Undated photograph of gunboat #12 as it churns through calm waters. The ship is flying the American flag. It is possible that the patrol vessel was undergoing sea trials at the time. Photograph ordered on October 28, 1974, by Tacoma Boatbuilding.

Gunboats; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

This unidentified vessel, believed to be a Navy gunboat, was in dry dock at Tacoma Boatbuilding in January of 1970. It appears that the paint on the boat has been stripped.

Gunboats--United States; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1968. View of USS Ready, an Asheville Class gunboat, which had been commissioned on January 6, 1968. The PG-87 was built by Tacoma Boatbuilding and named after a town in Kentucky. The 165-foot aluminum gunboat was launched on May 12, 1967. Tacoma Boatbuilding had a contract to build twelve gunboats; the USS Ready was the sixth in the series. (TNT 5-13-67, p. 2; www.navsource.org/archives/12/11087.htm)

Gunboats--United States; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

PG-92 at Tacoma Boatbuilding. The USS Tacoma, a patrol gunboat, had been launched in April of 1968. The above photograph was taken about six months later as the vessel was undergoing further work. She would be commissioned in July of 1969.

Gunboats--United States; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Additional work on PG-92, the USS Tacoma, in drydock at Tacoma Boatbuilding in mid-October, 1968. The patrol gunboat, eighth in a series of twelve being built for the Navy, had been successfully launched in April of 1968. It would be commissioned in July of 1969. The Tacoma would earn two battle stars during the Vietnam War.

Gunboats--United States; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

ca. 1936. Freighter at Port of Tacoma, city in background. (Argentum)

Cargo ships; Port of Tacoma (Tacoma);

ca. 1935. Ford Motor Company freighter. Detail view of ship with Ford logo on funnel. For Stimpson Motor Company.

Cargo ships--1930-1940; Ford Motor Co.;

Crew of the American freighter "Wildwood". Crew posed for portrait on wharf with hull of ship as background. The freighter, owned by the American Steamship Co., had turned around mid Pacific and returned to Tacoma to unload its "hot" cargo. The cargo consisted of copper, brass, and machinery intended for Russia.

Cargo ships; Shipping--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Views of American freighter "Wildwood" unloading at Commercial Dock. Matthewson Shipping Company. The vessel is unloading $4,500,000 worth of cargo originally consigned for Vladivostok, USSR. The vessel was turned around in the mid Pacific and returned to Tacoma, under the direct orders of F.R. Clark, president of the American Foreign Steamship Co. Clark feared that the vessel would run into the British blockade with her "hot" cargo and that it would be confiscated. This event marked the extension of the European War into the Pacific trade routes. (T. times 4/8/1940, pg. 1)

Cargo ships; Shipping--Tacoma--1940-1950; Piers & whaves--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commercial Dock (Tacoma);

Views of the American freighter "Wildwood" unloading their Russian bound cargo in Tacoma at Commercial Dock. Matthewson Shipping Company. Fear of an Allied blockade had caused the vessel to turn about in mid Pacific. They were shipping 7,000 tons of copper, brass and machinery owned by Amtorg, the Russian trading organization. Representatives of Amtorg were in Tacoma to take over the cargo. (T. Times 4/8/1940, pg.1)

Cargo ships; Shipping--Tacoma--1940-1950; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commercial Dock (Tacoma);

The American freighter Wildwood unloading cargo originally consigned for Russia. The Wildwood had turned back mid Pacific and returned to Tacoma to unload her cargo, fearing a British blockade and confiscation. The cargo consisted of 7,000 tons of copper, brass and machinery intended for the USSR. (T. Times 4/8/1940, pg. 1)

Cargo ships; Shipping--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The cargo ship Wildwood, owned by the American Steamship Co., unloads her controversial cargo at Commercial Dock on April 8, 1940. The ship had been bound for Russia, but turned back in mid Pacific, fearing a British blockade. Her $4,500,000 cargo was unloaded and left in Tacoma for Amtorg representatives to call for. (T. Times 4/8/1940, pg. 1)

Cargo ships; Shipping--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commercial Dock (Tacoma);

1939 Dock scenes of "Lake Frances of Tacoma" ship. Close-up view of cargo ship being unloaded, equipment for new Narrows Bridge. Crew member and a woman are on deck. Vertical image.

Cargo ships--Tacoma--1930-1940; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940;

On Saturday afternoon October 15, 1938, the Danish ship "Nordhval" left port in Tacoma bound for Japan. The "Nordhval" carried 2,500 tons of scrap metal, made up mostly of old streetcar rails, from Tacoma and a similar amount of scrap loaded earlier in Portland. Tacoma's Shaffer Terminals, Dock No. 2, on the Milwaukee Waterway was the ships last stop before sailing to Japan. In 1938 Japan was at war with China. The Tacoma News Tribune ran an editorial on October 15th titled "A New Japanese Invasion."

