Air Force Operations in WWII

Vintage images of bomber crews and aircraft mechanics preparing for missions, highlighting teamwork and the intensity of war efforts in the 1940s.

Two Members Of The 439Th Troop Carrier Group Examine Flak Damage On A Douglas C-47 At An Air Base Somewhere In England. 7 June 1944.

Bombardier-Eighth Air force, England.

Palaus Islands -- S/Sgt. Joseph (Trigger Joe) Simoes Of Fall River, Mass., Readies The Twin-Fifties Of A 7Th Aaf Consolidated B-24 Liberator Bomber Shortly Before A Predawn Takeoff From An Advanced Base In The Palaus. Not One Of The Iwo Busters, This B-2

Aircraft, Burma, India & INDIA,Transportation War

Capt. Smith (now a Maj.), the bombardier, left, Capt. Binham, the navigator; and T/Sgt. Herman T. Levy, 828 McBride St., Syracuse, N.Y., the crew chief, inspect the flak damaged to the nose of "Rat Poison" after the Martin B-26's 164th mission.

Aircraft, Burma, India & INDIA,Transportation War

Close-up view showing the position of a camera mounted on a Lockheed P-38 of the 49th Fighter Group at Port Moresby, New Guinea. 22 August 1943.

captured German and Italian Generals in transport plane.

An Aerial Photographer Of The 90Th Photo Reconn Wing On A Night Photo Mission. Italy.

Aircraft, Burma, India &Operations War

Two Members Of The 439Th Troop Carrier Group Examine Flak Damage On A Douglas C-47 At An Air Base Somewhere In England. 7 June 1944.

Lt. Madeline Norris of 197-25 90th Ave., Hollis, L.I., sees a patient safely aboard one of the hospital transports assigned to Liuchow, 14th Air force base in South China. Lt. Norris is one of the two flight nurses who still remain

Bombs are being loaded in a Boeing B-17 Flying ofrtress to help the invasion army penetrate Hitler's ofrtress on the Second Front. The trailer carries the entire load of 100-pounders, the ofrtress "Chug-A-Lug IV" will drop, in one of the day's

Aircraft, Burma, India &ELECTRONICS,RADIO War

ENGLAND-In the narrow confines of a Boeing B-17 Flying ofrtress radio room, Capt. Bryce P. Weldy, Flight Surgeon, of 3020 Shawnee Drive, ofrt Wayne, Indiana, watches the flow of blood plasma intently, as he battles to save the life a critically

Royal Air Force Bomber Command, 1942-1945. A WAAF electrician repairing the switches on the engines panel in a Handley Page Halifax at a Bomber Command station.

S/Sgt George W. James, Rt. 1, Box 268, Alburquerque, N.M. with his gun turned to two o'clock after receiving a warning from the pilot of the approach of an enemy plane.

2nd Lt. Marion L. Hamesch (right) checks chart of wounded man as he is raised into interior of a Douglas C-47 Air Evacuation Hospital plane. England.

Service Men At One Of Major General Hoyt S. Vandenberg'S 9Th Af Fighter-Bomber Bases Convert Captured German Belly Tanks Into Incendiary Bombs With A Mixture Of Gasolie And A Jell Substance.

The Navigator Of A Martin B-26 "Marauder" Of The 386Th Bomb Group Based In England Checks His Charts Prior To Take-Off On A Mission On 4 November 1943.

Troops Of The 17Th Airborne Division Enter A Curtis C-46 At An Airfield Somewhere In England Prior To Landing Of Airborne Troops East Of The Rhine River In Germany. Equipment To Be Sued In The Invasion Is Stored Inside The Plane. This Is The First Time

This Crew Member Of A Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" Of The 381St Bomb Group, Was Wounded During A Mission Over Enemy Territory. England, 20 February 1944.

Qm Troops Of The 490Th Qm Depot And The 101St Airborne Division Try Out The British Pannier Basket For Delivering Supplies To Troops On The Ground. Here, Men Push A Basket Over The Roller Conveyor Inside The Plane Toward The Door Where It Will Start Its

A Pilot Of The 94Th Fighter Squadron, 1St Fighter Group, Sits In The Cockpit Of His Lockheed P-38 Lightning At An Air Base Somewhere In Italy.

Thru the windows in the cockpit of a second plane, one can see President Roosevelt's plane as it wings its way toward Casablanca, Morocco, where the President will confer with the great English leader, Winston Churchill. November 1943.

132B - Ambulance Planes - American. December 19, 1945. (Photo by U.S. Officer Of War Information Picture).

