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California National Guard Boarding the Albacore - 1934


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Bob Hudson

Great photo - that was during the during the San Francisco General Strike of 1934 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1934_West_Coa...ongshore_Strike - which was also known as the 1934 West Coast Waterfront Strike or the 1934 West Coast Longshoremen's Strike.

 

 

from http://www.sfmuseum.com/hist/thursday.html

 

Col. R.E. Mittelstaedt, of the 250th Coast Artillery, issued the following statement today: The National Guard has been ordered to the Embarcadero to maintain law and order in the city of San Francisco.

 

The public must realize that the National Guard now is part of the army of the United States and is trained and equipped by the United States government as are the troops of the regular army.

 

Our troops are officered by World War veterans and we propose to undertake the duties as soldiers in the same manner that we would undertake a war-time mission.

 

In view of the fact that we are equipped with rifles, bayonets, automatic rifles and machine guns, which are all high-powered weapons, the Embarcadero will not be a safe place for persons whose reasons for being there are not sufficient to run the risk of serious injury.

 

We have 4000 additional National Guard troops behind us and should this number be insufficient, we can call the regular army, the navy and the marine corps to our assistance.

 

LAW AND ORDER WILL BE MAINTAINED AT ANY COST.

 

(SIGNED)

R.E. MITTELSTAEDT,

Colonel,

250th Coast Artillery,

California National Guard

 

July 5, 1934

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Note what appears to be the M1916 37mm gun on the fantail. That gun is the subject of another recent thread.

 

If the Guardsmen are wearing 40th Div SSIs, they are not members of the 250th CA Regt. Based on the gun, they may be from the 159th Inf Regt.

 

Are the troops wearing dog-collar or open collar blouses?

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Bob Hudson

So did you acquire a stock of original photos? Based on the writing on the back of one, they are from the archives of the San Francisco Examiner newspaper.

 

At one point during the strike 1,500 Guardsmen were on duty and another 5,000 on standby.

 

Here's the units, from http://www.militarymuseum.org/History1934.html

 

Major General David P. Barrows, Commanding General of the 40th Division, was placed in command of the augmented Port Command which now included the First Provisional

Brigade, commanded by Col Mittelstaedt, consisting of the 159th Infantry Regiment and the 250th Coast Artillery Regiment, the 79th Brigade comprised of the 185th Infantry Regiment and elements of the 184th Infantry Regiment and commanded by 'Brigadier General William A. Mason; and the Reserve commanded by Colonel Harcourt Hervey, 160th Infantry Regiment, which consisted of the 160th Infantry Regiment less one battalion, and the 40th Tank Company. Colonel Otto E. Sandman commanded the East Bay Command which included elements of the 143d Field Artillery Regiment, 160th and 184th Infantry Regiments.

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So did you acquire a stock of original photos?

 

Bob,

 

No--I wish. As you know from experience, original photos are very expensive but if you can afford them, you get the satisfaction of owning the original. These didn't come from the paper; they came from eBay. Looks like the seller got a whole bunch of old stock from the paper. Since I liked them so much, I copied them and I figured I'd post them so that everyone can enjoy them.

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This Chaplain was covered in March (link here). He definitely was a member of 250th Coast Artillery.

post-70-1242267947.jpg

This Sergeant is 250th C.A. as well (see DI on his lapel; he is also wearing the Coast Artillery Gun Commander rating insignia below his sergeant chevrons).

post-70-1242267864.jpg

The Corporal on the cot in the foreground is 40th Division and the other soldiers probably are in his squad, but SSI weren't worn on these shirts.

post-70-1242268060.jpg

A great collection of pictures, G.B.

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Bob Hudson
Bob,

 

No--I wish. As you know from experience, original photos are very expensive but if you can afford them, you get the satisfaction of owning the original. These didn't come from the paper; they came from eBay. Looks like the seller got a whole bunch of old stock from the paper. Since I liked them so much, I copied them and I figured I'd post them so that everyone can enjoy them.

 

I picked up 350 WWII press photos last years. Having the original prints allows you to scan them at very high resolution and enlarge small sections of the photo to see sometimes incredible detail.

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I'll post a few more pictures...it may help ID them.

 

California_National_Guard_1934.jpg

 

 

Boy, that sure looks like the early leather scabbard with 1910 hooks -- I would have thought those were long obsolete!

 

G

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