Hello I would like to share some photos.

Hello from Oklahoma. I would like to share a collection of photographs from the film of a veteran I believe was a member of the 12th Airforce, 321st Bombardment Group in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations during WWII.

I found the film in a most unusual way. I am a professional photographer and I have a passion for all things having to do with the art form. One day, back in 2003, during a lunch break from the photo lab where I worked, I went into a small antique store to have a look around. I made a habit of visiting this particular store many times in the past. They knew me well and I often talked to the lady who ran the place at length about the kinds of items I would buy. This way she could keep an eye out and call if anything showed up. I procured several antique cameras this way.

Today I was just bored and browsing when I ran across a plastic bag in a box full items. I looked in the bag and saw it contained old Kodak film cans. I knew from looking at them they were from the early 40’s. I picked one out and opened it up. It was empty. I collected old film cans so I asked the lady what she wanted for the whole sack. I bought them for five dollars and went back to work.

When I got home later I took the bag of film cans to my darkroom and placed them in a box under a table. As it happens in life sometimes my life took a turn that took me away from my interest in photography for awhile.

Since I was moving into a small apartment, I dismantled my darkroom and sold off most of the equipment but saved my collection of cameras and those film cans. I placed them in boxes and put them in storage with the rest of my belongings I couldn’t fit into my new place.

I did not see those cans again until 2009 when I removed my things from storage. I was going through each box deciding what could be tossed and what I wanted to keep. When I ran across the bag of cans I opened one of them up just as I had back when I first bought them. I had assumed then they were all empty. Imagine my surprise when the one I had just opened contained film! Thank God it had been processed or I would have ruined it. I took the film out gently and held it up to the light and was shocked to see the nose of a B-25 bomber! There was shot after shot of WWII photos on the roll. Mostly bombers but some of things I couldn’t make out. I wanted to open the rest then and there but restrained myself because I didn’t want to ruin any of it.

I took those cans to work with me and opened each one in the darkroom. All were developed film of images of WWII! I asked of film scanning department to scan one of the rolls. It contained images of bombers and cities in destruction. Unfortunately they damaged the roll because it was brittle. I cut the remaining film into sections and put them into protective sleeves. I put the sleeves in a hardback notebook. I took the film home and put it in with the rest of my film negatives. I didn’t see the film again un til after I retired in 2010. I scanned all the film and put it on a drive while trying to decide what I should do with it.

Six more years went by before I figured it out. I decided to research the images and see if I could figure out what I was seeing and maybe who shot it. In the process I decided to write a book and share these images with the world. It's been 4 years and I have pulled the book and decided to post photos where knowledgable people might like to see them. There are many so I will post as I have time.

I hope you enjoy them and maybe someone out there knows who shot these images. I am pretty sure he has passed away but in my research I have found lots of people have a love for these planes and our soldiers.

Most of the planes in this book are from the 12th Air Force, 57th Bombardment Wing (M) 321st Bombardment Group.

 

Love them! Thanks for sharing.

 

Marvelous. Thank you for working on preserving the images. You might contact the folks here: 321st Bomb Group History

 

Thanks all

 

Welcome to the forums!

 

Thanks so much, really appreciate it. And welcome!