Followers of PortraitsofWar will know that photos taken on D-Day are some of the most sought after images for WWII photo collectors. I only have a few dozen in my collection, and this is the first taken from the skies above the English Channel on that fateful day. The massive fleet was the largest ever put together in world history, and must have been a sight to behold. This post goes out to my Great-Uncle Brendan who made the landing with the 29th Division.
After a spat of recent interest in the 542nd Marine Night Fighter album in my collection, I’ve decided to do some additional research into the various servicemen identified within. After spending a few minutes this morning, I was able to track down a muster role from the unit, and tracked down Mr. Anthony Reviello. Mr. Reviello passed away in 2010 at the age of 97! It sounds like he led a great life. I hope his family finds this posting!
Anyway, I was able to find another photo him here: http://www.ww2gyrene.org/photoalbum18.htm
(left) Cpl Anthony Reviello of Rutherford, NJ. Tony served in the Marine Corps from 1944–46 as an aircraft mechanic with VMF(N)–542. His squadron took part in the campaign for Okinawa, flying from Yontan airfield, and was credited with 18 kills.
Another nice studio portrait taken in 1945 in St. Dizier, France in 1945. A member of the 511th Fighter Squadron during WWII, Georges G. Bond later went on to serve in Korea. His wartime address was 415 West Pine St. in Enid, Oklahoma. Georges was born on July 10th, 1920 and passed away on September 7th, 2007. My condolences to his family.
Source: FindaGrave.com
Another great WWII interior studio portrait arrived in the mail yesterday. The subject of the photo is Ervin G. Collins of (wartime) 391 Liverpool Ave, Pawtucket, RI. The photo was taken in France and shows Ervin posed with a studio prop – a French Louis XVI Style gilt rectangular center table. The photo was taken in St. Dizier by a photographer named Andre Dirler. St. Dizier is roughly 120 miles east of paris; the 511th was stationed at Clastres (A-71) during the tail end of 1944. He was 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 112 pounds when he enlisted on July 3rd, 1942. Before the war he was able to graduate high school and worked as a salesperson.
Mr. Collins was born on March 5th, 1921 and passed away on November 2nd, 2001. He is buried in Notre Dame Cemetery in Pawtucket, RI.
I’ve been lucky enough to acquire another 1944 color slide to add to my growing collection of slides from Walter Huff, a WWII Marine pilot. This one is especially interesting as it shows his name on his yellow inflatable life vest. Slick hair too!
All in all, a pretty well rounded collection. The unnamed photographer made sure to captured shots of German equipment, a few Panther tanks, U.S. aircraft, lots of vehicles and trucks, destroyed buildings, local people and some great painted signs. Essentially this collection contains everything that makes a good wartime ETO photographic grouping.
226th Signal Corps – From what I can tell they were in charge of transmitting info from the front back to London. They operated specially fitted trailers with radio and signal equipment. I found the address of the 226th historian and will write him a letter.
D-Day Southern France
German Panther Tank
I recently had the esteemed pleasure of acquiring five nose art photos of PB4Y-2 airplanes. Using the power of the internet, I was able to look up four of the planes, the Green Cherries, and the Lady Luck II. With a bit of luck I tracked down the name of the original artist. Hal Olsen painted over 100 nose art pin-up ladies on various planes in the PTO during his stint with the US Navy during WWII. He charged $50 per painting and eventually used the money to enter formal art school and travel with his wife. He is considered the last living nose art painter of WWII. Having tracked him down, I wrote him a nice letter asking for his autograph and promising that I would send along some copies of my photos. He graciously signed all of my photos and added an inspiring letter with the group. Thanks Hal! You’re one for the story books.
Thanks Hal!
“Gear Down and Locked ” – an image shot by Lt. Theodore Rowcliffe, USNR before the plane was shot down in August of 1945
Special thanks to Dave Rowcliffe for providing this image watermark free!
From the vaults of PortraitsofWar comes an amazing archive of images taken by an enlisted paratrooper with the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division. The collection is comprised of roughly 225 images taken between 1945 and 1948 with a small portion of wartime material compared to the postwar activities of the 82nd. Included in the collection are a grouping of shots of the 555th PIR “triple nickles” as well as airborne drops, life around camp, tank maneuvers, and paratrooper horseplay. Please enjoy and don’t hesitate to contact me with any requests.
Rare Color Transparency
Airborne Drop
Jeep and Glider
Our Photographer
WACO Glider Landing
Bazooka Girl
758th Tank Battalion
Division Cartoonist
Fort Bragg PX
555th Vs. 325th Boxing
Kissing Booth
Fayetteville Lions Club
From the negative grouping of Edward Majchrowicz
From time to time I will cull through my backlogged collections and pull out interesting images for posting here to PortraitsofWar. My collection of 42nd Division negatives from a member of the 222nd Anti-Tank Company is comprised of nearly 600 B/W negatives and an additional 200 prints. The collection is one of the best I own, and is ripe with juicy frontline photos. I’m even friends with a veteran from the company, who can tell me the stories behind the images. Here’s a nice shot of a group of dejected German POW’s. Apparently, the line consisted of nearly 1,200 soldiers who surrendered somewhere outside Schweinfurt, Germany.