Belgium-Ruefully examining part of the flak damage to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bomber "I'll Get By" is S/Sgt. Robert Rakow, Jr., 2116 S. 12th St., Sheboygan, Wis., while Pfc. Charles R. Eck, 511 Arlington Ave., Baltimore, Md., armorer

Lt. Amadeo, Vera Cruz, And Lt. R. Urias A., Mexico D.F., Exchange Victory Smiles After Having Dropped Their Bombs On A Jap Target During The 201St Fighter Squadron'S (Mexican) First Combat Mission Overseas.

A Couple Of Men Of The 480Th Service Sqdn, 59Th Service Group Repairing Damaged Elevator And Stabilizer Of A Boeing B-29 On Bolo Strip. 11 August 1945.

386th Air Servicen Squadron cleaning dust from the engine. Because of the dust at Lingayen Airstrip, Luzon Island, Philippine Islands, the cowlings from airplanes must be pulled and engines cleaned every day instead of at the usual 25-hour

Lt. Gen. George Kenney, left, inspects newly arrived Republic P-47 with Maj. H. Rekart, Ottoville, Ohio, 5th Air Force Service Command at Eagle Farm, Brisbane, Australia. 2 December 1943.

Operator In Radio Jeep Brings A North American P-51 In For A Landing Somewhere In The Pacific.

These mechanics were against junking the "Florida Gator," badly riddled by flak over Berlin, so little by little, as they are able to obtain parts from the salvage lot, this fighter is being rebuilt and will soon be in combat again with the German

Detachment 101, an enigmatic Allied intelligence and special operations unit during World War II, played a pivotal role in the Burmese theater. Operating deep in the jungles of Burma, their mission was multi-faceted, encompassing guerrilla warfare, espionage, and sabotage against Japanese forces. Comprising a diverse group of individuals, from OSS agents to indigenous fighters, they effectively disrupted Japanese supply lines, gathered critical intelligence, and supported resistance movements.

U.S. Submarine diving wheel & depth gauges

Air Force Ground Crew Of The 305Th Bomb Group Load A Bomb On A Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" At An 8Th Bomber Command Air Base Somewhere In England. 16 December 1943.

This VHF (Very High Frequency) radar set at Division Command Post has contact with ANVRC (Radio Jeep), located near the front lines, and also with the aircraft concerned. If any unforeseen eventuality occurs that requires immediate action, this set

Fishing inspection in the North Sea with the frigate of predator class Hr.Ms. Wolf (F 817) (1954-1984) (EX-USS PCE 1607). During the Stilluish period in Hamburg there is time for relaxation and maintenance.

Aircraft, Burma, India & INDIA,Transportation War

Cairo, Egypt-King Peter gets a bit of first hand information from the captain of one of the Consolidated B-24's by actual inspection of the inside and controls.

A Marine, Wounded In Chest And Head, Awaits Air Evacuation By Aircraft Of 163Rd Liaison Squadron From Okinawa Front. Marine Is Aided In Breathing By Aviator's Oxygen Mask And Supply Bottle. The Bottle, With Attached Hose And Mask, Is Fastened Behind Pil

DN-SN-86-06337. Base: Naval Amphib Base, Little Creek State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Vintage photograph. A close-up view of the cabin of the H - 12 helicopter showing eight infantry man

S/Sgt. Everett W. Cords, Rochester, Miss., Top Gunner And Gun Captain Of A Boeing B-29 Of The 444Th Bomb Group, Xx Bomber Command, Gazes Out Of His Top Turret As His Group Returns From The Mission 9 Bombing Of Anshan, Manchuria, And Smiles As His Thoughts

Busy At The Ticklish Job Of Removing An Aircraft Engine From The Engine Seat In The Wing, Are Three Aircraft Mechanics Of The All-Negro Service Group. L. To R. Are, Sgt. Bonnie D'Garden, Of 270 Hudson, St., Jackson, Misissippi; Sgt. Thomas L. Greggs, 191

Tail end view of S/Sgt. Clarence M. Baumgartner, tail gunner from Evansville, Indiana, at his position before take-off from his base somewhere in North Africa. 29 July 1943.

An Armorer Loads Ammunition In The Wing Republic P-47 Thunderbolt Of The 12Th Af At A Base In Italy. Note, The Rocket Installation Under Wing.

S/Sgt. Billie McClennen shown manning nose turret of Consolidated B-24 Liberator.

FRAMED IN ARMOR-Surrounded by .50 caliber bullets, a Martin B-26 Marauder gunner of the First TAC AF mans his gun. This is the guardian who is ofrever on the alert, ofrever keen, who constantly scans the skies for any Luftwaffe interceptors.

