WW2 Appendix - Additional Photographs (Post 1 of 6)

Franklin in August 1943, one week before leaving for the service

Shortly after completing this story, another box of old photographs was discovered at the lake house from the time of the war. The photos had been taken by Franklin's family during his last few months at home, during his leave from training, and during the time that he was away. The original photos were in black and white and were only about 2 x 3 inches in size.

Most of the photos had been taken by Franklin's father, who seemed to have a good eye for photography. As an engineer, he also appeared to be especially good at adjusting his camera to the various light conditions and then developing the photos in his darkroom.

Papa's darkroom on South Street where he developed his photos

After development, Franklin's mother would carefully write the subject of the photos on the back in pencil before enclosing them with their letters to him overseas. As possible, Franklin would then return the photos to them along with his own letters.

The following appendix contains 52 of the additional photos from that time. Where possible, I have noted the chapter numbers for the corresponding events taking place in the preceding story.

Bob Bristol
March 26, 2019
East Haddam, Connecticut

WW2 Appendix - Additional Photographs (Post 2 of 6)

Photo #1: Franklin's regional high school hockey team (see Chapter 3).

Photo #2:  With his hockey team (second row, second from left).

Photo #3:  Franklin's high school baseball team.

Photo #4:  Graduation from Loomis High School with his family. Franklin and many of his classmates would soon be drafted into the war.

Photo #5:  Franklin racing a Snipe on Lake Quassapaug during the summer of 1943 (boat number 4, marked FB).

Photo #6:  Formal photo with Franklin Sr., Dave, Phyllis, and Franklin Jr.

Photo #7:  Franklin expanding his chicken coup, summer of 1943.

Photo #8:  Dave would be taking care of the chickens while he was away.

Photo #9:  Sailing on Lake Quassapaug with Dave and his parents, August 15, 1943, one week before leaving for service.

Photo #10:  With Dave on Lake Quassapaug, one week before leaving for service.

WW2 Appendix - Additional Photographs (Post 3 of 6)

Photo #11:  Dave with "Rochester."

Photo #12:  "Ready for Christmas" at home on South Street.

Photo #13:  Camp Roberts in California, December 24, 1943. While waiting for Franklin, his father was somehow allowed to tour the facility and take photos of the men in training (see Chapter 9).

Photo #14:  Men resting at Camp Roberts.

Photo #15:  Machine gun training at Camp Roberts, December 24, 1943 (see Chapters 11 and 13).

Photo #16:  Browning M1917 machine gun used in training. Some of these photos were probably not shown to Franklin's mother!

Photo #17:  Barracks at Camp Roberts, December 24, 1943.

Photo #18:  Franklin waiting in mess tent.

Photo #19:  Postcard from hotel where Franklin and his father stayed during his Christmas leave (Chapter 10). Because the hotel did not hold their reservation, they had to share a bed in a Red Cross storage room.

Photo #20:  Franklin's father would write home about their hotel room: "I wish you could have seen it. Heaps of trunks, duffle bags, helmets, gas masks, canteens and equipment of every kind."

Photo #21:  With his father on Christmas day, 1943.

WW2 Appendix - Additional Photographs (Post 4 of 6)

Photo #22:  Back home on leave after completing his four months of basic training, 

February 1944 (see Chapter 17).

Photo #23:  With his mother during leave, February 1944

Photo #24:  With his sister, February 1944.

Photo 25:  Packing chicken eggs with Dave, February 1944.

Photo #26:  Making a paper airplane(?) from instructions in a magazine.

Photo #27:  Easter flowers sent by Franklin, April 1944.

Photo #28:  "Shake hands, Pete!" May 1944.

Photo #29:  Franklin's father mowing the lawn, May 1944.

Photo #30:  Dave mowing the lawn, May 1944.

Photo #31:  "Thank you for these beautiful flowers. You were a very dear 

son to remember me." Mother's Day, May 1944.

Photo #32:  Nancy at her high school graduation, June 1944 (see Chapter 22).

WW2 Appendix - Additional Photographs (Post 5 of 6)

Photo #33:  Dave writing a letter to Franklin, June 15, 1944.

Photo #34:  Back side of Photo, June 15, 1944.

Photo #35:  "Making ice-cream on a hot Sunday morning."

Photo #36:  Dave wearing Hawaiian shirt and military hat sent by Franklin.

Photo #37:  "Ten years old today"  August 10, 1944.

Photo #38:  "New row, half beans-carrots." During the war, the government encouraged "victory gardens" and chickens to reduce food shortages.

Photo #39:  Sunflowers, September 1944.

Photo #40:  Dave reading.

Photo #41:  Lake Quassapaug, September 1944 (see Chapter 27).

Chapter #42:  "Nancy, off to college, at 6:30 in the morning" September 19, 1944 (see Chapter 22). The 'service flag' indicated that a family member was serving in the war (usually displayed in a window).

Photo #43:  "David wants to show you that he is taller than Pete!" (see Chapter 25).

Photo #44:  On the way home from visiting Franklin's mother's family in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

WW2 Appendix - Additional Photographs (Post 6 of 6)

Photo #45:  Franklin's mother feeding the chickens.

Photo #46:  Franklin's mother in their Dodge truck.

Photo #47:  Dave with Pete at the lake.

Photo #48:  Dave's chalkboard drawing of the war.

Photo #49:  Nancy at home on South Street.

Photo 50:  "Will your Snodgrass ever learn to keep his hair combed!" (see Chapter 86).

Photo #51:  Dave (kneeling) and friends flying a home-made kite. The kite is marked with a number 4, similar to Franklin's sailboat.

Photo #52:  Dave at home with Pete and Blackie (see Chapter 90).