siege1863 Posted March 26, 2020 Share #1 Posted March 26, 2020 This collection of original documents and photographs is attributed to Arthur D. Ethier of Rhode Island. In 1936, at the age of seventeen, he enrolled in the Civilian Conservation Corps working on four different projects until his discharge in 1939. His occupation was truck driver. Arthur enlisted in the Air Corps in November 1941. He performed aircraft maintenance at stateside airfields until his discharge in December 1945. Here is a fantastic photo of maintenance guys at Peterson Field in Colorado. Arthur is identified in the upper right corner. You gotta love the grimy coveralls! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siege1863 Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share #2 Posted March 26, 2020 Here is a series of documents that relate to the training and work Arthur undertook during his time maintaining bombers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siege1863 Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share #3 Posted March 26, 2020 More... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siege1863 Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share #4 Posted March 26, 2020 Yet more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siege1863 Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share #5 Posted March 26, 2020 Record of service... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siege1863 Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share #6 Posted March 26, 2020 Back of his separation record... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siege1863 Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share #7 Posted March 26, 2020 Here is a larger image so as to see detail... For whatever reason, I cannot remove this image. It is NOT a larger scan than above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edelweisse Posted March 26, 2020 Share #8 Posted March 26, 2020 Super cool....as a Rhode Islander and retired USAF MSgt.....this is really cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siege1863 Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share #9 Posted March 26, 2020 Try again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulruss Posted March 26, 2020 Share #10 Posted March 26, 2020 Did that for 25 years active duty in the Air Force. Outstanding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted March 27, 2020 Share #11 Posted March 27, 2020 Nice group. "They Also Served." We tend to think of veterans as "combat men" but for every man in combat there were probably five or more backing him up. This man gave six years of life in defense of his country without firing a shot. A great record of service! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfields Posted March 28, 2020 Share #12 Posted March 28, 2020 Siege1863: what a wonderful collection and great photo! We usually see studio shots of these guys and rarely see them in their "everyday" dress. I love it! Also it's fun to pick out the details in the background like the vintage electric clock, maintenance bulletin holder and old porcelain drinking fountain. Oh, and I just noticed the picture was taken just in front of the men's room! Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siege1863 Posted March 28, 2020 Author Share #13 Posted March 28, 2020 Did you also notice the small cream/milk bottle on the sill above the drinking fountain? Wonder if it has a patriotic design. I really like the array of clothing and caps. When they called the men together to pose for the shot, some did not stop to wash their hands! A real moment in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfields Posted March 28, 2020 Share #14 Posted March 28, 2020 I was wondering what those bottles were! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfields Posted March 28, 2020 Share #15 Posted March 28, 2020 siege1863 was kind enough to let me post some other photos showing groundcrew and mechanics in the field. These 3 photos came from my Uncle Bob Bland who was a Ground Crew Chief in the 374th Fighter Squadron. Dates are from 1942-1943. Here is a photo of him up close and personal with the engine of a P-47 (I think): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfields Posted March 28, 2020 Share #16 Posted March 28, 2020 This is a photo of Van Poole, Asst Crew Chief working on a P-47: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfields Posted March 28, 2020 Share #17 Posted March 28, 2020 As explained to me by my Uncle, this is a photo of a meeting of the Squadron engineering officer on left with line & crew chiefs: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siege1863 Posted March 29, 2020 Author Share #18 Posted March 29, 2020 Great photos! I have similar in another collection. Problem is I do not know which collection or where it is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McDermut99 Posted March 29, 2020 Share #19 Posted March 29, 2020 Nice group. Always cool to see items from Amarillo AAF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aznation Posted March 29, 2020 Share #20 Posted March 29, 2020 Props to all the men and women that kept the planes in the air. Without them we couldn't have won the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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