Author: portraitsofwar

The University of Vermont at War – Draftees in 1918 – Williams Hall at UVM

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UVM SATC (Photo Courtesy of UVM Special Collections)


Drafted UVM Students (Photo Courtesy of UVM Special Collections)

My search for WWI Vermont photography continued this week at the University of Vermont’s Special Collections Annex.  Utilizing the Louis McAllister Collection database, I was able to track down two panoramic photographs taken at UVM in 1918.  This particular shot was taken in front of Williams Science Hall located on the UVM green.  I spent much of my time as an undergraduate studying in this building, so this photograph is particularly close to my heart.

This first photo was taken by McAllister on October 31st, 1918.  The new class of the S.A.T.C. was just inducted on October 23rd, just a week before this photo was taken.  Although the quality of the image is lacking, the content speaks volumes.

The second photo was taken a few months earlier, in July of 1918, and shows the first round of students from UVM to be drafted.  McAllister enjoyed using the Williams Hall entrance as a backdrop for his photographs; this is a panoramic style we see until the early 1960s.

While searching for reference material, I came across this advertisement from the 1918 Ariel yearbook of UVM.  It looks like Louis McAllister was a supporter of UVM!

Courtesy of UVM Special Collections

Special thanks to the UVM Special Collections crew for helping me with my search.  All photos in this post are courtesy of UVM Special Collections.

WWI 26th Yankee Division, 102nd Field Artillery Doughboy – Walter Laskowski

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Originally a member of the 8th Co. Coastal Artillery based out of Narragansett Bay (RI) until April 1918, Walter eventually joined the 102nd Field Artillery of the 26th Yankee Division.  I was lucky enough to acquire two inscribed photographs depicting Walter in both roles.  His seated portrait was taken before his June 1918 departure for overseas service.

An interestingly decorated backmark shows that the seated portrait was taken in at 162 Thames Street in Newport, RI.  The Electric Studio’s logo includes a fanned array of lightning bolts emanating from the written portion of the backmark.

For further information on the Rhode Island National Guard unit Walter belonged to, click the link below:

http://www.or.ng.mil/sites/RI/army/56tc/a219sf/default.aspx

WWI 2nd Army Engineer – Immaculate Portrait Photo

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2nd Army Engineer

The crisp details of this photo make it the best 2nd Army portrait in my collection.  Although we can’t know which Engineering unit he served with (there were many in the 2nd Army), we can deduce a few things from the elements present in the photo.  The crisp focus on his collar discs allow us to see that he was in Company E of an engineering unit of the 2nd Army.  Note that the disc on his cap lacks the E designation.  His 2nd Army SSI patch is well stitched and placed perfectly below the shoulder line.  His WWI victory ribbon has one campaign star.  A super example of a 2nd Army photo!

2nd Army Patch

Spencer, Massachusetts WWI Veterans Return Home – 1919 – Panoramic Photo

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In an attempt to digitize my growing collection of WWI panoramic “yardlong” photos, I’ve been scanning and editing my collection to post here on PortraitsofWar.  This photo comes from a small town in Central Massachusetts, not far from my hometown.  I found the photo at an antiques flea market in Palmer, MA.  The glass was incredible dirty, and the photo has considerable moisture and mold damage, and was in need of some TLC.

The variety of service members is incredible!  Of particular interest are the Postal Service member, the Marines, two tankers, and a handful of 26th Division members.  What a great image, one worthy of display here at PoW.

The University of Vermont at War – WWI UVM Campus Panoramic Photo by Louis L. McAllister

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The UVM Campus Prepares for War

A recent eBay auction had me literally drooling on my keyboard.  Could it be?  A WWI image of the University of Vermont?  I attended UVM between 2004 and 2011, graduating with an undergraduate degree in anthropology/archaeology and a masters in historic preservation; two fields that helped forge my passion for historic photography.  I placed a desperate last minute bid in hopes of winning the panoramic photo and victoriously won with a high bid.  Other comparable WWI Vermont “yardlong” images were usually taken at Fort Ethan Allen, but I’ve never seen one taken at UVM.

