guard at Camp Murray. The Guard members in the foreground of the picture are, left to right, Ribert (Robert?) Howard, Keith Cole, Corporal Palmer, John Winterhouse and Sgt. R. Herzog. They are working on a device that reels out cable in front of the 148th Field Artillery Battery E supply tent. The 1936 encampment was held the last two weeks of June and offered Guard members a chance to re-train and take part in military exercises. Each year the encampment was given an honorary name, in 1936 it was Camp Wesley Lloyd. (T. Times 6/17/1936, pg. 1)

Washington National Guard (Tacoma); Camp Murray (Wash.); Military personnel--1930-1940; Howard, Ribert; Cole, Keith; Winterhouse, John;

Lt. Ellsworth C. French, commander of the 116th Observation Squadron of the Washington National Guard, with a "air camera" photographed from the front. The camera is used to take ground pictures from great heights. These pictures are used to map unfamiliar territory. Cropped version of D1108, image 3. (T. Times 6/24/1936, pg. 4)

Washington National Guard, 116th Observation Squadron (Tacoma); Camp Murray (Wash.); Military personnel--1930-1940; Cameras--1930-1940; Photographic apparatus & supplies; French, Ellsworth;

The United States fleet visiting Tacoma. View of two battleships in Commencement Bay from Northeast Tacoma looking toward the city. Ships seen in the distance over the druins of a wharf and log boom. (T. Times).

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

United States fleet visit to Tacoma. Four battleships in Commencement Bay near the Port of Tacoma. View is taken from Northeast Tacoma and shows Mount Rainier in the background. (T. Times).

Battleships--1930-1940; Celebrations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

United States fleet visits Tacoma. Four battleships in Commencement Bay near the Port of Tacoma. Mount Rainier is visible in the distance. (T. Times).

Battleships--1930-1940; Celebrations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

The 148th Field Artillery Band at the Washington National Guard encampment in 1936, "Camp Wesley LLoyd." The band is led by long-time drum major Steve Monland (spelled Moreland in the Richards records,) in front with baton. Members are standing in a field with trees, tents, and small buildings in the background at Camp Murray. (T. Times 6/17/1936, pg. 1)

Camp Murray (Wash.); Military personnel--1930-1940; Military bands; Washington National Guard, 148th F.A. Band (Tacoma);

Washington National Guard encampment, "Camp Wesley Lloyd." 148th Field Artillery, Battery E Field Telephone group. Soldiers standing by supply tent.

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

Citizens Military Training Camp, the C.M.T.C., at Camp Murray. Group of young men in civilian clothing drinking coffee and eating donuts. Some of the new arrivals are wearing tags on strings around their necks. Camp buildings in background. These young citizen volunteers will soon be donning uniforms and learning about military life as they take part in training as soldiers. The C.M.T.C. provided a body of trained young men that could be called into duty if needed. (T. Times 7/9/1936, pg. 14).

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

ca. 1941. Fort Lewis soldiers demonstrate artillery techniques on the main parade ground in this 1941 photograph. The base chapel can be seen in the background at left. The citizens of Pierce County donated the land for a federal military base in 1917. Camp Lewis was named for Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. The named was changed to Fort Lewis in 1927.

Fort Lewis (Wash.); Chapels--Fort Lewis; Artillery (Weaponry )--Fort Lewis;