Recently Liberated American POWs

In this May 1945 photograph taket at Mossburg, Germany, recently liberated American prisoners of war await transportation during their journey home. The boys borrowed this table for mess purposes after being freed. In the rear is a tent which housed two hundred of them. They are the ones that made it through alive. Without the Wehrmacht gear and grim wartime faces, they are just a bunch of blokes hanging out in the sun having their picture taken. Different story for most of them on the inside though... Notice the guy in 'civvies' (2nd from left) wearng a Wehrmacht Heer Schirmmütze (visor cap)!

Source :
US AIR FORCE photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=4009850899101693&set=gm.1716596251859124

US Soldier Examine Huge Tanks at Dollbergen

A US soldier and Alex Barneknox, who worked at the refinery for two years as a slave laborer, examine huge tanks at Dollbergen, Germany.

Source :
US AIR FORCE photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=4020239064729543&set=gm.1719141338271282

The USS Midway (CVB-41) Launching

The USS Midway (CVB-41) is launched on March 20, 1945, in Newport News, Virginia. Midway was laid down 27 October 1943 in Shipway 11 at Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Virginia; launched 20 March 1945, sponsored by Mrs. Bradford William Ripley, Jr.; and commissioned on 10 September 1945 (eight days after the Surrender of Japan) with Captain Joseph F. Bolger in command. Midway was the largest ship in the world until 1955, as well as the first U.S. aircraft carrier too big to transit the Panama Canal. She operated for 47 years, during which time she saw action in the Vietnam War and served as the Persian Gulf flagship in 1991's Operation Desert Storm. Decommissioned in 1992, she is now a museum ship at the USS Midway Museum, in San Diego, California, and is the only remaining inactive U.S. aircraft carrier that is not an Essex-class aircraft carrier.

Source :
National Archives and Records Administration 80-G-K-3515
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
https://www.flickr.com/photos/airandspace/albums/72157715574200936

U.S. Marines Look Over Abandoned Japanese Kawasaki Ki-61

U.S. Marines on Okinawa look over an abandoned Japanese Kawasaki Ki-61 “Tony” on April 9, 1945. The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (飛燕, "flying swallow") is a Japanese World War II fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service. The Japanese Army designation was "Army Type 3 Fighter" (三式戦闘機). Allied intelligence initially believed Ki-61s were Messerschmitt Bf 109s and later an Italian Macchi C.202, which led to the Allied reporting name of "Tony", assigned by the United States War Department. It was the only mass-produced Japanese fighter of the war to use a liquid-cooled inline V engine. Over 3,000 Ki-61s were produced. Initial prototypes saw action over Yokohama during the Doolittle Raid on 18 April 1942, and continued to fly combat missions throughout the war.

Source :
National Archives and Records Administration 127-GW-119179
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawasaki_Ki-61
https://www.flickr.com/photos/airandspace/albums/72157715574200936

German POWs by George Stevens (Pictures and Video)

Germany in 1945: Sensationally restored footage by George Stevens (screenshots)
May 1945 / German prisoners of war

These Sensationally restored original color film recordings of the US Army show various cities and locations in Germany after the surrender in May 1945. The pictures (mostly of German prisoners of war) were taken under the command of George Stevens, a director from Hollywood.

George Cooper Stevens (December 18, 1904 - March 8, 1975) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and cinematographer. Among his most notable films are The More the Merrier (1943; Oscar nominated for Best Director), A Place in the Sun (1951; winner of six Academy Awards including Best Director), Shane (1953; Oscar nominated for Best Director), Giant (1956; Oscar for Best Director), and The Diary of Anne Frank (1959; nominated for Best Director).

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Stevens?fbclid=IwAR3m_Fm9feaDyiH-lm21DDlpFzEAxmLgJP9CRUopHBrSsybOPe9mLhHiGyw
https://www.facebook.com/groups/237076659811098/permalink/1715047795347303/?__cft__[0]=AZWoKbPGPjIRjJLyg2knLjLsVsXZ0KdkVKI3BOxzwfJ9WiqiCrW4lSv9a6O5Y1ZoqLyzHCDt-oxrCX2087zs1hP4ixn7O7Ug-JrXx3Unkkw7qL6glBbBBwFEmmxnnq9XxWDjkEtu7XWWgxvC1Si09FWr8dEKGP6w96Dv46_XCIsqCPZz4Y-8PEgJRfUqnSO9uck&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwy8SzVmWGc

U.S. Navy JRF Goose over Alaska

 

