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Pineapple Aero Squadrons - Luke Field T.H. (Ford Island) 1920-30's


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Salvage Sailor

Aloha Everyone,

 

Usually I post groups of photos from my Schofield Barracks archive or USN collection, but here's something a bit different.

 

These are from a group that was sold a few years ago which were taken by the ground crews at Luke Field (now Ford Island) in 1920. They depict the 6th Aero Squadron at work, but mostly at play. Luke Field at this time was a bumpy rutted field scattered with guava tree stumps well known for very hairy landings.  Ford Island was jointly occupied at this time by the Army and the Navy.

 

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Salvage Sailor

Fortunately the aircraft of the day with their slow ground/air speeds were somewhat forgiving of this topography

 

Navy Seaplane Hangar on Luke Field (Ford Island)

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Salvage Sailor

Bare bones facilities in 1920

 

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Although they could dive & swim in the Harbor

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Check out the Aero symbol on the swimsuit

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Salvage Sailor

Back to work

 

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Private Vine and Curtis JN-4D Jenny

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Salvage Sailor

post-2322-0-87258100-1364709438.jpg

The Bike and Sidecar was also used for play on Oahu (Kunia Road to Schofield Barracks)

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Salvage Sailor

Flying over Honolulu - Iolani Palace, the only palace in the United States

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Close up of the Palace. I can only imagine the type of bulky photography gear they were slinging over the side for these shots.

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3,000 feet over Honolulu

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Salvage Sailor

6th Aero Squadron

1st platoon at the Centennial parade in Honolulu, April 15th, 1920

14 1st PLATOON CENTENIAL PARADE HONOLULU HAWAII 4 15 1920 lg.jpg

followed by

2nd platoon at the Centennial parade in Honolulu, April 15th, 1920

 

15 2nd PLATOON CENTENIAL PARADE HONOLULU HAWAII 4 15 1920 lg.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

Those sneaky aviators playing wargames with the Navy.

 

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Note the biplane crossing the stern of the Battleship in the second photo.

 

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Close ups of their prey.

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Salvage Sailor

Back to the hum drum of aviation and motorcycle mechanics.

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55 LT Elliott & Ford Flivvers 1920 Luke Field lg.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

Sneaking up on the doggies at Schofield Barracks

 

"I'll follow this fellow to find the rest"

54 Aerial View Army Convow 1920 lg.jpg

 

53 Aerial View Army Convow 1920 lg.jpg

 

Gotcha!

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Now to buzz some balloons

2nd Observation Squadron over Fort Shafter

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Launching a Blimp

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Gee, they do look like ants from up here

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Nothing to hide from us as we cruise over Schofield

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22 ENGINEERS BARRACKS lg.jpg

 

....and then over the shoreline.

31 US 2nd Obs GROUP MILITARY TOURNAMENT lg.jpg

 

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Salvage Sailor

But although we have wings, we still have to go camping with the doggies and play soldier.

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Is chow ready yet?

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Lieutenant, I reserved a cabin.....

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.....with a floor, not a tent mate who snores.

36a WEEKEND CAMP HALEIWA lg.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

Ah, the country life, fresh air and no drill.

 

Life in the Interwar Aero corps is good

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....and since we're winged cavalry, we get to play with horses too!

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Back to work again in the peacetime army in Hawaii

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There ya go

The 6th Aero Squadron at Luke Field, T.H. 1920.

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  • 4 years later...
Salvage Sailor

...more from the 2nd Observation Group, 6th Aero Squadron Luke Field (now Ford Island) 1920, Territory of Hawaii. The first US Army Air Service permanent organization in the islands prior to the formation of the Hawaiian Division & Hawaiian Air Force.

 

Honolulu Harbor 1920, note the Navy Cruiser at the Aloha Tower piers and the power plant, Bishop street, the commercial hub of Honolulu, now all highrise towers.

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Schofield Barracks, before the Hawaiian Division, 1920. The first quads erected by the Third Engineers, NCO housing and the Engineers housing (later officer country)

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Schofield Quad, 1920

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General's Loop, Officer's housing & one Quad completed, another to the right under construction.  

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Neat photos! Looks like "rough" service to me! My father was Air Force and we lived there from 1964-67. Hickam was very busy at that time, 24/7. I haven't been back since then but I remember quite a few of the landmarks in the photos. Thanks for posting these.

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Back to work again in the peacetime army in Hawaii

Great thread! Can you make out the cap badge that the sergeant is wearing? It doesn't look like an enlisted badge.

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Salvage Sailor

Not enough sharpness in these old snapshots unfortunately, but it looks like an officers cap he used for the photo to me, note they're also wearing sidearms

 

1920 aerial view of Honolulu with Diamond Head in the background. In the foreground is Punchbowl crater, long before it was the National Cemetery of the Pacific

43 Diamond Head from Punchbowl lg.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

....wish the resolution and angle was better on this one so we could see the 1920 wings. Anyone have any info on the pilot?

 

Identified on the reverse as "Lt. Elliott and Ford Flivvers at Luke Field 1920" Nice hand operated "Oooooogah!" air horn

55 LT Elliott & Ford Flivvers 1920 Luke Field lg.jpg

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Salvage Sailor thank you for posting your terrific early photographs! I recently picked-up a photo album full of Luke Field images and surrounding area, but dated a few years later (1924-1925). Here's a similar photo of Punchbowl Crater with Navy Band members in the foreground and Diamond Head in the distance.

IMG_04981c.jpg

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Back to work

 

Private Vine and Curtis JN-4D Jenny

 

Good afternoon. These are DH.4s. Same with posts #3 & 6.

 

-Chuck

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Salvage Sailor

That's what I thought too Chuck, although they are noted on the back of the photo in pencil as "Private Vine and Curtis JN-4D Jenny" by the airman who took them.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Jumping ahead a few years, here's a 1925 Luke Field hanger dance invite prepared by the US Army Air Corps 11th Photo Section.

IMG_05001 (627x393).jpg

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This Aug. 18, 1924 dated aerial photograph includes a small caption: "11th Photo Section, Ilio Point & Makanalua Peninsula, Molokai, from W. 7000 Ft." Check out the sister Bi-plane ahead of the photographer... twin engine?

IMG_05491 (1024x768).jpg

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