JACKPOT! Huge ID'd Archive to WWI Observer Owen G Williams

[Bluehawk]

Various stuff (patches,collar insignia, medals etc...). Note the 3rd Army sliver ring right below the 2nd Army SSI

Treasures, for sure.

[Custermen]

The silhouette looks like it might be a DH4, probably one of the many associated with William's squadron.

 

It looks more like a Bristol F.2B, aka Brisfit. Notice the gap between the Fuselage and lower wing.

 

Steve

[Lost Battalion Man]

Yeah, that's definitely a Brisfit The round cowl and tail give it away besides the lower wing gap.

 

Rob

[cthomas]

Thanks guys

 

In regards to the issue of whether or not Lt Winslow was the first pilot to gain a victory for the fledgling Air Service, I was able to confirm that he was indeed credited with shooting down the first German aircraft of the war for the USAS.

I recently picked up the book Hostile Skies: A Combat History of the American Air Service in World War I by James J Hudson. He writes that Lt. Alan Winslow shot down the 1st machine for the US Air Service, a Pfalz D-3, on Sunday 14 April 1918 over the Gengault airdrome near the French town of Toul. Just seconds later, Douglas Campbell gains another victory for the Air Service when he shoots down an Albatros D-5 a few hundred yards from Winslow's Pfalz D-3. When these German scouts were spotted by Balloon observers flying in the vicinity at 3,000 ft, Winslow & Campbell were among the pilots on stand-by in the alert tent awaiting a call out. I don't have the book in front of me, otherwise I'd quote the exact source for this information. I believe Hudson got it from an article that premiered in the Stars and Stripes magazine of that time.

 

This barely 4 minute battle was in full site of other pilots & ground crew stationed at the Gengault airdome.

 

I highly recommend this book for WWI & aviation buffs alike. It can be found dirt cheap on Amazon. In fact, here's the link:

Hostile Skies on Amazon.com(click here!)

[cthomas]

Heck, while I'm at it....here's one more image for tonight- A shot down Fokker (most likely a DVII). Note how the black cross was skillfully cut out of the top wing. Thanks to NJaviators for helping with the ID.

[Lost Battalion Man]

Hhhmmm... I think that is a Pfalz D XII and not a Fokker D VII. Look at the upper wing on the left of the photo and you will see what I believe is the remains on the 'balancing horn' on the aileron. Also, the lower wing has the shape I seem to remember being on the D XII. (Forgive me if I'm wrong - I'm at work and 22 miles from my books.) I know both were 'N' strut biplanes and both of cantilever construction but, dang it, that just looks like a Pfalz to me. I saw one up close and personal once - touched it in fact - a real survivor of the war. Took a ton of pictures. Then, a few months later, I found an old aviation mag at a second hand store with an article about how a guy found, bought, and rebuilt a Pfalz D XII in his back yard shed. Turned out to be an article about the same plane! It was slick...

 

Rob

[Lost Battalion Man]

Bill Vail (standing far right) of the famed 95th 'Hat-In-The-Ring' Squadron posing with some observers. Vail was recommended for the MOH for his actions on November 6, 1918. That day, he & a fellow Chicagoan, Lt. Josiah Pegues were on a two-man patrol when they spotted a German two-seater observation plane. They both dive on the machine. It was a trap. They were so intent on attacking the machine that they did not see the nine Fokkers waiting to pounce. Instead of beating a hasty retreat, Pegues continued his attack on the biplace (blissfully unaware of their predicament even though Vail tried to signal him) & Vail turned into the nine diving Fokkers to meet them head on. Vail manages to shoot down one of the enemy aircraft but is severely wounded in the action when his left leg is shot off below the knee. The nine Boche aircraft continue to riddle Vail's Spad as it hurdles toward the ground. The Spad crashes into the soft mud of the Argonne, flipping over & pinning his head beneath a wing. Doughboys in the area come to Vail's rescue & somehow manage to lift the machine enough to pull Bill's crumpled body from underneath the destroyed Spad. Vail & Lt Pegues both survive the few remaining days of the war. Vail's recommendation for the MOH was never approved, though he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his selfless actions that day.

For more detail on this action & that of the 94th & 95th Aero Squadrons, I recommend reading "Echoes of Eagles" by Charles Woolley.

 

Beautiful views of the Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter here!

