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Post by pdh54 on Sept 12, 2012 0:54:45 GMT 8
I found another web site with some cool photos. It is the Fred Hill Collection at the Pierce Library at Eastern Oregon University. From the web site: The Fred Hill WWII Photograph Collection
This is a collection of WWII era negatives. Most of the collection occurs between 1943 and 1945. However, there are some earlier images ranging back to about 1940, and a few newer photos of the 17th Recon Squadron photo section reunions and the 5th Air Force Memorial Wall. A large number of these images were taken by Fred Hill himself.
Fred served in the Western United States, New Guinea, The Philippines, and on Ie Shima, an island off the coast of Okinawa, Japan. Most of the images depict life, and military life in the South Pacific.
Images and captions authored by George Venn, which were used in Fred Hill's book Darkroom Soldier, have been identified. [more]
When you go to the home page, pierce.eou.edu/home/collections/there is a box on your right. There are three clickable links: 17th Recon Squadron Photo Section Aerial View There are Corregidor/Manila/Leyte/Mindoro photos on all 3. I know some of you already know of this site, but I couldn't resist sharing just in case there are some who don't. P
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Post by pdh54 on Sept 12, 2012 6:13:04 GMT 8
By the way, he is no relation...
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Post by EXO on Sept 12, 2012 11:24:26 GMT 8
Our website has had a long and pleasant association with Fred Hill, arising from the photographic work he did for a number of members of the 503d PRCT. As the number of people with expertise in black & white photography diminishes, we run the risk of forgetting how much of an art it truly was to be able to coax the details and shadows out of a negative. Fred was indeed an artist, some of his prints could be described as no less. There is just no way that I have seen to convey the information contained on some of his large format photographic prints upon mere computer screens. Fred never ceased doing favors for the men of Corregidor, and he was the person who enabled the preservation of the photographs of the Victors of Corregidor when it appeared that the glass negatives could no longer be printed. The feature, known as "the States Photos"records the names and faces of the men who were not wounded on Corregidor. The feature appears at: corregidor.org/states_project/components/map_page.htmlFred even wrote about the process at: corregidor.org/states_project/components/techtalk.html
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Post by pdh54 on Sept 12, 2012 18:11:02 GMT 8
I explored the site more fully last night. There are some really neat pictures in this collection. I figured you knew of the site, EXO, especially when I saw the 503rd pictures, but I didn't realize you had worked with Mr. Hill. Is he still alive? He and his group took some very interesting pictures chronicling the war. There is one that actually shows the 75mm gun shelters on February 16, 1945, that have been discussed on the Malinta Hill thread. Alas his photos don't cover the area of Searchlight 8 or the pompom gun. I'm going to keep surfing the web; I am stubborn that way, if nothing else. Patty
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Post by EXO on Sept 12, 2012 18:39:30 GMT 8
I haven't gone through all of his photos, so I can't recall the one of the 75mm. Perhaps you might post a link.
as far as I am aware, Fred is still with us. For many years he had a tough time, being the carer for his wife who had Holzheimers. After she died, he met a lady of same age in a similar situation, whose husband had died of Holzheimers, and I think they got married - both in their very late 80's.
I was corresponding again with Fred when he advised me that he was closing down his darkroom and donating his collection to the universities.
As the story goes, when the war ended and the unit received the orders to close down, the C.O. of the unit allowed the photographers to take copies of the work. They essentially preserved aspects of history which would otherwise have not been preserved at all. Fred had taken many images with an artistic style, quite unlike the normal Signal Corps images we see,
History is very lucky to have people like Fred Hill, and his C.O., and knowing Fred has been one of the great unexpected positive things about creating a website.
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Post by pdh54 on Sept 12, 2012 19:10:12 GMT 8
Sure EXO, Here is the photo I was referring to. It is is the Fred Hill Collection at the Pierce Library, Eastern Oregon University. In the lower right you can see the two white rectangles. When you blow it up, you can see a third structure. Unfortunately it cuts off at just the wrong spot and his photo of North Dock doesn't cover this part of the hill. Patty
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Post by pdh54 on Sept 12, 2012 19:13:24 GMT 8
Here is the North Dock. This photo and the previous one are dated February 16, 1945 and are in the aforementioned collection at Eastern Oregon University.
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