Only two of these four children running in carefree abandon in October of 1940 are U.S. citizens. The two boys on the right are English, refugees from the German bombing of their home in England. The four children are (l to r) Harold and Marian Hellyer and Sandy and Nicholas Schlee. The Schlee boys were guests at the Hellyer home in Interlaaken for the duration of the European conflict. They are just two of the hundreds of children who fled England, but they were the first to come to Tacoma. Their home in England was near a Vickers airplane factory. Their family was forced to sleep in the basement to protect themselves from nighttime bombing. While in Tacoma, the boys attended Park Lodge School and enjoyed some northwest fishing. (T. Times 10/26/1940, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Hellyer, Marian; Schlee, Sandy; Hellyer, Harold; Schlee, Nicholas;

Fort Lewis soldiers eating at a field kitchen that they have set up at Vancouver Barracks, first stop on their route from Fort Lewis to California. Beginning on May 19, 1941, and continuing through May 23rd, a caravan of 23,000 officers and men in 4,000 motor vehicles travelled in 2 separate caravans on 2 routes to participate in war games at the Hunter Liggett Reservation between San Francisco and Los Angeles. One group travelled on US Hwy 97 and the other on US 99. They travelled only from 5am to 12 noon, setting up camp the remainder of the day and freeing up the roads for civilian travel. (T. Times 5/14/1941, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Military mobilizations; Troop movements--1940-1950;

Beginning on May 19, 1941, 23,000 soldiers from Fort Lewis began the trek by motor vehicle from the Fort to California for war games. They travelled in 2 caravans by 2 separate routes, one group on US highway 97 and one on US 99. The trip would take six days with the caravans travelling from 5 am til 12 noon and then camping for the remainder of the day. The shortened travel day was to free up the roads for non-military travelers. Another 13,000 troops would be making the trek by train. (T. Times 5/14/1941, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Military mobilizations; Troop movements--1940-1950;

On April 29, 1941, the 30 members of the Women's Emergency Motor Corps practiced their first aid skills in a series of drills at the Woodbrook Hunt Club. Pictured, left to right, lifting "patient" Anna Eicholz are Elsie Heritage, Peggy Swenson, Lt. Minnie Winfield, Ruth Showman, Capt. Iris Bryan and Minnie Groeper. After a rocky start when the founder "Colonel" Harriet Virginia was charged with Grand Larceny, for taking money for substandard or undelivered uniforms, the group was hard at work training under the direction of an Army Sergeant. They drilled on Wednesday evenings and held First aid classes in Moose Hall on Thursdays. (T. Times 5/6/1941 p.1) Faye Langston Collection

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; First aid--Tacoma--1940-1950; Women's Emergency Motor Corps (Tacoma);

After field dressing the wounds of the "patient" during drills, the members of the Women's Emergency Motor Corps load her into the back of a station wagon for transport. The Motor Corps was a branch of the Tacoma Home Defense Corps. They were available in case of an emergency to provide first aid, drive, or assist in communication. (T. Times 5/6/1941, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; First aid--Tacoma--1940-1950; Women's Emergency Motor Corps (Tacoma);

Five of the thirty women who were members of the Women's Emergency Motor Corps practice their first aid skills in this photograph from April 1941. Members of the corps studied emergency transportation, first aid, international Morse code, semaphore, and motor mechanics. A special aspect of their first aid training was the treatment of injury caused by chemical and gas warfare and the use of gas masks. (T. Times 5/6/1941 p.1)

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; First aid--Tacoma--1940-1950; Women's Emergency Motor Corps (Tacoma);

Three members of the Tacoma Home Defense Corps take a break from drills at Woodbrook. The woman in the center is believed to be Minnie Wingfield.

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; Women's Emergency Motor Corps (Tacoma);

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. Trying out the new equipment at the Civilian Defense Volunteer Office at the City Hall Annex are, left to right, Joseph Lanser, Frank Evans and George Russell. The "tin hats" were made of steel thick enough to protect the wearer from shrapnel splinters. (T. Times 4/18/1942, pg. 1)

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

On March 29, 1942, some of the proud Civil Defense workers of Precinct 37 posed on and in front of the new watch tower that they recently designed and built themselves. On top are, left to right, Ralph Turco, I.A. Youngberg and Nels Olsen. Below are R.J. Carino, R.P. Fulkerson, Kathryn Nelson and Elvira Espeland. Precinct 37 covered the area lying between So. 14th and 19th streets, and "L" to Sprague Ave. The tower sat on top of a hill and commanded an excellent view of the area. The material was donated by St. Paul and Tacoma and the tower was designed by chief fire watcher Youngberg, assisted by Mr. Olsen. The emblems painted on the tower are for Civil Defense. (T. Times 4/1/1942, pg. 3)

World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; Watch towers--Tacoma;