 

Rob

[BEAST]

Thanks guys

 

In regards to the issue of whether or not Lt Winslow was the first pilot to gain a victory for the fledgling Air Service, I was able to confirm that he was indeed credited with shooting down the first German aircraft of the war for the USAS.

I recently picked up the book Hostile Skies: A Combat History of the American Air Service in World War I by James J Hudson. He writes that Lt. Alan Winslow shot down the 1st machine for the US Air Service, a Pfalz D-3, on Sunday 14 April 1918 over the Gengault airdrome near the French town of Toul. Just seconds later, Douglas Campbell gains another victory for the Air Service when he shoots down an Albatros D-5 a few hundred yards from Winslow's Pfalz D-3. When these German scouts were spotted by Balloon observers flying in the vicinity at 3,000 ft, Winslow & Campbell were among the pilots on stand-by in the alert tent awaiting a call out. I don't have the book in front of me, otherwise I'd quote the exact source for this information. I believe Hudson got it from an article that premiered in the Stars and Stripes magazine of that time.

 

This barely 4 minute battle was in full site of other pilots & ground crew stationed at the Gengault airdome.

 

I highly recommend this book for WWI & aviation buffs alike. It can be found dirt cheap on Amazon. In fact, here's the link:

Hostile Skies on Amazon.com(click here!)

 

Winslow is normally credited with the first kill for the Air Service, but Paul Baer, 103rd Aero Squadron, shot down an Albatross D on 11 March. On April 23rd he shot down his fifth EA earning the title of Ace. He was the first ace of the Army Air Service and also earned the first AAS DSC.

[cthomas]

Winslow is normally credited with the first kill for the Air Service, but Paul Baer, 103rd Aero Squadron, shot down an Albatross D on 11 March. On April 23rd he shot down his fifth EA earning the title of Ace. He was the first ace of the Army Air Service and also earned the first AAS DSC.

 

That is interesting. Thanks! I'll have to keep an eye out for that in my studies. I'm surprised I haven't read anything about that just yet.

 

 

Rob & Mike-

Thanks for your input as always! Rob, that's a real interesting story about the Pfalz DXII. Got any pictures of that you can PM me? I'd love to see 'em!

I also appreciate your input on the crashed German machine. For me, it's a hard one to ID. That's why I look forward to more input on it.

 

-Chuck

[njaviators]

Hhhmmm... I think that is a Pfalz D XII and not a Fokker D VII

 

Sorry Rob, it's a Fokker for sure. The Pfalz had a plywood fuselage and twin bay interplane struts and subsequently tons of rigging. It was also not cantilevered - only the D.VII was. Apart from the pilots liking the D.VII and not liking the Pfalz, the mechanics liked it even less. Two bays of rigging took a lot of extra work to keep straight.

 

As long as we are splitting hairs, Baers victory was the first USAS fighter pilot score, but Lt. Stephen Thompson who was USAS but attached to Escadrille Br. 123, was credited with an Albatros on 5 Feb. 1918. IIRC it was a Jasta 3 (or maybe Kest 3...) machine. For many, many years, Thompson petitioned to have this victory recognized as the first USAS air -to-air, but he took quite a number of years for that to come to pass.

 

I have an audio tape of him, recorded by his son I believe, that gives chapter and verse on his training, assignment to Br. 123 and his 5 February combat. I did a painting of this event a few years back and listened to Thompson's description of the combat repeatedly while I was painting. The concept of "painting through" Thompson's description of the event was a powerful motivation.

[njaviators]

Captain W.C. Schauffler(?) of the 90th Aero Squadron

 

I musta been napping, Chuck. Schauffler is a New Jersey boy. Over the Front just recently published a great article based on his wartime letters home.

 

Here's another shot of the man taken while with the 90th.

[cthomas]

I musta been napping, Chuck. Schauffler is a New Jersey boy. Over the Front just recently published a great article based on his wartime letters home.

 

Here's another shot of the man taken while with the 90th.

 

 

That's it! That's the one I was talking about. Thanks Mike.

 

And in all fairness to you, I didn't tell you about this image. I wasn't aware of the Jersey connection otherwise I'd of shared it with ya earlier!

 

A pile-o-photos from Sinzig on the Rhine. Picture on top shows several pilots, observers, a nurse & I believe a YMCA gal. Several of the officers are wearing 4th Corps SSIs. There are handful of pics of this group at a dinner hosted at this German estate/castle. The gal seated far right with glasses is in another pic wearing her nurse's uniform w/ 4th Corps patch. Unfortunately, I don't think Williams ID's any of the subjects in this particular photo. That nurse I mentioned is ID'd elsewhere I believe...

