Question about "Official U.S. Army Photos"
Tue May 08, 2007 8:37 pm
Ok folks...
I've done a bunch of research on a particular B-24, the "Tulsamerican." It was the last one produced at the Douglas plant in Tulsa. A plant newsletter from early 1945 has several pictures of this B-24 taken in Italy, and printed as part of a story about the aircraft, its crew and its groundcrew. At the bottom of the pictures is the photo credit, "Official U.S. Army Photos."
I have several of these pictures courtesy of one of the veterans pictured. I have also talked with one of the guys pictured, and all he remembers is that "some Army photographers showed up one day and said they wanted to take a bunch of pictures of all of the Oklahoma guys with this plane, so we bunched up and let them take their pictures."
My question- I know that the photographers would have taken more pictures than those that were printed, and I have a hunch that someone might have taken some in color. Where could I find the originals of these shots? Would I look at the USAF Museum, the National Archives, NASM? Any suggestions would be helpful. I just wondered if official photographers had their photos deposited in one central location. The shots were taken sometime between October and December 1944 in Italy, if that helps.
Thanks!
kevin
[img][img]http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g204/tulsaboy/AirviewJanuary1.jpg[/img]
[/img]
I've done a bunch of research on a particular B-24, the "Tulsamerican." It was the last one produced at the Douglas plant in Tulsa. A plant newsletter from early 1945 has several pictures of this B-24 taken in Italy, and printed as part of a story about the aircraft, its crew and its groundcrew. At the bottom of the pictures is the photo credit, "Official U.S. Army Photos."
I have several of these pictures courtesy of one of the veterans pictured. I have also talked with one of the guys pictured, and all he remembers is that "some Army photographers showed up one day and said they wanted to take a bunch of pictures of all of the Oklahoma guys with this plane, so we bunched up and let them take their pictures."
My question- I know that the photographers would have taken more pictures than those that were printed, and I have a hunch that someone might have taken some in color. Where could I find the originals of these shots? Would I look at the USAF Museum, the National Archives, NASM? Any suggestions would be helpful. I just wondered if official photographers had their photos deposited in one central location. The shots were taken sometime between October and December 1944 in Italy, if that helps.
Thanks!
kevin
[img][img]http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g204/tulsaboy/AirviewJanuary1.jpg[/img]
[/img]
Wed May 09, 2007 12:50 pm
Hi Kevin,
The USAAF WWII photos were taken by the Signal Corps. These were gathered into the files of the US Army Signal Corps Collection [National Archives Record Group 111]. There are USAAF photos at the USAF Archives, Maxwell AFB, AL; the National Museum of the USAF, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio; the Smithsonian NASM; and other military archives ...but the bulk are in RG111.
HTH,
David
The USAAF WWII photos were taken by the Signal Corps. These were gathered into the files of the US Army Signal Corps Collection [National Archives Record Group 111]. There are USAAF photos at the USAF Archives, Maxwell AFB, AL; the National Museum of the USAF, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio; the Smithsonian NASM; and other military archives ...but the bulk are in RG111.
HTH,
David
Wed May 09, 2007 2:01 pm
Thanks, David! I'll try to find out if they're tucked into that collection.
kevin
kevin
Wed May 09, 2007 3:39 pm
David, How extensive is NARG 111?