Five year old Toshiyuki Hattori shared a copy of the book "America on Guard" with Pvt. Nat Schwartz on May 17, 1942 in a train car taking on passengers at Tacoma's Union Station. The book was the story of America's armed services - army, navy and marines. The photograph was taken as Tacoma's Japanese Americans gathered to be shipped off, with their few approved possessions, to Pinedale "Assembly Center" near Fresno, California. Despite the fact that almost 2/3 were American citizens, Japanese Americans were considered a security risk to the nation. This and other photographs appeared under the ironic banner headline "Smiles Prevail as Japanese Leave" in the Tacoma Times. Toshiyuki was the youngest in a family of seven. The Hattoris eventually relocated to Utah. (T. Times 5/18/1942, pg. 1+; TNT 5/18/2003, pg. B8+ by Stan Flewelling)

World War, 1939-1945--Relocation camps; Japanese Americans--Evacuation & relocation, 1942-1945; Hattori, Toshiyuki; Schwartz, Nat;

This photograph of six year old Yukie Suekawa and Pvt. Howard L. Loudermilk at Union Station was chosen to grace the front page of the May 17, 1942 Tacoma Times with the caption "Goodbye for the Duration." As Pvt. Loudermilk adjusts the bonnet on the head of the little girl's doll, they are surrounded by a group of smiling Japanese adults. The smiles were considered the proper face to put on the hard facts that 859 Tacoma residents of Japanese ancestry were being removed from their homes and shipped by train to the Pinedale Assembly Center near Fresno California, despite the fact that many of them were US citizens. (T. Times 5/18/1942, pg. 1; TNT 5/18/2003, pg B8+, by Stan Flewelling)

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

Salvage for Victory meeting at Mayor's office in City Hall. Representatives of agencies interested in collecting scrap iron, rubber, waste paper and other salvageable items discuss plans for organization of a Tacoma committee with state chairman J.C. Haley and Mayor Harry Cain. Front row, left to right- Guy Thompson, Haley, Mayor Cain. Center row: Rev. H.W. Michener, J.H. Titcomb, Fred Hughes, George Russell, Elmer Nelson, J.R. Kiely. Rear: Chas. McIntyre, Ray Ecklund. The local committee would be the first to be formed in the "Salvage for Victory" program under Haley's control. The proposed committee would be made up of eight men representing local charitable agencies and three business men. Citizens with salvage materials to give to the nation's defense program would donate through one of these agencies. There was no official government agency for this purpose. Agencies represented in this picture are the Community Chest, Goodwill, St Vincent dePaul, Salvation Army, Youth Defense Committee, Volunteers of America and the Air Raid Wardens. (T. Times 3/5/1942, pg. 1, picture pg. 7; TNT 3/5/1942, pg. 8)

World War, 1939-1945--Scrap drives; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950;

By January of 1942, the new USO center at 4851 South Tacoma Way in South Tacoma was finished. It was dedicated on February 7, 1942. It was one of two new USO centers built at a combined cost of $101,60; the other center was downtown at 13th and Fawcett. The building was essentially completed by December 23, 1941, fifty days after ground breaking; however, the dedication was delayed by the late arrival of furnishings and fittings. By January the United States had officially entered WWII and the new recreation center received a lot of use over the next few years. In 1944, the center was given to Metropolitan Parks for use as the South Park Recreation Center. (TNT 2/7/1942, pg. 1) TPL-10328

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

Barn dance at South Tacoma U.S.O. Tacoma girls providing hostess duties wait on the sidelines for an offer to dance.

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

In May of 1942, the Tacoma Women's Emergency Motor Corps held a carnival in Horsfall Hall at 801-09 South 38th Street to raise money to help the corps carry on its work. At this booth a spin of the prize wheel could win the lucky contestant prizes ranging from a Carsten's ham to a box of crackers. The slogan of the motor corps was "Keep 'em rolling on the road." The women of the corps were trained to drive and maintain Tacoma's emergency vehicles. The carnival included bingo, a jitney dance, card games, a fortune teller, and various food and game booths. (T.Times 5/21/1942)

World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; Women's Emergency Motor Corps (Tacoma); Carnival games; Carnivals--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A War Bond Sale rally was held at the Liberty Center on April 24, 1943. Two military bands from Fort Lewis performed during the program and an appearance was made by the new Pierce County chapter of the Minute Maids. People purchasing Series E Bonds ($18.75 and up) were taken on a ride in one of two jeeps available for that purpose. Over $10,000 in bonds were sold to help in the fight against the Axis. (TNT 4/25/1943, pg. 1)

War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma;

As the Second War Loan Drive picked up steam at the Tacoma yard of the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. mid April of 1943, employees pledged more of their salaries and purchased additional bonds. The War Bond department staff worked hard to keep pace. Pictured left to right are Anson Hart, department manager, Grace Giel, Margaret Cobb and Marion Marshall. These assistants, plus others, typed thousands of bonds each week. The sales by mid April totalled $379, 519, a new company record. (T. Times 4/20/1943, pg. 10)

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

The Tacoma yard of the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. broke all their previous records in payroll war savings and the purchase of extra war bonds during the month of April 1943. They had already collected $379,518.84 locally in payroll deductions toward the national goal of $13 billion. Pictured are War Bond department manager Anson Hart and chief clerk (standing) Mrs. May McDowell. Typing certificates are Virginia Carlbloom, left, and Lillian Marshall. (TNT 4/20/1943, pg. 15- picture; T.Times, 4/20/43, p.10) [Also dated 04-12-9143]

War bonds & funds; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; Hart, Anson; McDowell, May; Carlbloom, Virginia; Marshall, Lillian;

A young marble player, tongue held firmly for concentration, practiced for the Tacoma Times city marble championship at Central school in April of 1943. The winner received a $25.00 war bond.

