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Memory Book of the 137th Spruce Production Squadron


The Spruce Production Division was a unit of the United States Army, established in 1917 to supply the army with high-quality spruce and other wood products needed for the production of aircraft for the United States war effort in World War I. The division was part of the Army Signal Corps's Aviation Section. Its headquarters were in Portland, Oregon, and its main operations center was at Vancouver Barracks in Vancouver, Washington. Workers in the division were members of the Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen, a union specifically established to support the army's wood production operations.
Continue reading this article from Wikipedia on the Spruce Production Division


Division Soldiers posing on a spruce stump

Image Number: 8775414536_994afbc4cc_z
Information from OSU Special Collections & Archives Historic Photos in Flickr Commons
Cooks and KP Men from 137th Spruce Squadron, First World War

This is a scan of a photo from the "Memory Book of the 137th Spruce Squadron" (Monarch Mills, North Portland, Oregon), a souvenir book published for this group at the end of War. These are the cooks and KP crew.



The men are named in the photo caption:
Edward B. Swanson, James J. Egan, Abraham Ratner, Albion. K. P. Hall, Oscar F. Mahler, Elmer Little, Thomas V. Craddy, Carl Klubscheidt, Humphrey Smith, Frank J. Downey, O. C. Thompson, Charles Derrick, Angelo Deni, Robert H. Gallup, Sgt. Joseph R. La Londe, Lora F. Smart, William M. Cook, Robert F. Weise. (Click image to see larger)

Image Number 256651310_76bef5b895_z.jpg
Soldiers at Spruce Camp Near Newport, Oregon, c. 1918



Real-photo postcard of soldiers and their camp near Newport, Oregon. The camp was on the grounds of a major seaside hotel in Newport. This photo is taken looking toward the ocean. There is a pencil notation on the back: "Looking out over the sea, thats what makes it so light."

Probably a companion to the other Spruce Squadron photo I have posted in the First World War set.

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Spruce Soldiers at Agate Beach, Oregon, c. 1918



This is a scan of a real photo picture postcard of some soldiers from a Spruce Squadron located at Agate Beach, Oregon. Notice the flivver (Ford Model T) that they are posing on and around. The fellow in the goggles is probably the driver. He is the tenth man from the left side.

There is a pencil notation on the back: "Directly in front of hotel. Overlooking Agate Bay." This may be a companion to the other Spruce Squadron postcard that I have posted in the First World War set.

Probably taken in 1918, since the camp was open primarily in that year.

Read about it at this link: Bob Swanson's site for the Spruce Squadron Photos













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