Return of the Troops
Jun 19, 2016 23:34:18 #
I have previously posted some photos that my father took when he was stationed on the aircraft carrier Antietam in the waning days of WWII. As I continue to sift through his personal effects, I ran across some kodachrome slides marking his return to the US. It appears he returned to San Francisco. Even after seventy plus years in less that ideal conditions, the slides retain their vivid colors. I've only visited San Francisco a couple of times, but I recognize Alcatraz and what I assume is the area down near present day Pier 54. You can see Coit Tower in some shots, but the skyline is very different today. What I found quite interesting is the Welcome Home signs to the troops that are visible in three of the photos. One is on posted on Alcatraz, one is painted on a building at the end of a pier and the other appears on the far right of a picture which means it would be one of the first things the troops would see as the enter the bay area. I know some of the horizons are "off" in the pictures and I considered straightening them, but that would mean that some individuals would have been cut from the photos. They have been waiting seventy years to get out of their Kodak box and I just couldn't bring myself to cropping them from the photos for the sake of level horizons. Cheers to the greatest generations. Many thanks on many levels.
Jun 19, 2016 23:35:15 #
Jun 19, 2016 23:54:25 #
jmdenver wrote:
Any naval types know anything about the type of vessel #2 represents?
Interesting, they do seem to have survived very well. Keep them sealed up dry and dark, avoid extreme heat.
This seems to be the same ship:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hermitage_(AP-54)
Jun 20, 2016 00:02:07 #
robertjerl wrote:
Interesting, they do seem to have survived very well. Keep them sealed up dry and dark, avoid extreme heat.
This seems to be the same ship:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hermitage_(AP-54)
This seems to be the same ship:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hermitage_(AP-54)
You're good! Thanks for the help.
Jun 20, 2016 00:05:06 #
robertjerl wrote:
Interesting, they do seem to have survived very well. Keep them sealed up dry and dark, avoid extreme heat.
This seems to be the same ship:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hermitage_(AP-54)
This seems to be the same ship:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hermitage_(AP-54)
Will do. For nearly 50 years they were in a stifling attic in TN. Summer temps routinely were over 125 in the attic and I'm sure the humidity didn't help. But you can see they seem to have survived unscathed. No they are in Colorado and I promise to treat them more kindly.
Jun 20, 2016 00:05:59 #
Jun 20, 2016 13:38:04 #
Jun 21, 2016 00:11:56 #
Wonderful shots, Jim! Made my mind wander back to our waiting for our son's ship to come in to Baltimore from Iraq. All the sailors were standing at attention, but our son waved to us! I took sooo many shots of that! Good shots!
Jun 21, 2016 07:35:35 #
sailorsmom wrote:
Wonderful shots, Jim! Made my mind wander back to our waiting for our son's ship to come in to Baltimore from Iraq. All the sailors were standing at attention, but our son waved to us! I took sooo many shots of that! Good shots!
Must have been a wonderful moment.
Jun 23, 2016 05:20:33 #
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