CMH Home
CMH Home
Buffalo Soldiers On the Eve of War

    Compiled by CPT John F. Curley
    Photos from the Signal Corps Collection in Record Group #111
    Still Picture Branch
    National Archives at College Park
    8601 Adelphi Road
    College Park, MD 20740-6001


  • Soldier

    New Georgia
    Pvt. Lloyd Culuck, Co. A, 1st Bn., 172nd Inf, gets chow from a can of Ration B on New Georgia Island, SW Pacific. He uses the can lid in lieu of fork or spoon. On the island since the first beachhead was established, he hasn't changed clothes in 12 days. (Jul 43) Signal Corps Photo: 161-43-2537 (DiPaola)

  • Waiting to Advance

    Vella Lavella
    Infantrymen of Co. "I" await the word to advance in pursuit of retreating Japanese forces. Stepping Stone Island on the Vella Lavella Island Front, Southwest Pacific. (13 Sep 43) Signal Corps Photo: 161-43-4081 (Schuman)

  • Wounded on Lighter

    New Georgia
    Casualties lying on stretchers aboard a lighter. Munda Point, New Georgia, SW Pacific. (12 Jul 43) Signal Corps Photo: 161-43-2100 (Wendlinger)

  • Radio Operator

    New Guinea
    Radio Operator, Cpl. John Robbins of Louisville, Nebraska, 41st Signal, 41st Inf. Div., operating his SCR 188 in a sandbagged hut at Station NYU. Dobodura, New Guinea. (9 May 43) Signal Corps Photo: GHQ SWPA SC 43 5901 (T/4 Harold Newman)

  • AA Gun Crew

    New Guinea
    No. 2 Gun Crew, Btry D, 208th CA AA, man their 3 inch AA gun at New Fighter Strip, Dobodura, New Guinea. (17 May 43) Signal Corps Photo: GHQ SWPA SC 43 6003 (Pfc. John A. Moore)

  • AA Gun Crew

    New Guinea
    Pvt. Arthur Ristinen of Menagha, Minn., and Pfc. John Weinzinger of Phillips, Wisconsin, 186th Inf. Reg., 41st Inf. Div., relax in front of Warisota Plantation sawmill run by men of the 186th. Sawmill was used to obtain lumber for bridge construction on the new Oro Bay Dobodura road, New Guinea. (5 May 43) Signal Corps Photo: GHQ SWPA SC 43 5816 (T/4 Harold Newman)

  • Machine Shop

    New Guinea
    Mobile Machine Shop truck of the 741st Ord. Co., 41st Inf. Div., at Horanda, New Guinea. Pfc. George Chapman, Helena, Montana and Sgt. John Eppard, Pasadena, Cal., machinists, working on automotive parts. (9 May 43) Signal Corps Photo: GHQ SWPA SC 43 6856

  • Laundry

    New Guinea
    Pvt. Mearl Hatfield, Jellico, Tenn., and Pvt. Clen C. Campell, LaGrande, Oregon operate the QM's portable laundry diesel engine somewhere on New Guinea. (19 Apr 43) Signal Corps Photo: GHQ SWPA SC 43 5924 (Pfc. Harry Young)

  • OCS Graduate

    Australia
    Capt. E. H. Lowe, the first black graduate from OCS in the SWPA, pins insignia on 2nd Lt. James B. Morris, Des Moines, Iowa at OCS graduation exercise held at Camp Columbia, Brisbane, Australia. (29 Jun 43) Signal Corps Photo: GHQ SWPA SC 43 7037 (T/4 Harold Hoffman)

  • Tank Crew 1

    North Africa
    Crew of M-3 Tank #309490, D Co., 2nd Bn., 12th Ar. Reg., 1st Arm. Div. at Souk el Arba, Tunisia. (23 Nov 42) Signal Corps Photo: NA-COO-42-207 (Cooper)

