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WWII Photo Collection – Lt. William “Mac” MacDougall and the 310th Fighter Squadron in the Pacific

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WWII Photo Snapshot Collection Discovered

This blogpost is dedicated to Lt. William “Mac” MacDougall, whose snapshots I was lucky enough to discover on an eBay auction listing from a seller in Nevada. According to the seller, they came from a larger album that was sadly dissected to sell in pieces. I was able to acquire all the military-specific photographs in an attempt to post MacDougall’s wartime photos for the world to see. Highlights of the collection include period-printed color prints likely printed from 35mm Kodachrome slides as well as dozens of snapshots of MacDougall and his wartime comrades.

I’ve never attempted to “touch up” wartime images using artificial intelligence, but I did so for this post. I made sure to include both the original scan as well as the touched-up version. Since AI was working with original color prints, it appears that the colors are relatively true to the original scene.

As of the writing of this post, I’ve been able to identify a number of pilots of the 310th Fighter Squadron in the snapshots. The identified men are 1st Lt. Richard L. Colette, Lt. William L. MacDougall (“Mac”), Lt. Norman Gilmore, 1st Lt. Glenn W. Evans, Capt. Roy S. Tanner Jr., Donald C. Smith, and Lt. Ralph Barnes.

If anyone has any information leading to the identities of other men in the images, please let me know! I will update this post with more information about the 310th shortly.

William Leslie “Mac” MacDougall (1918-1989)

Born on January 10, 1918, to Leland Stanford MacDougall and Helen (Pierson) MacDougall in Pasadena, California, “Mac” spent his formative years living at 2430 Linden Avenue in Long Beach. Mac registered for the draft on January 28, 1942, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Although archival records have not yet revealed much about his early military service, it is clear that he underwent training to become a fighter pilot.

Mac married Norma June Quinby on October 5, 1943, at a 5 p.m. ceremony at the Atlantic Avenue Methodist Church in Long Beach. More than 250 guests attended the wedding. A contemporary newspaper account lists Mac as a lieutenant at the time of his marriage. Both Mac and Norma were graduates of Poly High School in Long Beach.

From newspaper accounts and dissecting the images in the collection, it appears that Lt. MacDougall served over 14 months in the Pacific with the 310th Fighter Squadron / 58th Fighter Group. He was awarded the Air Medal in 1945 and was referenced in a February, 1945 newspaper article published in the Press-Telegram. The article specifically mentions flying at low altitudes to destroy enemy installations and equipment, which jives with the operations of the 310th Fighter Squadron.

Lt. MacDougall Awarded Air Medal

At the time of writing, little has been established about Mac’s postwar life. He died on May 16, 1989, at the age of 71, leaving behind his wife of 45 years and their children, Drew, Brent, and Lynn. He also had three grandchildren: Greg Berry, Kelly Wieczorek, and David MacDougall. Much of this information comes from the obituary of his wife, Norma June, who died in Long Beach in 2012. Norma is buried beside Mac in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Cypress, California.

Long Beach Press-Telegram Article Describing October 1943 Wedding
1942 Draft Card

You can view the images in the slideshow gallery below,or keep scrolling for individual images with captions. Enjoy!

  • William Leslie MacDougall in the cockpit of his P-47 somewhere in the Pacific, Ca. 1944.
  • Select Snapshots with AI cleaned versions adjacent.
1945 Color Print: P-47 with “Mac” Nose Art Color Print from 35mm Kodachrome Slide
1945 Color Print: P-47 with “Mac” Nose Art Color Print from 35mm Kodachrome Slide (AI Cleaned Version)
1945 Color Print: P-47 42-76059 on Runway
1945 Color Print: P-47 42-76059 on Runway (AI Cleaned Version)
1945 Color Print: William “Mac” MacDougall with P-47
1945 Color Print: William “Mac” MacDougall with P-47 (AI Cleaned Version)
1945 Color Print: William “Mac” MacDougall with Fellow 310th Fighter Squadron Members
1945 Color Print: William “Mac” MacDougall with Fellow 310th Fighter Squadron Members (AI Cleaned Version)
1945 Color Print: William “Mac” MacDougall with His P-47
1945 Color Print: William “Mac” MacDougall with His P-47 (AI Cleaned Version)
1945 Color Print: William “Mac” MacDougall with His P-47
1945 Color Print: William “Mac” MacDougall with His P-47 (AI Cleaned Version)
1945 Color Print: William “Mac” MacDougall with P-47
1945 Color Print: William “Mac” MacDougall with P-47 (AI Cleaned Version)