A U.S. Navy Grumman JRF Goose amphibian in flight over mountains in Alaska (USA), winter 1942/43

Source :
National Archives and Records Administration 80-G-K-5178
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
https://www.flickr.com/photos/airandspace/albums/72157715574200936
https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/80-G-K-05000/80-G-K-5178.html

A Martin PBM-3R Receives Dual Navy and Pan American Airways Markings

 

In January 1943, a Martin PBM-3R receives dual Navy and Pan American Airways markings. Pan American operated Navy PBMs on regular transport runs between San Francisco and Pearl Harbor. Just to add to the story: a PBM 3R Mariner flown by PAA Captain Bill Moss rescued 48 survivors of the sinking of the Cape San Juan by a Japanese sub. This involved a dangerous open sea landing.

Source :
https://www.facebook.com/panam.org/photos/10158682026890219
National Archives and Records Administration 80-G-K-1142
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
https://www.flickr.com/photos/airandspace/albums/72157715574200936

US Army Engineers Locating Land Mines

 

In Italy with US Army Engineers locating land mines, 1943. The conventional method of mine detection was developed in World War II and has changed little since then. It involves a metal detector, prodding instrument and tripwire feeler. Deminers clear an area of vegetation and then divide it into lanes. A deminer advances along a lane, swinging a metal detector close to the ground. When metal is detected, the deminer prods the object with a stick or stainless steel probe to determine whether it is a mine. If a mine is found, it must be deactivated. Although conventional demining is slow (5–150 square metres cleared per day), it is reliable, so it is still the most commonly used method. Integration with other methods such as explosive sniffing dogs can increase its reliability. Demining is a dangerous occupation. If a mine is prodded too hard or it is not detected, the deminer can suffer injury or death. The large number of false positives from metal detectors can make deminers tired and careless. According to one report, there is one such incident for every 1000–2000 mines cleared. 35 percent of the accidents occur during mine excavation and 24 percent result from missed mines.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demining
https://www.facebook.com/groups/237076659811098/permalink/1707581389427277/?__cft__[0]=AZUx0dYLNfqxBviinHiydaNq6YBrrH7rLoT_T_kFp1NWHcWqAhpbo8XqhNddJcBRH_aQ1QRu51v0wj1mxeGFlEnaqOCDTV88w6CBDGee8OxMpAuF4OGOj5t-0jrrkkU9OeL2WYWXwRQ2uYYCrHgIkAZ3h-z8dVjlUxIzU2tH7ut8BkSpPNyjdX6jnJLMormFW7M&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

Pile of German Soldier's Helmet

 

A pile of helmets taken from the German Afrika Korps after their surrender at the Battle Of El Guettar, April 1943. Photo by Eliot Elisofon. Helmets were usually only retained until POW physically left the combat zone, most prisoners then discarded them and wore their field caps instead. This will have been a dumping point for helmets - note also that a lot of the unpopular pith helmets have been thrown away! Clothing, hats, medals,gear were frequently stolen by those who captured them. BTW, The Geneva convention dictate that POWs should be kept within 200 miles of the latitude they were captured in. Germans captured in North Africa were largely detained along Georgia, Texas, and Arizona corridor. The US was one of very few nations that actually followed this protocol!

source :
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=737488886913290&set=gm.1701943823324367
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/pile-of-soldiers-helmet-during-the-battle-of-el-guettar-news-photo/1187488265

Order of Kutuzov for General Ira C. Eaker

M. Alexander Bogomolov, Soviet Representative, Presents The 'Order Of Kutozov' 2nd Class, Russia'S Highest Military Award, To U.S. Army Lieutenant-General Ira C. Eaker In Italy. The Order of Kutuzov is a Soviet military decoration to reward senior officers of the Red Army or foeign allies for skillful avoidance of enemy attacks and successful counter attacks. The Order of Kutuzov was established in three classes: 1st class, 2nd class, and 3rd class. General Ivan Galanin who distinguished himself during the Battle of Stalingrad became the first recipient of the Order 1st class. During World War II, 669 Orders of Kutuzov 1st class were awarded. The Order 2nd class was awarded to 3,325 corps, division, and brigade commanders. The Order 3rd class was awarded to regimental commanders, their chiefs of staff, battalion and company commanders. 3,328 3rd class orders were awarded.

Source :
US AIR FORCE
https://awards.wiki/en/ussr/order_of_kutuzov/12.html
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3965190483567735&set=gm.1706463549539061