M1910 Leggings

From outward appearances the photo, taken by famed Burlingtonian (Vermont)  Louis L. McAllister, depicts a group of uniformed soldiers on the central campus.  Converse Hall is visible on the far right hand corner of the photo, followed by the hospital, Colchester Ave homes, and finally Billings and Williams Hall.  Looking at the visible trees

gives a good indication of the season; this photo was likely taken in the fall, after the trees defoliate, but before the dreaded Vermont winter sets in.  The soldiers are wearing WWI era uniforms, complete with campaign hats, single snap button ammo belts, and M1910 leggings.  These leggings were used extensively during WWI training but

switched out overseas for puttees.

After referencing a few books on Vermont during WWI, I believe that the image was taken in October of 1918, during the opening ceremonies for the university.  I’ve added an excerpt below that helps flesh out some of the details.

“The opening of college was postponed until October 23rd, due to the prevailing epidemic of influenza, which was then sweeping the country.  At noon on that date, however, the new members of the S.A.T.C. were drawn up on one side of a hollow square on the front campus, and formally inducted into the service of the country.  On the other two sides of the square at this impressive ceremony were the Signal School and the Mechanical School.  First the flag was raised, and then after swearing the men into service Lieutenant Colonel Leonhaeuser read a message from President Wilson.  The men were then divided into companies, assigned to barracks and for the first time in over a hundred years the University of Vermont was again an armed camp. “

(Source: Cushing, John T., Arthur Fairbanks Stone, and Harold Pearl. Sheldon. “The University of Vermont in the World War.” In Vermont in the World War: 1917-1919. Burlington, VT: Free Press, 1928.)

Louis McAllister Portrait Courtesy of The University of Vermont Special Collections

The photo was doubly exciting for me, as the photographer was a well known Burlington resident and Vermont photographer.  Louis L. McAllister was born in Nebraska in 1876 and lived in Burlington for nearly 60 years before passing away in1963.  He was famous for his panoramic photography, which he used extensively to document school groups, political events, and various Burlington scenes.  This example dates to 1918, but I’ve seen dated examples from Fort Ethan Allen reaching as far back as 1917.  McAllister is renown statewide for his photographic work, which is sought out  by Vermonters for his its composition and documentary nature.  The University of Vermont’s Special Collections inherited 45 crates of his photography.  A fabulous website was created by Special Collections in order to display some of his work to the public.  Interested parties can visit the collection or view it online at  http://cdi.uvm.edu/collections/browseCollection.xql?pid=mcallister&title=Louis%20L.%20McAllister%20Photographs

Korean War Color Photo Slides – USS Okanogan APA 220 – Evacuation of Chinnampo

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Picked up a nice 15 slide Korean War grouping on ebay this past week. After doing some research on the USS Okanogan (APA-220) I found that it took part in the evacuation at Chinnampo in December of 1950. Looking at the photos, it is obvious that they were taken around Christmas time – and there are some shots of civilian and POW evacuees as well as a nice image of some 3rd Division soldiers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WWI 107th Infantry Regiment, 27th Division NY KIA Portrait Photo – Harold E. Manners – Meuse-Argonne Offensive

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I picked up this little gem in a Palmer Massachusetts antique store a few months back and never took the time to look at the photo closely until this past week.  The frame was intricately created; something not often seen in run of the mill WWI photos.  The gold stars on the corners and bottom of the image should have been a dead giveaway.  Once I  decided to look at the photo a little closer, I took the frame apart from the back and began to uncover the identity of the soldier depicted in the image.  I knew he was a member of the 7th Infantry Regiment; this was evidenced in the collar disc.  The 7th New York eventually became the 107th Infantry Regiment of the 27th Division.  Harold was in Company H.

The reverse of the photo was beautifully inscribed with everything I needed to know to track this fellow down.

Harold Edward Manners

Killed in France in the

Great War, Sept. 29th 1918

aged 23 years

After extensive research I’ve learned that Harold was killed during the operations before the Hindeburg Line east of Ronssoy, September 29th, 2918.  His citation for the day reads:

“This soldier, with great gallantry and determination, advanced against unusually difficult enemy positions composed of strongly fortified machine gun nests until killed.”

I found an auction result online that showed his medals which were sold in 2008 at an auction in NY. A beautifully inscribed NY veterans medal for a KIA was included.  I wish I had that grouping!

Harold E. Manners – KIA Meuse-Argonne 1918