He used those little slips of cardboard to ID a particular set of photos

[cthomas]

A pile of photos on Rembercourt. The smaller 3"X5" image you see there is Co. C 34th Infantry crossing a bridge into Rembercourt & going into action. There are a handful of action shots of this fight (64th included).

 

The larger images you see behind that are 3rd photo section posing on one of the bridges leading into Rembercourt. Very clear & pretty cool. They're posing with a camera right below a German sign naming that particular bridge.

[cthomas]

Several larger format photos showing a musical comedy held at the Toul Aerodrome, Field #2.

[cthomas]

For more on the action shots I eluded to in the Rembercourt photos, read the section on Rembercourt here:

Chaplain George T McCarthy(click here, then search for chapter XI)

 

What he describes here are pictured in a few of these action photos.

[cthomas]

Ok....I didn't mean to be a tease with that last bunch of scans. The reason being I'm planning on using those images for the book project

 

Here's one that should satisfy your appetite for a good image....

 

A great action shot of the Canadians taking Vimy Ridge. Note the German POWs coming out of the trench & the explosions going off in the background. A few of the soldiers are looking over that way, a few others appear to be looking at the prisoners & yet a few more are intent on the action ahead. I guess this is one of those images he traded for. Can't imagine why

 

Enjoy!

 

I went through 30+ pages of google images & didn't find one image that remotely matched up to this one. I figured it was a popular propaganda image. Anybody see this image before?

[MAW]

Wow...cool Vimy shot. I've never seen that one....it looks real to me.

 

 

Regarding the rolled up photo problem......what I do is put some super-hot water in a bucket....and I had a piece of chicken wire cut so that it would just fit inside the bucket. Put the water in the bottom, the wire in the middle towards the top. Put a photo or two on the wire and cover the bucket with plastic.

 

The steam builds up, and the moisture will start to saturate the paper. You will see a rolled up photo uncurl in just a few seconds or minutes, depending on the paper and the amount of steam you have.

 

Take the photos out and press them flat.....put heavy books on them, etc.

 

When they dry out you can put them in archival plastics and they should be good for another 100 years.

 

This process works with long photos or smaller photos.

 

The whole trick is getting the moisture back into the paper. Really the only thing you have to be careful about is letting condensation build up on the plastic and drip down onto the paper that the photo is on. Try not to let that happen...as it may or may not do some damage. As long as you're there with the photos it shouldn't be a problem.

[cthomas]

Wow...cool Vimy shot. I've never seen that one....it looks real to me.

Regarding the rolled up photo problem......what I do is put some super-hot water in a bucket....and I had a piece of chicken wire cut so that it would just fit inside the bucket. Put the water in the bottom, the wire in the middle towards the top. Put a photo or two on the wire and cover the bucket with plastic.

 

The steam builds up, and the moisture will start to saturate the paper. You will see a rolled up photo uncurl in just a few seconds or minutes, depending on the paper and the amount of steam you have.

 

Take the photos out and press them flat.....put heavy books on them, etc.

 

When they dry out you can put them in archival plastics and they should be good for another 100 years.

 

This process works with long photos or smaller photos.

 

The whole trick is getting the moisture back into the paper. Really the only thing you have to be careful about is letting condensation build up on the plastic and drip down onto the paper that the photo is on. Try not to let that happen...as it may or may not do some damage. As long as you're there with the photos it shouldn't be a problem.

 

 

Thanks Mike. Never heard this one before. I'll look into it a little more. May I ask where you got this idea from?

I thought you'd like that Vimy shot. It is a legitimate image & not something 'posed'. Williams put a period description on back saying something to the effect of "Canadians Attacking Vimy Ridge". There's some type of control number in the bottom left corner which leads me to believe it was one of the handful of action shots taken that day. I've seen other images that may have been taken that day, either shortly before or after this one. Never one showing this exact scene. I thought for sure it would at least turn up on the net somewhere. No luck just yet....

 

 

One more taken by Williams. This one has the terse description "No Man's Land". My guess is it shows some heavily barbed wire area near St. Mihiel. It was found with other images from that region of France.

[MAW]

Thanks Mike. Never heard this one before. I'll look into it a little more. May I ask where you got this idea from?

