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Grumman TBF Avengers of VC-38 near Espiritu Santo 1943


djltucker
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Hi All,

 

I came across this photograph on https://www.worldwarphotos.info. I'm trying to identify the source of this photograph. I wrote a recent book about VC-38 - Lucky's Life by Don J. Larson. If I can find the photo source and obtain a high resolution copy I might be able to identify the plane numbers and pilots that are flying these magnificent planes. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

post-145352-0-39777900-1529679674_thumb.jpg

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On the web page Homepage, there is an icon of "Photo Credits", they have a list of about a dozen or so. Tough to say which this belongs to on that list though. I'm willing to wager its NARA, their image archive has oodles of images such as these. The problem is that it probably isn't ID'd as VC-38 but rather either a generic description or possibly the carrier they were home too. what is the caption provided with the image?

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So I spent some time surfing their data base and I've seen many of those images before and even have copies. The copies I have principally all came from NARA (National Archives). I would bet that the vast majority, aside from only a handful of images from a Navy stand point, all came from NARA. Many images got tossed around like the village bicycle and reside in multiple holdings. From what I seen of the Naval images, most all should be Public Domain (FOIA stuff). Obviously, your image is cropped. Each image in the Navy holdings are provided on an oversized card, such as the example below. You could contact the webmaster and ask for the serial number of the image. This number is in multiple spots on the card, very top and in the legend. In many cases there are many more related images that could accompany this one your after. I have noticed that often images are cherry picked then get floated around over and over again. The serial number is the Key, if you have that, obtaining the image is very easy.

 

post-56-0-22439100-1529684657_thumb.jpg

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Hi Dustin,

 

thanks for the reply. The caption on the web page is :Grumman Avengers of VC-38 near Espiritu Santo 1943

 

I agree this is likely a NARA image, but I will have to track down the serial number before I can request a high resolution copy from them.

 

Best Regards,

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  • 5 months later...

Holly Reed and the good folks at the National Archives & Records Administration-Still Picture Reference Team sent me the attached photograph with image information.

 

 

 

post-145352-0-06818900-1543184157_thumb.jpg

 

Based on the date - 9 Nov 1943, this is likely not any planes from VC38 At that time, VC38 was stationed at Munda Airfield and bombing and strafing Buka and Bonis airfields near Buka Passage area on Bougainville Island, Solomon Islands.

 

Good picture thou

 

 

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