U.S.O. #2, 713-15 Commerce St., circa 1946. During World War II, although black and white soldiers fought side by side, the United States Army was still segregated. In Tacoma, African American service men and women had their own USO Club at 713-15 Commerce. It was dedicated on September 4, 1942 and closed late in March of 1947. The Kaufman-Wolff building where it was located had previously housed the Soldiers and Sailors Clubhouse during World War I. USO #2 was enlarged in 1944 by adding an annex in the building to the north of the original club. The enlarged structure provided the following facilities: dark room, music room, hobby room, game room, showers, sleeping accommodations, library and snack bar. It was operated by the YMCA and staffed primarily by volunteers. (brochure from Recognition Ceremony USO Number Two on 3/30/1947; photograph by F.L. Powell of Tacoma).
ca. 1943. One year old Pat Finnegan prepares for a military 1944 in these photos taken for New Years. He cries as Mom and Dad put a World War II helmet on his head and a rifle in his hands.
World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Children playing with toys--Tacoma--1940-1950; Finnegan, Pat;
Pile driver at scrap agency. Four men processing old metal water tanks through a pile driver at the scrap pile, known as "Scrap Iron Acres", behind Pacific Match Company to break them up for vital metal needed in the U.S. war effort. The pile driver was loaned by the Industrial Engineers and Contractors with volunteers from Iron Workers' and Pile Drivers' unions. (T.Times, 6/28/1943, p.1)
World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Refuse disposal--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Pile driver at scrap agency. Men processing metal tanks through on-site pile driver at "Scrap Iron Acres". One man operates the power machinery while others hold the salvaged tanks under a guillotine type structure. The impact sends dust into the air. (T.Times, 6/28/1943, p.1)
World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Refuse disposal--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Large group portrait of workers, men, women and children, at scrap agency, "Scrap Iron Acres", where salvaged metal was flattened by an on-site pile driver to be used for the war effort. (T.Times, 6/28/1943, p.1)
World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Refuse disposal--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Major Hooker. He is standing outside a house in July of 1943 wearing his uniform. His wife, Ellen J. Hooker, and daughter, Mary Rogan, are in the background. Major Albert Hooker, president of Hooker Electro-chemical Company, is on furlough from London where he serves as a chemical warfare officer. (T.Times, 7/20/1943, p.1)
World War, 1939-1945--Military personnel--Tacoma; Hooker, Albert H.; Hooker, Albert H.--Family; Hooker, Ellen; Hooker, Mary; Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma);
ca. 1943. In this photograph taken around 1943 in Tacoma's USO #2, Doris "Dorie" Miller demonstrated for the photographer some of the events that made him a hero during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. On December 7, 1941, he was stationed on the USS West Virginia in Pearl Harbor. After the bombing, he carried wounded fellow sailors, including the Captain, to safety. He then manned a 50 caliber Browning anti-aircraft gun until it ran out of ammunition, bring down a reported four Japanese planes. This was remarkable of itself, but especially since he had never received any artillery training. He was awarded the Navy Cross, the first African American sailor to receive this honor. He was killed in action in November of 1943. The frigate USS Miller was named in his honor.
World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; African Americans--Tacoma--1940-1950; Heroes--Tacoma; Miller, Doris;
ca. 1943. Women Block Leaders at scrap pile. Two women and a small girl sit atop a wrecked automobile in the junkyard in this circa 1943 photograph. One woman is holding a lunch pail, the other is looking into a compact as she puts on lipstick.
World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; Junkyards--Tacoma; Cosmetics;
On September 9, 1943, the third War Loan Drive for WWII kicked off. Americans were encouraged to "Back the Attack" with their dollars. Pierce County's portion of the nation's 15 Billion dollar goal was 19 million dollars. In this photograph, the soldier was having a difficult time choosing which war bond to buy from the ten young women offering them to him. The women were dressed in similar floor length split-skirt jumpsuits. Photograph ordered by the War Finance Committee.
War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Lincoln Heights War Housing. The exterior of several single story buildings. The ends of the closest building are wider at the top than the bottom and the windows along the long side are in a row towards the top. Lincoln Heights project includes 400 units, 120 acres. There is a community building, grocery store. It is between Lincoln and South Tacoma, near business districts. All units are permanent. (TNT 4/27/1943)
World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Buildings; Housing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lincoln Heights Housing Project (Tacoma);
In 1943, C.F. "Cliff" Arney and Dick Perkins opened Arney's Saveway No.3 grocery and market at 2225 So. 38th St. near the Lincoln Heights housing project. The store was superbly stocked with every imaginable item in the way of groceries, fresh meats, produce, and fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. They advertised that even though there was rationing, because of the war, they had a wide selection of "hard to get merchandise". This building stood close to what is now the 38th Street exit for I-5. (TNT 6/10/1943 p.6)
World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lincoln Heights Housing Project (Tacoma);
Lincoln Heights War Housing. Single family residences just around the corner from Arney's Saveway Grocery Store. Newly planted shrubs line the new streets and curbs. TPL-6419
World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Housing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lincoln Heights Housing Project (Tacoma);
Salishan - Interiors and Exteriors. An office interior with a man behind a desk talking on the telephone and a woman at the end of the desk reviewing ledger cards. A map of site locations hangs on the right wall. 22,000 war workers have moved to Tacoma since Pearl Harbor needing housing. The 2,000 homes in Salishan (400 permanent and 1,600 with temporary construction) form a new city nearly the size of Puyallup with 465 acres. It includes a large community building, management and maintenance building and a shopping center. (TNT, 4/27/1943)
World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Housing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Salishan Housing Project (Tacoma);
Lincoln Heights War Housing. A large, commercial size kitchen (a painted sign on the door also says "KITCHEN") in one of the buildings. A refrigerator, large sink, counters, a two-burner electric stove and a chair are all we see.
