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McChord Field became the headquarters of the GHQ Air Force Northwest Air District in 1940. The mission was to defend the Upper Great Plains and the Pacific Northwest. The first military group to arrive at the new Air Force field in mid-June 1940, was the 17th Bombardment Group from March
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Unlike its reputation in the 1920s and 30s, Fort Lewis, after 1940, would never again be seen as a deteriorating, low-population installation. The post numbered 7,000 when the IX Corps' Headquarters arrived from San Francisco July 1, 1940 to oversee Lewis' impending and unavoidable growth. Four months later, the post swarmed
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The top flag officer on Joint Base Lewis-McChord has enjoyed the nicest home on the base for decades, however one thing has been a little in the way - the monument to the 91st Division. On Memorial Day 1930, a monument to the first division to report to then Camp Lewis
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Soldiering at Fort Lewis was different in the 1930s than it is today. Those were the days when the troops wore wrap-around leggings, felt campaign hats and wool olive drab uniforms. Privates represented half the ranks. Enlisted men rarely saw an officer except on paydays. Many soldiers were considered "married"
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Following World War I, two events of consequence affected Camp Lewis. First, the vast majority of jubilant doughboys hurried home from Europe and immediately separated from the military. Second, the green timber, which had been rapidly hammered together to form the base in 1917, began to deteriorate. Soon there were
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Once Camp Lewis was built, soldiers in-processed, trained and shipped out to Europe, including the 91st Division, which left in the late spring of 1918. While the 91st had many names, the nickname the soldiers chose to carry with them as they boarded trains was the Wild West Division. At one
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Tucked behind a moss, encrusted brick wall, sits an imposing 500- year-old Tudor, gothic mansion, the only English castle in the Pacific Northwest, and, just across the bustling I-5 corridor, sits the imposing Joint Base Lewis-McChord, considered the 7th largest city in Washington state. To see what these seemingly disparate
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Spokane's famous Davenport Hotel, the Spokane Chronicle Building, even a modest home in Metaline Falls that now is used as a community theater, are just a few examples of the many early 20th century buildings designed by an Ohioan who came west to follow his career. Once Kirtland Cutter began his
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The first soldier of any influence to recommend the construction of an Army post at American Lake was Maj. Gen. Arthur Murray. On a visit in 1912 to inspect National Guard training, Murray, who at the time was chief of the United States Army Board, delegated to inspect possible sites
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Joint Base Lewis-McChord was once covered by a mile-thick sheet of ice. Geologists believe the greater Puget Sound basin was carved out by this ice (named the Vashon Glacier), which scraped and drove across the region 30,000 years ago. It was this process that created the perfect flat terrain for
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In this part of the country, any institution celebrating 100 consecutive years in operation is amazing - these milestones are certainly few and far between. The fact that the organization is a place that serves our greater good, protects us, and fights for our freedoms - well, that is simply
Outdoors
Snowshoeing is a fun, easy-to-learn winter sport, and one of the most accessible areas to try it out is Longmire in Mount Rainier National Park. Plan your trip This time of year, the weather is unpredictable in Mount Rainier National Park. Plan to get an early start, but always check the park's
Military Life
Fort Lewis Thrift Shop assistant managers Julie Maddry and Kelli Weinerth are well versed in the art of thrift shopping. What started as a hobby has become a full-time job for the two military spouses. The two met when they first moved here. Weinerth moved from Camp Walker in Daegu, South
Music
In 2011, one of the best sports movies ever made was released, and no one really noticed. If you haven't seen it - and most people haven't - do yourself a favor and check it out. The movie's called Goon, and it tells the underdog story of Doug, who, despite
Reviews
ANNOUNCER: It's not often that Fircrest gets much mention in this column, let alone in this newspaper. The sleepy town only recently received the blessing to sell alcohol, and with only a few commercial areas, there's not much room for anything new. A few weeks ago, Sammy's changed that, bringing
Arts
I must confess: I went to this show expecting it to be the art show equivalent of one of those Facebook posts that say the world is going to hell and everybody's dying, so here's a cute picture of a cat. And there were quite a few bland photos, drawings
Stage
The Seafarer by the great Irish playwright Conor McPherson is among the best plays I have seen in my career as a theater critic. It was my choice as best drama when done by Harlequin Productions four years ago, and now it is playing for one night only as a staged
Music
Every once in awhile we all need a night on the town, to unplug and unwind. Maybe you have a favorite hangout, or you want to try something new and go somewhere you have never been before. However when you have a 9 to 5 or even a 5 to
Stage
The history of the percussive performance group known around the world as Stomp began in 1981. Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas of Brighton, UK, were members of a street band, the amusingly named Pookiesnackenburger, which played most of that decade at the Edinburch Festival. As part of Cressell and McNicholas'
