Just joined. I found some pictures of my grandpa.

I went to my grandparents house the other day and he showed me some pictures of when he was in the army in world war 2. He worked on a p-38 near santa barbara, ca. Im not exactly sure what airfield it was. He told me he went to Allison Engine school too. Heres some pictures of him and if anyone knows anything about this just let me know please. Thanks.

He's the smaller one on the left.




Barracks






On the left again. This is with his new car he was very proud of.

 

Nice pics, thanks for sharing...

 

Welcome to the forums Mordoff, looking forward to your contributions. Excellent photos of your grandfather.

 

Welcome Mordoff! Thanks for sharing the pics.

 

Thank guys. He was also telling me about a night when he came back from the beach and him and his friends noticed that a blackout was in effect when they got back to Los Angeles and all of a sudden right in front of them, search lights started scanning the sky and then the sky lit up with anti aircraft fire. This is what I think was known at the Battle of Los Angeles.

 

Mordoff

Welcome aboard. Hope you have a great time on the forum. I am sure one of our aviation aficionados will be able to help you ID where he was stationed.

Andrew

 

Those are some great family treasures you have!
Thanks for letting us see them!

 

I'll chime in with a welcome as well, and my thanks for your sharing of the pics of your Grandpa. I wish I could help with the name of the base, but I'll bet someone like "mcoffee" will know.

Again, welcome and thanks for the pics!

 

Yeah thanks guys. Its not that big of a problem. I can just ask him. Hes still alive today and still very active, going to work everyday. I just cant remember what he told me when I talked to him last weekend. Ill have to ask him again on memorial day. I know he was at Ft. MacArthur at one point. And he was talking about being in Birmingham, AL and hitch hiking all the way to Los Angeles and back.

 

BTW, The Squadron patch is of the IV Fighter Command, 440th Air Base Unit, Santa Maria Army Air Field Training Squadron at Santa Maria, CA. Santa Maria is north of Santa Barbara, CA.


440th Air Base Unit,
Santa Maria Army Air Field Training Squadron


Thanks for posting the photos!

 

Here's an auction of a 440th leather jacket (make a great present):

Fantastic Identified Painted A-2 Flight Jacket and Flight Gear. This spectacular painted A-2 jacket and related gear is attributed to Colonel Douglas D. Stewart. The jacket features a chenille patch of the 440th Air Base Training Unit, Santa Maria Ar

 

Yeah you got it! Thats what it was. Santa Maria, CA. My grandpa worked on the engines for the p-38s. He said it was where the pilots were in transition phase where they were done with instructor flight training.

 

Great Pictures, Thanks for sharing. Welcome to WWII Forums, have an informative time Happy posting.

 

well there nice pics thanks 4 sharing

 

Great pictures.