P-38 Lightning

The P-38 Lightning

 

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 Lightning had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament.

Dad’s War Photos

My father brought his camera with him to the South Pacific and took over 600 photos during his three years in WWII. I published over 4oo of them in “Dad’s War Photos: Adventures in the South Pacific.” One of my most prized photos is the one where he is standing next to ace pilot Major Edward Cragg’s P-38 named “Porky II” 11 days before it was shot down. This may be the last photo of this plane, taken on Dec. 15, 1943 in Dobodura, New Guinea. Read more

A-20 Havok

Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber

Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber, strafing Japanese in the South Pacific in WWII. “Dad’s War Photos” has dozens of photos of airplane nose art, New Guinea natives.

The Douglas A-20 Havoc was a family of American attack, light bomber and night fighter aircraft of World War II. Attacking with forward-firing .50-cal. machine guns and bombs, the A-20G lived up to its name by creating havoc and destruction on low-level strafing attacks, especially against Japanese shipping and airfields across the South Pacific in WWII. Read more

“Mexican Spitfire” is an example of B-25 nose art photos Dad took.

B-25 Mitchell Bomber in World War 2

B-25 Mitchell Bomber

The North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber played a significant role during World War Two. It was a twin-engine medium attack bomber. It was one of America’s most famous airplanes of World War Two. The B-25 Mitchell bomber was the type used by Gen. Jimmy Doolittle for the Tokyo Raid on April 18, 1942. (See video below for actual film footage.) Read more

Photos of B-17 Bombers

Photos of B-17 Bombers

My father took two photos of Boeing B-17 bombers while in the South Pacific area of New Guinea during World War Two. This B-17 shown below was being examined by several men. This was one of dozens of pictures of bombers, fighters, and assorted WWII planes that are in my new book, Dad’s War Photos: Adventures in the South Pacific. The other B-17 he photographed has dozens of topless New Guinea women posing with the famous WWII airplane. Read more

B-24 Bomber Photo Queen

Photos of B-24 Bombers

Miscellaneous Photos of B-24 Bombers My father took several photos of B-24 Bombers while in the South Pacific area of New Guinea during World War Two. I put 28 pictures of these B-24 bombers in Dad’s War Photos: Adventures in the South Pacific. These World War Two B-24 airplanes were classified as heavy bombers, had […]

Japanese Arisaka Type 38 rifle and bayonet

Japanese Arisaka Type 38 rifle & bayonet

In March of 1945 during World War II, my father and his battalion were in Manila, Philippines. The Allies fought the Japanese there and killed many thousands. The Walled City, or Intramuros, was one of the places the enemy was fighting from. This is where this Japanese Arisaka Type 38 rifle and bayonet were found. You can read the whole story on page 151 of my book, Dad’s War Photos: Adventures in the South Pacific. Read more

Photos and videos of LSTs

The Landing Ship, Tanks or LSTs are the ships that transported troops and machinery. See last week’s blog post for more information, photos and video.

My father and his battalion traveled aboard these ships, being transported to the various locations in the South Pacific. They were on these LSTs when they left Oro Bay, New Guinea and went to Saidor; from Saidor, New Guinea to Biak Island, and from Biak to Calicoan Island in Eastern Samar Philippines, then on to the battle of the Lingayen Gulf in Luzon, Philippines. Read more

Landing Ship Tank, or LST, Part One

Introduction to LSTs Part One

One of the more fascinating and mysterious aspects of the photos my dad took were the troop and vehicle carriers, called LSTs. I always wondered how the trucks ended up parked on the top deck. It wasn’t until after I completed my book, Dad’s War Photos: Adventures in the South Pacific, that I learned how that was accomplished.

Landing Ship, Tank (LST) is the naval designation for vessels created during World War II to support amphibious operations by carrying vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto an unimproved shore. About 1,000 LSTs were laid down in the United States during World War II for use by the Allies. Read more

Your Ancestor’s Army Air Force Records are Available

Do you know anyone who was in the Army Air Force during WWII, or in the Air Force since WWII? Did you know you can have the military history of their battalion?

If it would not have been for the discovery of the complete military record of my father’s battalion during its three years during World War Two, this book, “Dad’s War Photos: Adventures in the South Pacific” would not have turned out as good as it did. Read more

Neal Bertrand and James Bollich

Meeting a WW II POW

I had the honor of meeting with Mr. James J. Bollich in his home on Friday Feb. 13, 2015. He was captured by the Japanese in the Philippines in 1942, and was part of the “Bataan Death March” where multiple thousands of soldiers died. He also took lots of photos while in the Philippines, but had to bury them in the jungle so they would not be captured and used by the Japs. Read more