Between the Covers

Softcover. Oblong small quarto measuring 11" x 7". String-tied black cloth over flexible paper boards with gilt detail and two stickers on the front board. Contains 121 black and white or sepia toned gelatin silver photographs measuring between 2" x 2" and 5" x 7" with captions. Very good album with worn edges and a tear on the hinge with near fine photographs.

A photo album compiled by a soldier serving with the 179th Infantry Regiment during the Korean War. The albums begins at Camp Monte Strong in Sapporo, Japan and later moves to Camp Crawford with photos of uniformed men posing around the camp. One page shows the long rows of tents seen throughout the camp as well as a photo of a soldier using a metal detector captioned “testing new 625-H.” There are also photos of soldiers with Japanese women at their camp, captioned “the Beer Hall Girls,” and in the city of Sapporo. The men are seen working at the camp, doing their laundry, and drilling. Two photos show an explosion in a field and another shows a camouflaged soldier with a machine gun and one a test with a flame thrower. A photo taken after a mine demonstration shows the men standing in a crater and is captioned, “good crater.” Aside from entertaining local women, the men played baseball on the base and went boating in a local river during their leisure time. One section of photos shows the men at a mountain base in Hokkaido, Japan in December of 1951 posing in the snow. It’s captioned, “Shimanatsu Manuver Area – Worst winter here or there – snowed sleeted all night. Truck had to be towed all the way to highway…we were attacked only I + R + ATM participated in ‘live ammo’ problem – rest of company not there.” Following this two photos are artistically shot images showing a solider looking out at the Pacific Ocean in full uniform on a beach. The only color photograph in the album shows a soldier in Hokkaido, Japan participating in “maneuvers.”

After his time in Japan he was sent to a “reserve area” in Korea in 1952. These photos show tents, bunkers, and a mine field as well as men working at the camp. One photo is captioned, “Korean graves” and shows a large field with distant headstones, another shows an Asian soldier affectionately captioned “Kim.” The photographer also captured images of the men in the front lines in and around Army vehicles and setting up encampments. A candid of the compiler of the album sitting on his bunk reads, “Sunday – shortly before noon chow – classic?” A group photo taken at a party depicts the smiling faces of the men of the 179th after forgetting their cares with a few drinks. The album ends with photos of the soldier posing in uniform at home when his tour of duty ended.

A nice collection of an American soldier’s photography from the little documented Korean War.

Item #409060