World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Children playing with marbles--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Central School 1B Class. First graders learn to cook. Duane Carter, left, and Edward Mantell, right, wearing aprons, check the contents of a pan sitting on top of a hot plate. The hot plate is on a table with an empty milk bottle, a can of Nestle's cocoa and measuring cup. The boys are making cocoa, with materials supplied by the Dairy Council. (T.Times, 4/24/1943, p. 5)

World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Central School (Tacoma); Children cooking--Tacoma--1940-1950; Carter, Duane; Mantell, Edward

Civil Defense. Man with helmet reading "Incident Officer" points to area out of picture range; three other men in picture look in that direction. All of the men are standing by a large truck.

World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma;

Members of Company 7 of the Auxiliary Fire Service hook up to a hydrant during the March 21, 1943 civil defense drill. They were battling a real blaze that was deliberately set in an abandoned building in the industrial district. The purpose of the blaze was to test their newly equipped pumping unit.

World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fire fighters--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The members of one of the companies of Tacoma's auxiliary civil defense fire service posed with their engine and Tacoma Fire Chief Emory Whitaker outside of "The Florence," 414-22 Tacoma Ave. So. The photograph was taken either before or after a March 21, 1943 civil defense drill. The drill proposed that Tacoma had been bombed by enemy forces and the Florence Apartments had been destroyed.

World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; Florence Apartments (Tacoma); Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma's eight Zone Air Raid Wardens met at the Hotel Winthrop to receive posters and other materials for the national V-Home campaign, scheduled to start Monday. V-Home stood for Victory Home, and it was a civil defense program targeted at teaching citizens to defend themselves in case of enemy attack. They were also expected to conserve, ration, buy war bonds and save salvage. The Zone wardens coordinated the effort of the precincts and block Air Raid Wardens. They are, left to right, R.J. Carino with printed air raid instructions, Paul Garver with a V-Home poster, C.W. Sangster, Tom Miller, Handel Ingham, Russell Longworth and James Crawford. Seated is Charles Strong holding a copy of the new bomb protection regulation. (TNT 4/19/1943, pg. 1-picture, T. Times, 4/19/1943, p. 2).

World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; Hotels--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Group portraits;

Worker at Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company inspecting pressure gauge. During World War II Penn Salt produced chemicals important in manufacturing ammunitions products. (T.Times, 2/23/44)

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Chemical industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Working class--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Factories--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Two men wheel barrels of chemicals on dollies, preparing to load them for shipment at the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. "PennSalt," during World War II, manufactured chemicals for use in the ammunitions industry.

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Chemical industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Working class--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Factories--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A group of workmen posed in May of 1943 at the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co.

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Chemical industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Working class--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Factories--Tacoma--1940-1950;

On March 19, 1943, a long line quickly formed outside the Crystal Palace Market, 1101 Market St., when word spread that one of the merchants inside the market had received a shipment of butter. More and more Tacomans were feeling the pinch of the war and the effects of rationing. Meat was in short supply with many markets totally out of beef and pork, continuing to keep their doors open by offering fish and fowl. Butter, too, was in short supply, and shortly after this photo was taken, the butter at the Crystal Palace had been snapped up.(T.Times, 3/20/1943, p.1) TPL-1991

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Consumer rationing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Consumers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Markets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Crystal Palace Market (Tacoma);

On March 19, 1943, a line quickly formed to buy rationed butter at the Crystal Palace Market. Other rationed items included coffee, sugar, gasoline, rubber and shoes. Ration stamps were needed to purchase any of these items, as diets and travel plans underwent revisions based on these restrictions. (T.Times, 3/20/1943, p.1)

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Consumer rationing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Consumers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Markets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Crystal Palace Market (Tacoma);

This view of the Salishan housing development shows the massive project as it looked in January of 1943. In 1942-43, Tacoma undertook its largest development plan ever, a 2000+ dwelling plan on 188 acres on the southeast side intended to house defense workers. The housing development was named Salishan, a Native American word for the tribes of the area. 1,600 structures were to be permanent and 400 temporary. By January of 1943 some of the much needed housing was nearing completion, but not able to be occupied. Some items were still out for bid - including the sewers. [Also dated 02-09-1943] (T. Times 2/25/1943, pg. 31)

World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Housing developments--Tacoma--1940-1950; Salishan Housing Project (Tacoma);