Caution on what get tossed into the junk ,USMC

[72 usmc]

 My Dads WW II USMC photo album found!

 

After 69 years my brother stumbled across my dads missing WW II photo album and K Bar. My dad and his 7 brothers enlisted in 1943 and since he worked on airplanes at Timmerman field in Milwaukee when it was a dirt airfield, he was assigned as an aircraft mechanic. He was on the USS Block Island shown in the photo. It had an all USMC air squadron on the carrier. The album is kind of a disappointment, it has mostly pictures of all his girlfriends, and brothers since all 7 went into the service after Pearl Harbor. The cruising record in the service album indicates he was at Cherry Point NC, Miramar Ca, Oaku- Hawaii, Johnstone Island- Pearl Harbor, Majuro Island, Eniwetok, Gaum, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. He must not have had a camera on board ship. He has pictures of some of his wood models he made and then utilized in the classroom for pilots. He enlisted 16 Dec 1943, and got out in 1946. I am still wondering if the old house has a later album with pictures of his Island work. I remember him telling me he got tired of working on planes so he volunteered to go hunt down Japanese snipers on Iwo. He said it was like deer hunting in Tamerack swamp, except a wee bit more fun. After he died, I got his trunk of goodies: M1 carbine, 45 auto and a Arisaka with mum with his uniforms, 782 gear, and aircraft manuals. Ya, Jar Heads have sticky fingers. But the K Bar and photos were missing. So on the 4th, my brother found the album in some boxes of old photos. It is about 1  1/2 inchs thick with lots of pictures of girl friends and uncles so I will not bore you with all the photos. I was looking for island views, aircraft carrier views, and Corsair planes that are shot up- no such luck. But since Grandpa  (WW I) was a Marine, dad (WWII) , and myself (Nam), I consider it a great find. It came so close... my brother generally throws out all old stuff. But he asked me if I wanted the family photos- just by luck, and maybe my dad looking out for me, my brother called and they were saved instead of going into the paper recycle bin at Menominee Falls.

Here are a few of the pictures:
On the platoon photo, dad is shown in the second row, 5th in from the right. Makes one wonder how many hard ass Marines in that photo survived the war? All volunteers- part of the old generation with balls.

Next is some of the girlfriends ( some nice looking gals for 1943) and my mother Marcy, She was 20

 

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334th fighter sq. 4th Group 1944

 

 My Ma's brother that crashed his Mustang after gettin shot up by a 109 and a French family hid him in an attic for one  month.  He could speak only Polish and English. That must have been a time.  That age has passed and its hard to believe Dads been gone 10 years, and my Uncle about 7 years. 

 

[phantom]

great photos you were lucky your brother found them, irreplaceable items   

[John R.]

72 usmc:

Thank you very much for sharing your story and treasure with the Forum. The picture of your father's squadron and platoon are priceless. Thank you again for sharing your family history with us, awesome.

Regards, John R.