World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Kitchens--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lincoln Heights Housing Project (Tacoma);
Lincoln Heights War Housing. The interior room of one of the buildings set up as a school for pre-school or kindergarten children. Several girls and boys sit around two large tables working. One child talks with the teacher at her desk. Paper chains decorate the windows.
World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; School children--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lincoln Heights Housing Project (Tacoma);
Eagles receive visit from National President. Four men stand on stage behind a large Honor Roll plaque listing names of many men. The plaque states, "A star by a name indicated missing in action". The Eagles' National President, Robert W. Hansen, reviews the names from below the stage. (T.Times, 1/10/1944, p.12; 1/18/1944, p.18)
These female employees of the Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot were placing a wooden body built in Tacoma by the Northwest Chair Company onto a U.S. Army truck in September of 1943. The woman on the left was operating a forklift to lift the body onto its place on the Army truck chassis under the direction of the woman at right center. Other women were waiting to set the bolts that completed the assembly of the truck and then send it on its way. These Army trucks were going to war as completely assembled units for the first time. Women made up 50-60% of the work force at the ordnance depot. All women employees were trained as mechanics and became experts in their line. (T. Times, 9/2/1943, p.1) TPL-10353;
World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hoisting machinery; Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot (Tacoma);
Women bus drivers at Tacoma Transit. A man and two women bus drivers were photographed on September 7, 1943, at the transit yard. The man is unnamed. The women are, L-R, Octa L. Girard and Thelma Derrickson. (T.Times, 9/10/1943, p.1; 9/13/1943, p.5) TPL-3205, TPL-1381
World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Girard, Octa L.; Derrickson, Thelma; Bus drivers--Tacoma; Tacoma Transit Co. (Tacoma); Buses--Tacoma;
Army recruit, Dorothy Lowler. Dorothy H. Lowler takes the oath of enlistment given by Lt. Jean Holzhauer. Ms. Lowler is the first WAC to take the oath of enlistment in Tacoma. She will take basic training in Ft. Des Moines, Iowa, and afterwards will be assigned to an army air base either in the states or overseas. (T.Times, 1/24/1944, p.1)
World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Recruiting & enlistment--Tacoma;
Eagles receive visit from National President in January of 1944. Large group portrait of men, those in front wearing uniforms, and several on stage behind and beside an Honor Roll plaque. Eagles' National President, Robert W. Hansen, is the man on the far right in the back row. (T.Times, 1/10/1944, P. 5; 1/18/1944, P.18)
World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Fraternal Order of Eagles (Tacoma); Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hansen, Robert W.;
Armory civilian fire trucks. The State Armory also participated in assisting Pierce County reach the Fifth War Loan Drive goal of $22,000,000 by exhibiting Army equipment. View of Army/Civilian Defense fire trucks on display at State Armory.
World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma; War bonds & funds; Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma;
Central School Board for war finance. Tacoma School District contributed $110,000 to the Fifth War Loan Drive. Left to right view of Bartlett Rummel, President of School Board, Ernie Wetherell, Secretary of the School Board, Melvin J. Eklund, Chairman of the 5th War Loan Drive, and Howard R. Goald, Superintendent of the Schools (T. Times, 6/28/44, p. 5).
World War, 1939-1945--Economic aspects of war--Tacoma; War bonds & funds; Tacoma Public Schools (Tacoma);
College of Puget Sound Soldiers taking exam. 235 soldiers taking exams after completing a specialized training course at College of Puget Sound. Many will then be transferred to a highly mechanized combat organization for basic training. Major L. E. Darlington is commander of group.
World War, 1939-1945--Recruiting & enlistment--Tacoma; Students--Tacoma; College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1940-1950;
General construction, erosion and piling at Todd Pacific. Todd Pacific Shipyards Inc., formally known as Seattle Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp., is currently going through rapairs and construction. They are preparing for an expansion in order to fill larger contracts. Interior view of shipyard during expansion period (T. Times, 9/1/44, p. 22).
World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Remodeling--Tacoma; Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. (Tacoma);
Initiation into Veterans of Foreign Wars post. Six of 24 veterans of the U.S.S. Nashville, who were active in many battles in the South Pacific, were recently accepted into the U.S.S. Tacoma post 2329 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The men were sworn in as members of the Tacoma V.F.W. post. Names appear in newspaper (T. Times, 3/7/45, p. 3).
World War, 1939-1945--Veterans--Tacoma; Rites & ceremonies--Tacoma--1940-1950; Veterans of Foreign Wars (Tacoma);