  • Tank Crew 2

    North Africa
    Crew of M-3 Tank #309503, 2nd Bn., 12th Ar. Reg., 1st Arm. Div., at Souk el Arba, Tunisia. (23 Nov 42) Signal Corps Photo: NA-COO-42-211 (Cooper)

  • Tank Crew 2

    North Africa
    Crew of M-3 Tank #309576, 2nd Bn., 12th Ar. Reg., 1st Arm. Div., at Souk el Arba, Tunisia. (24 Nov 42) Signal Corps Photo: NA-COO-42-217 (Cooper)

  • Red Cross

    North Africa
    Herbert M. Sifford, Greensberg, Pa., assistant field director of the American Red Cross, grinding coffee at an ARC camp near Tebessa, Tunisia before heading out to visit the soldiers. (19 Feb 43) Signal Corps Photo: NA ZEI-43-987 (Zeigler)

  • Red Cross

    North Africa
    "Eyes of Censorship", peering through paper counter-stamped by Base Censors and then U.S. Censors Offices, Algiers, Africa. (12 Oct 43) Signal Corps Photo: MM-MCQ-43-4119 (McQuarrie)

  • Liberty Crew

    North Atlantic
    Members of a "Checker Board" crew that brought the Liberty Ship S.S. Booker T. Washington from the U.S. to Cardiff, Wales, play with their mascot "Booker". (L-R) R. C. Woods, Galveston, Texas, A. M. Mulzac, Trinidad, W. B. Shepard, Los Angeles, Calif., and S. O'Neil, also fro Los Angeles. (6 Feb 43) Signal Corps Photo: ETO-HQ-43-1176 (Baum)

  • Liberty Crew

    Iceland
    At sea near northern Iceland, a soldier-passenger from the 121st R. I. Co. relaxes with a new book. (20 May 43) Signal Corps Photo: EDA 43 269 (Cpl. Frank Kaye)

  • Artillery Crew

    Iceland
    Sanskeid Range. Gun crew prepares to fire a 37mm sub-caliber mounted on a 75mm field howitzer during range practice by the 19th and 21st FA. (20 Jun 43) Signal Corps Photo: IBC 43 1037 (Sgt. Altman)

  • Artillery Crew

    Sicily Invasion
    The Robert Rowan (Ship K-40) explodes after being hit by a German bomber off of Gela, Sicily. (11 Jul 43) Signal Corps Photo: MM-43-L-1-23 (Lt. Longini)

  • First Casualty

    Sicily Invasion
    Grave of the first American casualty on the beach. Gela, Sicily. (12 Jul 43) Signal Corps Photo: MM-43-P3-31 (Paris)

  • First Casualty

    Sicily Invasion
    Crew from the tank "Eternity" check their vehicle after landing at Red Beach 2, Sicily. (10 Jul 43) Signal Corps Photo: MM-43-01-32 (Osborne)

  • Dead German Pilot

    Sicily Invasion
    American soldiers looking at a dead German pilot and his wrecked plane near Gela, Sicily. (12 Jul 43) Signal Corps Photo: MM-43-S1-20 (Stoen)

  • Yanks and Civilians

    Sicily Invasion
    Pvt. George Katere, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Pfc. Wm. Mosa, Wheeling, W. Va., and Jessie A. Hampton of Louisville, Ky., making friends with a group of civilians. (11 Jul 43) Signal Corps Photo: MM-43-06-21 (Cpl. Osborne)

  • Jeep Cartoon

    Sicily Invasion
    Cartoon on the Jeep of Cpl. Paul F. Janesk, Antrim, Penn., with the face of Mussolini crossed out. (3 Sep 43) Signal Corps Photo: MM-Har-9-3-43-Pl-2 (Harman)

  • Good Friends!

    Farewell!
    Gen. Bernard Law Montgomery is bid a jolly farewell by Lt. Gen. George S. Patton, Jr., at the Palermo, Sicily airport after a visit by Gen. Montgomery. (28 Jul 43) Signal Corps Photo: MM-Bri-7-28-43-R2-6 (Lt. Brin)

« Return to the Table of Contents