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Oregon Reunion on Biak 2
"Old E Co 186th Infantry National Guard friends from La Grande, Oregon, met on Biak. Sgt Fred Hill (Air Force), Lt Cochran, Sgt Ernie Stitzinger, Cpl Dean Rizor, S/Sgt Jim Coats" From "Darkroom Soldier": "Oregon Reunion. On September 11-12, Hill was…
Biak Camp, Photo Lab 1
"17th T. Recon Sqdn Photo Section being set up. 3' by 6' floor panels were fabricated before we left Finchhaffen" From "Darkroom Soldier": "Biak Photo Lab. In his August 19 letter, Hill sketched the new photo lab floor plan and, in a photo, he…
Hollandia, Food Supplies 1
"Supplies being hoisted aboard SS Russell Sage in Humboldt Bay" "SS Russell Sage left Finschhafen 6/30 - arrived Biak July 28, 44 - spent over 3 weeks anchored in Humboldt Bay" From "Darkroom Soldier": "Food Arrives. The SS Russell Sage had been…
Earl Powers, Muddy Shoes
"Earl Powers rubbing mud from his shoes at Hollandia" From "Darkroom Soldier": "Hollandia Mud. In April, 1942, Japanese forces landed at Hollandia on the New Guinea coast unopposed, but on April 22, 1944, 'surprise landings by U.S. troops were made…
KP Duty, Fred Hill
"Fred Hill, Sergeant, on KP" From "Darkroom Soldier": "New Guinea KP. Sometime during the summer of 1944, Martha delivered this photo and caption information to her local newspaper: 'Stationed with a photo reconaissance group of the Army Air Force is…
Mess Hall Construction 3
"Putting corrugated roof sheets on Biak Mess Hall 17th Tact. Recon Sqdn" From "Darkroom Soldier": "Roofers. 17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron members also applied sheets of corrugated steel to cover the mess hall. Front to back: Charles…
Mess Hall Construction 1
"17th Tact. Recon Sqdn Mess hall being assembled. The wood came from Australian sources - Pre-cut and bolt holes were pre-drilled. A very heavy dense wood" From "Darkroom Soldier": "Raising the Mess Hall. Once Biak was pacified, Hill and other…
Liberty Ship, Russell Sage 4
"Liberty Ship as seen from aboard another Liberty Ship" From "Darkroom Soldier": "Liberty Ship on Humboldt Bay. On May 25, 1944, as part of the overall Allied movement up the New Guinea coast, an advance echelon of Hill's 17th Squadron moved to Wakde…
Earl Powers, Photo-Gunner
"Sgt Earl E. Powers, former Photo Section member who became a Photo-gunner in a combat crew" From "Darkroom Soldier": "Photo Gunners. Two men in Hill's Photo Reconnaissance section, his friends Sgt Earl Powers (above) and Sgt Bob Casey, moved up the…
Finchhaffen Native Sells Coconuts
"Cocoanut Salesman who came through our 17th Recon Camp area" (Negative sleeve seems to be in error - "Binmaley, 1945") From "Darkroom Soldier": "Coconut Peddler. Papuan tribesman regularly harvested coconut as a staple. Here, a vendor balances a…