 

 

Chuck:

 

I had a professor in college whose uncle was a photographer in the Marines in WW1. He brought back a couple of hundred official French war photos...and they were given to me. Most of them were printed on thin paper and curled up tight. I had a couple of grocery bags full of these things....and no way to see them/appreciate them in that condition...so I experimented and came up with the idea.

 

It works....steam and moisture are the keys. Try it on a sample photo and see.

 

It works great for long photos too.

[cthomas]

Thanks Mike. I'll give it a try on some of the triplicates I have & then go from there.

 

 

This one is taken at the outskirts of Essey, France near the St. Mihiel Salient.

 

If someone has a modern picture of this location, I'd love to keep it with the collection. It would be neat to have a Then & Now comparison for at least a few of the locations in this collection.

[Bluehawk]

Regarding the rolled up photo problem...

Excellent solution!

[Lost Battalion Man]

Sorry Rob, it's a Fokker for sure. The Pfalz had a plywood fuselage and twin bay interplane struts and subsequently tons of rigging. It was also not cantilevered - only the D.VII was. Apart from the pilots liking the D.VII and not liking the Pfalz, the mechanics liked it even less. Two bays of rigging took a lot of extra work to keep straight.

 

As long as we are splitting hairs, Baers victory was the first USAS fighter pilot score, but Lt. Stephen Thompson who was USAS but attached to Escadrille Br. 123, was credited with an Albatros on 5 Feb. 1918. IIRC it was a Jasta 3 (or maybe Kest 3...) machine. For many, many years, Thompson petitioned to have this victory recognized as the first USAS air -to-air, but he took quite a number of years for that to come to pass.

 

I have an audio tape of him, recorded by his son I believe, that gives chapter and verse on his training, assignment to Br. 123 and his 5 February combat. I did a painting of this event a few years back and listened to Thompson's description of the combat repeatedly while I was painting. The concept of "painting through" Thompson's description of the event was a powerful motivation.

 

I stand corrected!

 

Rob

[BEAST]

Sorry Rob, it's a Fokker for sure. The Pfalz had a plywood fuselage and twin bay interplane struts and subsequently tons of rigging. It was also not cantilevered - only the D.VII was. Apart from the pilots liking the D.VII and not liking the Pfalz, the mechanics liked it even less. Two bays of rigging took a lot of extra work to keep straight.

 

As long as we are splitting hairs, Baers victory was the first USAS fighter pilot score, but Lt. Stephen Thompson who was USAS but attached to Escadrille Br. 123, was credited with an Albatros on 5 Feb. 1918. IIRC it was a Jasta 3 (or maybe Kest 3...) machine. For many, many years, Thompson petitioned to have this victory recognized as the first USAS air -to-air, but he took quite a number of years for that to come to pass.

 

I have an audio tape of him, recorded by his son I believe, that gives chapter and verse on his training, assignment to Br. 123 and his 5 February combat. I did a painting of this event a few years back and listened to Thompson's description of the combat repeatedly while I was painting. The concept of "painting through" Thompson's description of the event was a powerful motivation.

 

What an inspiration!

[cthomas]

Chuck:

 

I had a professor in college whose uncle was a photographer in the Marines in WW1. He brought back a couple of hundred official French war photos...and they were given to me. Most of them were printed on thin paper and curled up tight. I had a couple of grocery bags full of these things....and no way to see them/appreciate them in that condition...so I experimented and came up with the idea.

 

It works....steam and moisture are the keys. Try it on a sample photo and see.

 

It works great for long photos too.

 

 

Worked like a charm Mike. Thanks!

Here's one of the images that were rolled up & thanks to your suggestion, I'm able to share it with you guys today.

 

Facing South on the road SE of Viéville-en-Haye. Off to the right side of the road are abandoned German mortar positions. There are two 7.6cm German Minenwerfer right below my watermark & a sign which reads "Quellen Lager" above it.

 

The American 5th Division traveled North on this road on their way to capturing this French Commune during the St. Mihiel Drive 12 September 1918. There is a monument to the Red Diamond's accomplishment at the Eastern exit of Vieville-en-Haye on the North side of the road.

There were other photos rolled up with this one that showed more views of Vieville.

[cthomas]

UPDATE on the Vieville photo...

 

The commune was liberated by the 11th Infantry Regiment, 5th Division on the morning of 12 September 1918.