Black and White Snapshots of “Mac” and the 310th Fighter Squadon

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Ca. 1945 B/W Print: William MacDougall and “Passionate Patsy” with 310th Fighter Squadron Pilots
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: William MacDougall and “Passionate Patsy” with 310th Fighter Squadron Pilots (AI Cleaned Version)
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: William MacDougall and P-47 “Miss Mary-Lou”
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: William MacDougall and P-47 “Miss Mary-Lou” (AI Cleaned Version)
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: Lt. Norman Gilmore Posed in Cockpit of P-47
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: Lt. Norman Gilmore Posed in Cockpit of P-47 (AI Cleaned Version)
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: “Sullivan” Posed with P-47 42-29081
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: “Sullivan” Posed with P-47 42-29081 (AI Cleaned Version)
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: First Lt. Richard L. Colette in Cockpit of P-47 (Lt. Colette was Later Missing in Action)
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: First Lt. Richard L. Colette in Cockpit of P-47 (AI Cleaned Version)
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: Lt. William L. MacDougall in Cockpit of P-47
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: Lt. William L. MacDougall in Cockpit of P-47 (AI Cleaned Version)
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: Lt. William L. MacDougall in Cockpit of P-47
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: Lt. William L. MacDougall in Cockpit of P-47 (AI Cleaned Version)
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: Lt. William L. MacDougall’s Leather A2 Flight Jacket with 310th Insignia
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: Lt. William L. MacDougall’s Leather A2 Flight Jacket with 310th Insignia (AI Cleaned Version)
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: First Lt. Richard L. Colette (Lt. Colette was Later Missing in Action)
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: First Lt. Richard L. Colette (Lt. Colette was Late Missing in Action) (AI Cleaned Version)
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: Pilots of the 310th Fighter Squadron
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: Pilots of the 310th Fighter Squadron
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: Lt. William L. MacDougall of the 310th Fighter Squadron
Ca. 1945 B/W Print: Lt. William L. MacDougall of the 310th Fighter Squadron (AI Cleaned Version)

The 310th Fighter Squadron in WWII

310th Fighter Squadron in World War II

The 310th Fighter Squadron was activated on February 9, 1942, as part of the 58th Pursuit Group, later redesignated the 58th Fighter Group. Initially based in the United States, the squadron trained on the P 39 Airacobra and P 40 Warhawk before converting to the Republic P 47 Thunderbolt in 1943. The squadron was redesignated the 310th Fighter Squadron on May 15, 1942.

In October 1943, the 310th began moving overseas, arriving in Australia before moving to Dobodura, New Guinea, on December 28, 1943. The squadron entered combat in February 1944 as part of the Fifth Air Force, initially flying protective patrols and escort missions before taking on increasingly aggressive fighter sweeps, ground attack and strafing missions against Japanese airfields and installations.

During 1944, the squadron moved forward with the Allied advance, operating from Saidor and Noemfoor in New Guinea before moving to Leyte in the Philippines in November. From bases in the Philippines, 310th pilots flew fighter sweeps, close support and attacks against Japanese positions and airfields. The squadron subsequently moved to Mindoro, Luzon and Okinawa as Allied forces continued their advance toward Japan.

One of the squadron’s most significant actions came on December 26, 1944, when the 58th Fighter Group attacked Japanese naval forces threatening the American beachhead on Mindoro. The group’s performance resulted in the award of the Distinguished Unit Citation. The 310th also received the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation and campaign honors for its service throughout the Pacific.

By the summer of 1945, the 310th was operating from Okinawa, where its P 47s continued attacking Japanese railways, airfields and other installations. The squadron remained in the Pacific after the Japanese surrender and was ultimately inactivated on February 20, 1946.

WWII Color Photo Post: An Unopened Box of Developed WWII Kodak Color Slides!

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Many of my followers know that I actively collect WWII color slides, predominantly those developed by the Eastman Kodak Company.  These Kodachrome slides are typically regarded in the field of vintage color photo collecting as the crème de la crème of vintage color.  Taken at a time of incredible social and political upheaval, these images capture an era that will never be seen in the same light or colors again. With the small percentage of the world populace that used color photography, an even smaller percentage of the slides have been passed down or purchased by people with the ability to scan and post them to the internet.

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In this rare case, I was able to purchase a large set of Kodachrome slides taken by a US serviceman before he shipped off to war.  One box of the Kodak-developed slides were unopened.  I took a photo of the seal, opened the box and immediately scanned them!  Please enjoy the following 12 slides that are only seeing the light of day 70+ years later….

Taken in Fort Benning, GA, these slides were shipped home in January of 1945 to only be opened in 2016! Enjoy.