26,237 Chinese Troops And 388 Tons Of Supplies Were Moved By 60 Douglas C-54's Of The Atc In 20 Days During September 1945, In An Operation Called 'Cannon Project' When The 94Th Chinese Army Went From Liuchow To Shanghai, China To Accept The Surrender Of

Consolidated B-24 Liberator "Strictly Instrumental" returned from an attack with nose badly damaged, but miraculously no crew members killed or injured.

Major John F. Wedding.

Women on the Home Front 1939 - 1945 The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF): A WAAF electrician making an adjustment to the bomb switch units of a Lancaster bomber.

Royal Air Force Transport Command, 1943-1945. The interior of a Vickers Warwick C Mark I of No. 525 Squadron RAF based at Lyneham, Wiltshire,, looking towards the cockpit from the passengers' cabin. The wireless operator sits at his position on the left.

Men At Work In The Sheet Metal Shop Of The 353Rd Fighter Group At Their Base In England. 4 September 1944.

Aircraft, Burma, India & Training

AMS-88 , Ships, Naval Vessels, Boats, Naval History, Navy

Coast Guard Protects Allied Shipping. This image depicts fighting men of the U.S. Coast Guard as they cross the Atlantic, protecting Allied shipping.

Häckrum.SB Sid viewed .. Kockums AB (depicted name), shark (depicted name)

Anefo photo collection. Navy Navy Anefo London series. Cancer boat Hr.Ms. "Flores" takes invasion France. Dutch canonnier. 1944. France, Normandy

A New Plexi-Glass Nose Is Lifted Into Place On A North American B-25 Of The 340Th Bomb Group Which Was Damaged During The Eruption Of Mt. Vesuvius On 23 March 1944.

Installation of a mobile switchboard by the 7th Communication Division of the Marines in Vietnam, March 1967. The photograph depicts a member of the Marine Corps setting up the switchboard equipment. This mobile switchboard was aimed at improving communication between military personnel during the Vietnam War.

Collection of World War I Photographs, 1914-1918 that depict the military activities of British and other nation's armed forces and personnel during World War I.

Signalman. .

Lt. Flottrop, Of The 390Th Bomb Group, Examines The Damage Done To His Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" While On A Mission Over Enemy Territory. 8Th Air Force Base, England, 11 March 1944.

The control tower.BB page .. Kockums AB (depicted name), shark (depicted name)

Collection of World War I Photographs, 1914-1918 that depict the military activities of British and other nation's armed forces and personnel during World War I.

One of the gunners alerted back down the body of the ofrtress is waist-gunner, Don King, of Imperial, Texas. In combat, the gunners "pass the Jerry" back from position to position, warning each successive position from nose to tail: "Here he comes

Italy - Aerial View Shows Lockheed P-38 Lightning 'Shooting Stars' On Runway.

Aircraft, Burma, India &BOMBLOADING War

Sweden, Blekinge, Blekinge, Karlskrona, Karlskrona, external marina (depicted, town).Sweden, Blekinge, Blekinge, Karlskrona, Karlskrona, External War Gogs (depicted, City)

S/Sgt Warren D. Hall From Kansas City, Mo., One Of The Evacuees, Gets A Drink From Crew Chief, S/Sgt. Richard A. Larsen, From Escanaba, Mich., Veteran Of Many An Evac Mission. Sgt. Hail Is A Consolidated B-24 Liberator Gunner, Whose Ship Was Shot Up, And

89C - Loading Bombs And Ammunition - Bombing Crew At Work, Gunners Etc. June 6, 1942. (Photo by Interphoto News Pictures, Inc.).

Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Bomber Command An interior view of Avro Manchester Mark I, L7288 'EM-H', of No 207 Squadron RAF at Waddington, Lincolnshire, looking aft towards the rear turret with a member of the crew posing by the flare chute.

Members Of The 439Th Troop Carrier Group Make A Final Check On The Glider Tow Ropes Before Taking Off From An Air Base Somewhere In England. 8 September 1944.

'He Flies Thriugh The Air.' - Lt. Norman Garvin And 'Blitzie.'

Gunnery Training Is Thorough And Constant At The 401St Bomb Group Base In England. The Man On The Right Is W.E. Dixon. 22 October 1944.

Nazi Prisoners Taken Out of GreenLand. This image depicts a few of the 60 Jerries who were captured by the U.S. Coast Guard in ten weeks of dramatic action among the ice floes of Greenland.

NEW TAIL TURRET--Crew Chief M/Sgt. Wm. A. Lucas of Ashland, Wisc., inserting hand into vent that releases spent cartridge shells for a cleaning of new tail turret on Boeing B-17 Flying ofrtress.