Cargo ships--Tacoma--1930-1940; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Shaffer Terminals, Inc. (Tacoma);

In October of 1938 the Norwegian motorship "Nordhval," bound for Japan, was being loaded with old streetcar rails at the Shaffer Terminals, Dock No. 2 on Tacoma's waterfront. Two men operate cranes as another man watches the rails being loaded. Tacoma's last streetcar had been taken out of service in April of 1938 as the old method of travel was replaced with city buses. Street railroad tracks were only a portion of the 2,500 tons of scrap metal assembled from various parts of the Northwest that were being sent to Japan aboard the "Nordhval." (T.Times, 10/17/38, p.5)

Cargo ships--Tacoma--1930-1940; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Shaffer Terminals, Inc. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery;

Loading of Norwegian motorship "Nordhval" with scrap streetcar tracks for shipment to Japan. Man pushing tracks over rail into hold of ship. Japan, at war with China, would not say what the 2,500 tons of scrap metal in the shipment would be used for. Over 1/2 of the scrap came from the useless ties in the TR & P Bay street yards. The streetcars had been discontinued in Tacoma in June of 1938. (T.Times, 10/17/1938, p. 5).

Cargo ships--Tacoma--1930-1940; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Shaffer Terminals, Inc. (Tacoma);

Loading of Norwegian ship "Nordhval" with scrap streetcar tracks. Man watching as rails are lowered into ship's cargo hull through a hatch. The ship sailed on October 15, 1938 with 2,500 tons of scrap metal. Over 1/2 of that amount came from the rails of the discontinued Tacoma streetcars. (T.Times, 10/17/1938, p. 5).

Cargo ships--Tacoma--1930-1940; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Shaffer Terminals, Inc. (Tacoma);

ca. 1938. "S.S. Wildwood", full side view of American Shipping Company freighter in Commencement Bay.

Cargo ships; American Shipping Company;

S.S. Wildwood, full side view of American Shipping Company freighter, loaded with lumber, in Commencement Bay.

Cargo ships--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Cargo ship "American Robin" loaded with lumber leaving Commencement Bay under a threatening, storm cloud sky.

Cargo ships--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Port side view of lumber liner tied up at North Coast Dock on City Waterway (Thea Foss Waterway) with Stadium High School on cliff in background.

Cargo ships--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Loading docks--Tacoma; North Coast Dock (Tacoma); Warehouses--Tacoma; Stadium High School (Tacoma);

Close up of port side view of lumber laden cargo ship "American Robin" tied up at North Coast Dock on City Waterway (Thea Foss Waterway) below Stadium High School.

Cargo ships--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Loading docks--Tacoma; North Coast Dock (Tacoma); Warehouses--Tacoma;

Close up of port side view of lumber laden cargo ship "American Robin" tied up at North Coast Dock on City Waterway (Thea Foss Waterway) below Stadium High School.

Cargo ships--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Loading docks--Tacoma; North Coast Dock (Tacoma); Warehouses--Tacoma;

Port side view of cargo ship "American Robin" moored next to the warehouses at North Coast Dock on City Waterway ( Thea Foss Waterway) with Stadium High School predominate on cliff above.

Cargo ships--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Loading docks--Tacoma; North Coast Dock (Tacoma); Warehouses--Tacoma; Stadium High School (Tacoma);

Close-up of bow quarter view of lumber laden cargo liner "American Robin" leaving North Coast Dock on City Waterway (Thea Foss Waterway).

Cargo ships--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Close up of port side of cargo ship "American Robin" loaded with lumber. Ordered by Mr. Arndtz.

Cargo ships--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Loading docks--Tacoma; North Coast Dock (Tacoma); Warehouses--Tacoma;

Large steamer in bay.

Royal Pacific on her June, 1951 sea trials. The "Royal Pacific," 118' x 26' x 13.5' tuna clipper, was valued at $320,000 and she would carry a 615-hp Superior diesel for a speed of 11 knots. She would hold 230 tons of tuna under refrigeration. Ordered by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (TNT, 5/6/1951, p.B-2) TPL-9048

Ship trials--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

The "Carmelita the Second" underwent sea trials at the Old Town Dock on August 23, 1950. The 55-foot fishing boat is stationary; no visible sign of captain aboard. The dinghy has been hauled up and stored in the boat's stern. The boat was sold to Mexican interests for use in the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fleet. Photograph commissioned by Birchfield Boiler, Inc.

Ship trials--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma);

Interior of the pleasure craft "Acania," restored by J.M. Martinac and available for charter through Emmett T. Krefting, Charter Representatives, 903 Commerce St. This March of 1950 photo shows the salon equipped with several chairs and couches. The 110 foot yacht was used as a cruise ship. She was owned by a syndicate of several owners including Fred Borovich, J.S. Martinac and Ted Ultsch.

Yachts--Tacoma--1950-1960; Ships--Tacoma--1950-1960; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;