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73 Years Later: The Battle of Tarawa in 35mm Color

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Many  followers of PortraitofWar.com know that I have a strange passion for WWII amateur color photography. In this case, I luckily remembered that anniversary of the Battle of Tarawa is upon us and decided to post some of of the material I’ve acquired over the years that directly relate to the Battle of Tarawa.  When the Marines landed on the Tarawa (Gilbert Islands, Micronesia) on November 20th, 1943, a pilot who launched from the USS CHENANGO (CVE-28) snapped a series of 35mm color photos while flying overhead providing fighter support.

Tarawa Flyover 1

Tarawa Flyover 1

And an actual aerial color snapshot taken during the opening hours of the November 20th, 1943 invasion.  The pilot had his 35mm camera with him and snapped dozens of shots during the initial invasion; the following shots are the only known aerial color photos of the Battle of Tarawa!

Tarawa Flyover

Tarawa Flyover

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Tarawa Flyover 2

Tarawa Flyover 2

WWII Color Photo – USMC Marine SBD Bilot Walter A. Huff Poses in Hawaii – Vibrant Color

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A member of VSMB-332, Walter A. Huff poses for the camera.  Luckily a roll of 35mm color Kodachrome was ready for shooting!

From a  continuation of a series of 60+ slids/color photos from this collection, this image captures the virginal quality of the Marine (USMC) aviator.  Prepped for war on the SBD/ Marine Douglas SBD Douglas Fighter/Bomber, the Dauntless was a key implement of many Pacific battles.

Looking towards an uncertain future, Walter  Huff grins and bares the inevitable future as a Marine dive bomber pilot!

WWII PTO Color Kodachrome Slide – Tire Transport Truck on Guam in Vivid Color

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I was able to pick up an additional 40+ color slides taken on Guam, Tinian, and Siapan during WWII.  Pacific Theater color shots are hard to come by due to the high temperatures and scarcity of color film in the far reaching islands of the Pacific.  By my estimation, PTO color slides are outnumbered 2:1 by ETO shots.

Here’s a stunning example of a heavy truck carrying wheels and tires.  Enjoy!

WWII P-51 Mustang 35mm Color Slide Photo – 44-74976 – Currently Still in Operation as Jeffrey Michael’s “Obsession”

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Picked this little gem off eBay for a great price and couldn’t help but do some research on the plane.  It appears to have been taken while it was with the New Mexico Air National Guard.  Likely in 1945 or 1946.  I missed out on another listing from the same seller showing the plane with it’s full insignia painted on the side, which was the New Mexico state symbol.  I believe this photo may be considered rare, as I can’t find another shot of the 44-74976 on the web, and certainly not in color.  I hope the current owner finds my site!

From what I can gather, as pictured, this aircraft was used by the New Mexico Air National Guard in WWII and in the 1940s and then was sold to Indonesia in 1958 or 1959.  It was then recovered in 1978 from Indonesia and purchased by a Ralph W. Johnson of Oakland, CA and registered as N98582.  It’s first flight after being recovered from Indonesia was in 1983.  It was then purchased by it’s current owner, Jeff R. Michael and restored to airworthy and redesignated as “Obsession” with it’s original tail code of 44-74976.  Phew!

 

 

 

WWII in Color – Color Kodachrome Slides – 1944 SBD Dauntless Marine Dive Bombers VMSB-332 w/ Aircraft

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The color of WWII is something lost on our generation; WWII has been a war fought in black and white for everyone but actual WWII veterans who witnessed it firsthand.  One of my goals here at PortraitsofWar is to collect color slides from WWII and make them accessible to those who don’t know it exists.  Yes, color film was shot in 35mm(and sometimes larger format) and was used on a somewhat regular basis by shutterbug soldiers during WWII. My collection is roughly 500:1, black and white : color.    To find a complete collection of color slides is like hitting the WWII photography jackpot.  In this case, I was able to pick up a small selection of color slides from a Marine dive bomber.  Although I was only able to snag 7 from a grouping of nearly 200, I am still happy to pass along the images to interested parties.

 

 

From the collection of Walter Huff.

Please enjoy the colors of WWII as they were meant to be seen! 

Pope AFB, Fort Bragg, NC – 1974 Joint Operations Military Exposition “Brass Key II”

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The following set of slides (and many more not shown) were picked up at a local flea market along with 3000 more from the same photographer.  In this case, he was invited down to view a series of military exercises at Pope Air Force Base in Fort Bragg, NC.  The activities and joint demonstrations by the United States Readiness Command (USREDCOM), Brass Key II at Fort Bragg in North Carolina were a series of military exercises to show the readiness of US airborne and Special Forces troops.  A great set of shots all taken in 1974.