Crusty old Joe's

Kodiak Alaska Military History

The official web site of the Kodiak Military History Museum

Leslie E Gehres
Fleet Air Wing FOUR
Album 1

Photos numbered 0001-0252 are numbered by KMHM. Other numbers are official navy.

Additional information from books as follows: Cloe: The Aleutian Warriors by John Haile Cloe 1990 Freeman: THOSE NAVY GUYS AND THEIR PBY'S by Elmer Freeman 1984 Chandonnet: Alaska at War by Fern Chandonnet 1993

Some captions are personal notes written by L E Gehres to his wife and daughter. The stickey notes were applied by his daughter upon transferring the albums to KMHM.

0001 * Pen on back: "This proves I'm OK - Taken at 5pm - Tuesday 8 September just after I landed from Dutch. Part of the staff and 4 of my 16 new "Jeeps" which I got for PW4 to the jealousy of Kodiak - Dutch and all the rest of the shore people here. love Gerry." Sticky note: "5th from left Leslie Edw. Gehres next to 5th from right Ralph Humes" Photo shows 10 officers, four jeeps and a sedan in front of a PBY. Bits of two Kingfishers on sides. Treeless terrain, concrete ramp. Probably Kodiak. Compare background with #1227.
0002 * Heavy matte finish photo. Kodiak, Alaska 1/1/43 11 people standing around set table. In pen script on back: "Here's a New Years (1943) party You should have attended! The pig, with marachino cherries for eyes, a red apple in his mouth - and a carrott in the other end - was perfectly delicious. Look at the expressions on those faces! - and Ralph Humes' tongue! An was that cook proud! Love - Gerry
0003 * "A most unusual picture of Shishaldin Volcano on Uminak Island. You very seldom see this peak clear of clouds and fog." Heavy matte photo.
0004 * PBY in flight. "An equal unusual picture of Mount Pavlof the only Alaskan Volcano that spouts black smoke and cinders. See how upper part is black over snow." Very heavy matte finish photo.
0005 * Aerial view of small community with three aircraft on the water. No trees. Official photo 2 Sep 1942. Refer: Plane - Victor 13 PPC - Mann
0006 * "Sample of what did it" sticky note; "BOQ"
0007 * "Nor like this either"
0008 * "Didn't look like this long." sticky note: "BOQ Adak?"
0009 * "NAVEL ORIENTATION MANUAL" by Milton Caniff N.Y. May 12, 1943. Landscape orientation.
0010 * "and then the CASCO hit the states!" Portrait orientation. Throck.
0011 * "HERO WORSHIP" "Brace up sir - they'll probably send Lt. Smith after us - ." Landscape orientation. Throck.
0013 * "VP-43 ON THE MARCH" Four panels: The PPC, The Navigator, The Radioman. Portrait orientation. No artist credit visible, may be cut off.
0014 * FULL STALL! "A-LA VP-43" Four panels. Throck. Landscape orientation.
0015 * "Maybe we'd better call it a game - here comes a torpedo" penned text: "U.S.S. CASCO NAZAN BAY, AUG. 30, 1942" Artist signature script might be ...Campbell... Portrait orientation.
0016 * The 2nd Pilot Trys a Landing. Nice try Throckmorton! Ship: CASCO. Signed Throck. Portrait orientation.
*8x10 8 June 1943 awards presentation
*8x10 8 June 1943 awards presentation
*8x10 8 June 1943 awards presentation
*8x10 8 June 1943 awards presentation
*8x10 New Years party 1944
*8x10 "The New Years RECEPTION LINE which formed up unscheduled, 1944."
*8x10 New years 1944, mess men.
*8x10 "Ready. New years day 1944"
*8x10 quarters interior
*8x10 Officers Quarters exterior
*8x10 "New Years Eve party - Hedron 1944. An undignified picture. I had just put on my coat, after having it off while pitching xmas pkgs to rear of hall."
*8x10 officers at mess
*8x10 officers lounging in quarters
*8x10 officers lounging in quarters, radio
*8x10 R R Humes?
*8x10 nine officers in fur. McCracken is on Gehres right
*8x10 nine officers in fur. McCracken is on Gehres right. The officer on Gehres left is LCDR Jim (J.C) Pickens, their Communications Officer ??
*8x10 7 June 1943, Gehres (& McCraken?) on marston mat, C-47 wing.
*8x10 7 June 1943, Gehres & others by C-47 tail.
*8x10 pen on front: "To Commodore L E Gehres USN, An inspiration as a leader. F R Jones, Lt Cdr USN." Rear has "Passed by Naval Censor" round red stamp.
*8x10 wide view of base
*8x10 FAIRWING FOUR HQ, command car.
*8x10 ships in bay, camo buildings, vehicles.
*8x10 sandbagged quonset under camo.
*8x10 baseball
*
*
*8x10 L E Gehres quarters, interior
*8x10 L E Gehres posed at desk, map, dictating mach. telephone
