From the Tacoma Historical Society Twitter/X account.
Jack O’Brien, professional steeplejack, inspects his assignment on August 13, 1942: painting the flagpole on the Puget Sound National Bank Building. The 48 year old painter worked 400 feet above Pacific Avenue.
Steeplejacks carried out a variety of building repair and maintenance at heights on tall buildings. Mr. O’Brien had been in this line of work for 30 years and, when interviewed by the Tacoma Times, admitted that he had broken nearly every bone in his body.
