KASTAUFFER Posted March 2, 2008 Share #1 Posted March 2, 2008 I normally dont use the term " museum quality " very often , but this group deserves it in my opinion. This is a large group of documents and photos to ACMM Bert Strand . In 1914 he was part of the original group of 42 Officers and men to disembark the USS Mississippi and helped create the US Navy Aeronautic Station Pensacola ( later known as the Pensacola NAS ) . Bert was a flying mechanic who first joined the US Navy in 1911 and retired in 1931 . The group includes in Naval Aviator Flight Logbooks with his first " recorded flight " in 1917 , even though he did fly from 1914-1917 , but those flights were not entered into the logbook. He served a long career, all of it in Naval Aviation including a lot of time on the USS Langley . After he left the service he became the Sheriff of San Diego County and held that post until 1962 . Finding Naval Aviation items that pre-date WWI is not easy . Enjoy ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share #2 Posted March 2, 2008 Group photo of the mechanics at Pensacola from the 1915 time period . FYI - Note the Marines in the front , USMC collectors . The first page from Bert's CSC book showing his early service . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share #3 Posted March 2, 2008 Pages from Bert's earliest Flight Logbook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share #4 Posted March 2, 2008 Note the " USS San Diego " disaster entry . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share #5 Posted March 2, 2008 Group photos . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share #6 Posted March 2, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share #7 Posted March 2, 2008 Bert was the mechanic of the NC-6 , an early Naval Float Plane . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share #8 Posted March 2, 2008 More Pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share #9 Posted March 2, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share #10 Posted March 2, 2008 Early Naval Aviation was a dangerous profession and Bert took plenty of pictures of aircraft accidents . Most of these were taken at Pensacola in the 1919-early 20's time frame . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share #11 Posted March 2, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share #12 Posted March 2, 2008 Lastly a commendation Bert received while serving on the USS Langley ( the Navy's first aircraft carrier , unless you count the USS North Carolina ) . He risked his life to save a plane and pilot . There is a lot more in this group, and I have only scratched the surface withthe pics I took . If interested, I can post some more. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share #13 Posted March 2, 2008 After looking at the crash photos again , I think my time estimate is too late. They are more likely from the 1916-1917 time period . Most of them are N-9 aircraft which were in use at that time. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADMIN Posted March 2, 2008 Share #14 Posted March 2, 2008 This is an excellent find. Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Myhal Posted March 2, 2008 Share #15 Posted March 2, 2008 Kurt, BRAVO! BRAVO! One of the most historical military grouping to appear on the FORUM WEBSITE! This is NAVAL AVIATION HISTORY at it's BEST! Navyair-WW2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 3, 2008 Author Share #16 Posted March 3, 2008 Thanks!! I will try and post some more photos soon. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teufelhunde.ret Posted March 3, 2008 Share #17 Posted March 3, 2008 Kurt, thank you sharing... look forward to more. Was stationed there in late 60's loved the whole time, best beaches in US. When they say not to drive off the road onto the sand, they mean it.. I know from first hand experience s/f Darrell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 5, 2008 Author Share #18 Posted March 5, 2008 Kurt, thank you sharing... look forward to more. Was stationed there in late 60's loved the whole time, best beaches in US. When they say not to drive off the road onto the sand, they mean it.. I know from first hand experience s/f Darrell Did ya sink into the sand A number of the photos I have show wooden boards laid over the sand so that the planes didnt sink into the sand when bringing them up from the water . Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted March 5, 2008 Share #19 Posted March 5, 2008 Interesting guy - born in 1891 in New York, does his career in Navy Aviation and then ends up as a western sheriff (by the way we have a forum member who's a retired Marine now working as a San Diego County Sheriff's Deputy). I found a photo of Deputy Strand in 1937 before he became sheriff. He was sitting next the to the Sheriff and Undersheriff in a group photo so even then he must have had a pretty high post in the department: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usncollector Posted March 5, 2008 Share #20 Posted March 5, 2008 Absolutely amazing collection! You've got some pretty rare stuff there, as early naval aviation history is very obscure. Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baker Posted March 5, 2008 Share #21 Posted March 5, 2008 Kurt, Very impressive. I would love to see more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share #22 Posted March 9, 2008 Here are some more pics! The first 2 are more crash photos from the 1916-17 time period at Pensacola . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share #23 Posted March 9, 2008 I believe these 2 photos were taken in WA DC . I need to verify it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share #24 Posted March 9, 2008 A photo of the USS Langley taken in 1923, and a photo of operations in Haiti . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share #25 Posted March 9, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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