Photo collection Service for army contacts Indonesia. DLC Zegeis from the Y-Brigade with the Boissevain from Bali to Palembang (Sumatra) 1st series. OWV ers war volunteers climbing from the LCT on board the Boissevain. October 24, 1946. Bali, Indonesia, Dutch East Indies

The Royal Marines. With the Royal Marines of the Home Fleet, October and November, 1942. The Captain of 'X' turret, a Royal Marine Sergeant, at action station on board the cruiser HMS CUMBERLAND.

Royal Air Force- 2nd Tactical Air Force, 1943-1945. Leading Aircraftman C Barnham of Winchmore Hill, London, loads a Fairchild K-19B (12-inch focal length lens) night aerial camera into a De Havilland Mosquito PR Mark XVI of No. 140 Squadron RAF, at B58/ Melsbroek, Belgium, before a night photographic-reconnaissance sortie.

Bomb damage to Radovljica...

2nd Lt. John H. Kleinsorg, navigator, of 952 Silver Ave., San Francisco, Calif.

Aircraft, Burma, India &Troops &Paratroops

S/Sgt. Merlin D. Miller Of Chicago, Ill., Tail Gunner On A Boeing B-17 Based At Molesworth, England, Is Shown Aiming Through His Gunsight During A Mission Over Enemy Territory. 6 November 1943.

A Radio Technician Of The 91St Bomb Group Checks The Radio In A Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" At The 91St Bomb Group Base In Bassingbourne, England. 9 April 1944.

Photo collection Service for army contacts Indonesia. Face of a soldier visible through a window of a scoutscar. 1946. Indonesia, Dutch East Indies

Aircraft, Burma, India & INDIA,Transportation War

The Royal Navy during the Second World War The doors are opened and the lay begins on board the minelayer HMS APOLLO, in enemy waters off Norway. During an offensive mine lay they must work close to the enemy coast, at times under the nose of coastal batteries and through enemy defence minefields.

Brig. General James F. Phillips (Left) Chats With Two Officers Of The 6Th Aircraft Repair Unit (Floating) Beside A Helicopter Aboard Ship Somewhere In The Pacific, 28 August 1945. Sikorsky R-4

British Goods in US Marshalling Yards- Anglo-american Co-operation in Wartime Britain, 1943 17 year old Bob Whiting from Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, greases the springs of an American lorry under the watchful eye of Corporal Clarence Whittington in a US marshalling yard, somewhere in Britain. According to the original caption, 'the lorry was raised by a British Tecalemit lubricating lift, which was left in the station when the American Army took it over'.

Soldiers arriving at American Military Hospital #1, Neuilly, France, June 7, 1918. Despite being wounded, these soldiers are seen smiling. Photo taken by Sgt. A. C. Duff. Approved by A. E. F. Censor on June 24, 1918. Caption information: 111-SC-14185 | Photographer: Sgt. A. C. Duff, s.c. | Date taken: July 6/18 | Description: E WOUNDED, BUT STILL HAPPY.

FRANCE-At an advanced French base, 8th AF men remove the canopy of an ME 109 and put it in their Consolidated B-24 Liberator "Lady Margaret" to take home as a souvenir. Left to right: 1st Lt. Joe Apicella, 25, of Roosevelt, N.Y., navigator; T/Sgt

Crew Members Of The 92Nd Bomb Group Receive A Last Minute Briefing In Front Of A Boeing B-17 Prior To Taking Off On A Mission From Their Base In France. 22 July 1945.

DN-SN-86-04556. Base: Bath State: Maine (ME) Country: United States Of America (USA)

AS-12 Sperry , Ships, Naval Vessels, Boats, Naval History, Navy

Inside barracks, personnel sleep on sheetless cots protected by nets. The base is named Rufisque Field after an adjacent mud hut village. Rufisque Airfield, Rufisque, Senegal, French West Africa.

Strong Contingent Of U.S. Troops - Reinforces British In Middle East -- Arab workers at a United States Air Force Station in the Middle East receive a free lesson in aeronautics from American flyers. October 19, 1942. (Photo by U.S. Office Of War Information Picture).

Gunners of The Skyways .... This is the rayon target the gunners shoot at from above. When they pass through the target, the bullets leave a little ring of coloring. Each gunner's bullet leaves a different color. By this means, his score is recorded. August 23, 1942. (Photo by Interphoto News Pictures, Inc.).

Vintage photograph. Control tower personnel receive message from pilot of plane with crippled landing gear to clear runway for crash landing

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