World War II Photos - Pacific Theatre

World War II

My father, Nick D'Angelo, served in World War II. Actually, he served from 1940 - 1945. He joined the Army in 1940 and when he was just about to complete his tour of duty, toward the end of 1941, the United States was attacked at Pearl Harbor and World War II began for the United States. My father was basically on his way home when he was called on to serve in the war.

My father never spoke of the war. He felt he did his duty and that was that. He said that he fought in the war so that his children would never have to fight in a war.

These are actual photos from World War II. The photos were provided by Mr. Kendall Erskine, who shared many experiences in the war with my father.

Thank you Mr. Erskine, for providing a look into a part of my father's life of which he never, ever spoke.

Many of these photos are from the battle of Saipan, one of the bloodiest of the war. I had no idea how bloody, really, until I saw a documentary on PBS. I found out that hundreds of civilians on Saipan threw themselves off of a cliff in order to commit suicide.

My father never spoke of this. When I found out this had happened while he was there, I was astonished at the horror he must have experienced.

The color photographs are real, not computer colored.

HAWAII

Dad looking spiffy behind the wheel.

Dad in Hawaii.

Camp behind Roosevelt High School - Honolulu, Hawaii - November, 1942

Dad - HQ Battery Stationed behind Roosevelt High School - Honolulu, Hawaii - November 1942

Roosevelt High School in Honolulu. We were housed behind this building and used a portion of the basement area for a control center. Arrived here Oct. 22nd, 1942.

This is a shot of a church and school complex and Kamuela on the west side of the big island of Hawaii. We were stationed here. The officers in the building on the right and the enlisted men in and under the building on the far left. Arrived here 3/17/42.

This is our day room or recreation room in its Christmas decorations. Christmas 1942.

Dad, earlier in the war

Eniwetok Atoll

IECGR4 - Edwin F. Carlson - Eniwetok Atoll - Feb. 17th 1944 - March 12th, 1944

Eddy Carlson, Paul Whiteley, Earl Biegler, Don Gordon, Wally Stevenson, Dad

Deep Well Camp, Just East of Schofield Barracks - March 20th, 1944 - May 24th, 1944

Kendall Erskine, Eddy Carlson

Eniwetok Atoll, Feb. 17th, 1944 - March 17th, 1944

Pvt. John J. Fenton, S. Sgt. Earl F. Biegler

Enikwetok Atoll, Feb. 17th, 1944 - March 12th, 1944

Eniwetok Atoll, Feb. 17th, 1944 - March 12th, 1944

Captain Corey

Ken Erskine and someone else, obviously unidentified

Pvt. Walter E. Hickey, TecGR4 Vincent G. Finnegan

Eniwetok Atoll - Some of the spent ammunition casings and brass

Eniwetok Atoll - This is a DUKW, an amphibious truck with a 105mm gun and crew going in for a landing.

Eniwetok Atoll - I believe this is part of "Charley" battery firing onto another island in the atoll.

Eniwetok Atoll -105mm gun with 5 man crew. Note: the white bags in the foreground. With each round comes 5 powder bags. If not all 5 are required to hit the target, 1 or 2 are cut off and later destroyed.