*8x10 "How's this for a bunch of toughies, in appearance anyway? We ought to scare SOMETHING. Love, Me (the meanest looking)" Stickey note: "3rd from left Gehres, 4th from left McCracken, 5th from left Ralph Humes."
0048 8x10 officers and mess boys at table, no Gehres!
*8x10 Gehres at table talking with stern expression. Good closeup of tableware.
*8x10 Baseball
8x10 * Gehres, officers, dark hangar.
8x10 * Gehres, officers, dark hangar.
8x10 * Gehres, officer, dusk, outdoors, command car.
8x10 * Gehres, command car, mae west, PBY, antenna.
8x10 * Gehres, officers in hangar, posed.
0057 * (no date) 4x5, Shows four officers posed in front of building J38, light snow on ground. "Woody" station wagon off right. sticky note: "2nd from R, L.E.Gehres" McCracken by Gehres.
341 * "Here I almost look orential" 11 Aug 1942. Front has "Commodore L. E. Gehres" on top border in pen. Close up of PBY showing Gehres at controls.
345 * "Asst sec navy & senators return from Dutch Harbor" sticky note: "Gehres saluting" 4 inch wide by 2.5 inch high rectangle cut out of top right corner in area of PBY fuselage. 11 AUG 1942
576 * "Casco - Arret & moonlight Maid Nazan 9/2/42. Torpedos came from position near large island under fwd end of wing tip float." Aerial view of ship near shoreline, two smaller vessels nearby.
585 * "Casco - Avocet & Moonlight Maid Nazan afternoon 9/2/42." Similar to above #576. From Freeman book page 150: USS Casco beached in Nazan Bay after being torpedoed 30 AUG 1942.
588 * 8 Sep 1942 "Pen On Back: "Lt. R. R. Humes Patrol Wing Four Staff" Same picture as #0001 above with addition of autographs of all 10 officers: L to R - C.D.Wewuclo, Ens. (SC)USNR; W.J.Walsh Jr Ens USNR; R.R.Humes Lt USN; J.C.Pickens Lt Cdr USNR; L.E.Gehres Capt USN CPW-4; RR McCracken LtCmdr USN; O C Baumgarten Lt (MC)USN; J C Lawrence Ens USN; Al J. Les??? Lt(JG)(U)usnr; J R Riggs Lt (JG) USNR. All autographs are signatures and hard to read.
730 * 19 OCT 1942 "Presentation ceremony" Pen on back: "Admiral Theobald always reminds me of Howard who I think he resembles. That hard looking Captain is rubbing his lip (not pulling off glove with teeth) is you-know-who" "Like this one best - as I look only big - not gross - Gerry" Three officers walking in front of assembled officers. Night flash.
738 * "Presentation ceremony" Pen on back: "A perfect picture to illustrate Fat, Dumb and Happy. I'm not really holding it up with both hands! Gerry." By the pose, he's probably referring to his belly. Night flash photo of eight officers, one is wearing two stars. 19 OCT 1942
747 * "Presentation ceremony" 19 OCT 1942 7 officers night flash
0962 * Captain Gehres and Mr. McQuaid. [also see 0134]
0963 ditto
1227 *
1227A * (two copies) Shows four officers near a PBY tail. Arrival of Pat Wing Four at Kodiak 18 April 1942. Same photo is on page 54 of Freeman and page 38 of Cloe and page 69 of Chandonnet where Cloe and Chandonnet say left to right: Capt Leslie E Gehres Commander PAW4, Lieut Charles E Perkins executive officer VP-42, Lieut Comdr James S. Russell Commander VP-42 and Capt Russell Cone commander 36th bombardment squadron. James S. Russell photo.
1388 *
1388A * "Arrival of Cap Gehres at Andreanoff Islands" sticky note: "2nd from left Ralph Humes, 3rd from left L.E. Gehres." Text on back in pen: "on my last trip west. That's NOT all me under that coat. There is a green uniform coat, a wool shirt, a wool undershirt AND a 'Mae West' life preserver!" Photo shows six officers next to a PBY. 17 DEC 1942
2265 * Capt Gehres presenting Distinguished Flying Cross to Lt. Gibbs. 1 Feb 1943 2266 * ditto 2267 * ditto
4242 * 4x5, "Ens Brown Flying Cross 15 Dec 42."
4242A * 4x5, "Ens Brown Flying Cross 15 Dec 42."
4252 * 4x5, "Lt J. F. Litsey Flying Cross 15 Dec 42." sticky note "Gehres giving citations - Lt. Ralph Humes, aide."
4257 * 4x5, "Ens R.M. Cork Flying Cross 15 Dec 42." Shows Gehres pinning citation on man with assembled troops inside building with exposed roof trusses.
4258 * 4x5, "Ens Stewart Flying cross 15 Dec 42."
4265 * 4x5, "Capt Gehres & Lt Thies 16 Dec 42." sticky note attached "PBY Left Lt Cdr Ralph Humes, right Commodore Leslie Edw. Gehres". Shows two men close up of PBY on snow.
*
*
5297 text file
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
5608 * 23 AUG 1943 Shows THREE midget Jap subs on railway.
9167 * 16 Dec 1942 "Commendation ceremony. Cap't. Gehres addressing assembled officer and men. Citation awarded to Lloyd G. Shores - AMM 1/C. Fleet Air Wing Four - Headron - Basu 3." NAS Dutch Harbor official photo.