Neat little photographs

[Championhilz]

I picked up this photo today at a local antique shop - one the back it says, "A view of the only tree on Ascension Island with S.Sgt. Leiker in the foreground February 1946." The island had an airstrip on it known as Wideawake, and it was used as a stopover point for planes traveling to and from Europe and Africa from the United States.

 

 

 

I picked up this photo at the same time, I have no idea if it is from the same place or time period - can any of our uniform experts tell me if this is WW II or postwar? I like the decorations on the wall behind the bar.

 

 

 

[Gregory]

Wideawake airfield is one of the most famous place of the Falklands War 1982. It is very interesting to see it in 1940s. Thanks for your post.

 

Regards

 

Greg

[Wailuna]

..."A view of the only tree on Ascension Island with S.Sgt. Leiker in the foreground February 1946"...can any of our uniform experts tell me if this is WW II or postwar?

There may have been a tree on Ascension in 1946 but there are none shown in these pictures from 1942/43. Copies of the pictures were given to me by a USAAF pilot who flew P-39s for 1st Composite Squadron based on Ascension (equipped with the P-39 and B-25). The tent was his one-man BOQ for 13 months. The P-39 in flight was piloted his wingman on a mission off Ascension (in the background) and the close up of the P-39's "widow-maker" door clearly shows the not-often-seen 1st Composite Squadron's insignia in an unusual period application (door art?) 1st Composite was one of the few Army units to have campaign participation credit for both American Theater and EAME antisubmarine campaigns, hence he would have earned a service star for the his American Campaign Medal, which are usually a red flag when seen on the ACM ribbon. In its most historical moment, the squadron played a role in the notorious Laconia Incident (link here et. al.)

 

 

 

 

I'll see what I can find out about the club shown in your second picture. The uniforms appear to be consistent with WWII but I don't know if USAFSA troops had access to a building that substaintial on Ascension.