Help Us Identify the WWI Mystery Pilots
Dear Rudy,
On a recent trip to Boston, my sister, brother-in-law and I were
strolling through Beacon Hill. It was trash day and had been raining.
As we passed a few bags of garbage leaning against a tree, I noticed
some photo negatives laying in the mud. I was curious because they
weren't ordinary negatives * they were individually cut and an odd
size. I squatted down, pulled them out of the mud and "washed" them
in a puddle of water (much to the dismay of my companions - who are
not dumpster divers).
I held the negatives up and was astounded to find they were World War
I photos of France. The shots included a couple of biplanes, pilots,
the Arc de Triomphe, bombed buildings, the American Red Cross, an
office with soldiers standing in the doorway, a village scene with
old women carrying baskets, a church with a vicar, and a railroad
scene. There were 11 photos in all. Most were well composed and shot,
and in pretty good shape.
Whose photos are these? My guess is that the camera belonged to one
of the two pilots who traveled around and shot photos at the end of
the war. A little research has told me that it was at the end, as the
planes had been painted in different motifs: one was stars and
stripes, the other was painted like a fish. I've found someone who
thinks he can identify the squadron, and I'm hoping to identify the
pilots, too. I have the addresses of the brownstones where the trash
was sitting. I thought I'd send the residents copies and see if they
can shed any light on my mystery photos.
Anyway, I think this story shows that there's no better souvenir than
a found treasure.
Greg
NOTE FROM THE SAVVY TRAVELER: Do you know of any
World War I pilots with Boston connections and a photography hobby?
If so, let us know. We'd like to help Greg identify the faces in his
"trashy" souvenir. Give us a call at 888-SAVTRAV.
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