[Photo Album]: "Air Force Band Harding Field" World War II

FRIEDRICH, Howard E.

Published by Louisiana, Mississippi, 1941

About this Item

Quarto. Measuring 10" x 13". String-tied blue leatherette over stiff paper boards with titles stamped in silver. Contains 256 sepia-toned or black and white silver gelatin photographs measuring between 3" x 4½" and 8" x 10", with captions. Near fine with some edgewear with near fine photographs. A photo album compiled by Ohio native, Howard E. Friedrich while serving with the 69th Pursuit Squadron in Louisiana during World War II. Friedrich was stationed at Harding Field as part of the Air Force band at the time. He starts his album with a small label that reads, "this album started in October, 1941." This is followed by images of the base including the hanger, a small train, the chapel, and planes. Friedrich also photographs his fellow airmen, a group of which he refers to as the "ferocious five." The Air Force band is seen playing various places around the base and during USO shows. Also featured throughout are photos from the band and airmen during their leisure time. One of these shows "a dip in the deep Lake Pontchartrain"; another shows them on a speed boat with a caption reading "full speed ahead." One section is titled "Interesting Sights Near Baton Rouge" which featured the Ante-bellum mansion, "Rose-Down;" historic churches, burial vaults, and a "Civil War mansion." One photo reads, "shanty-town along Mississippi;" another reads, "typical negro farm house in Louisiana." Another section is titled "Louisiana Industries" and shows farmers in a field of sugar cane, "scenes at a saw mill," and cotton fields. Friedrich was also part of radio programs "Strictly G.I." and "Golden Maize" which were used as recruiting programs out of a radio station in Baton Rouge. Although they were audio only Freidrich would often dress in character and photographs show him here dressed as Hitler, a female advice character, "Katie Kureall," and a reverend he named "Parson Brown." One of these photos shows Friedrich as Hitler waving his fists in the air with the caption "Der Fuhrer blows a fuse." The charisma seen in these photographs led Friedrich to leave the Air Force after the war to become a reverend at a chapel in his home state of Ohio. The chapel itself is seen in some images from a leave taken during his time with the Air Force. A sermon titled "last sermon written by Howard Friedrich, started in April 1964 and completed in early 1965" is featured here and vaguely explains he's been suffering an illness that has affected his speech. A wonderful collection of photos depicting a member of the Air Force band in Louisiana during World War II. Seller Inventory # 447990

Bibliographic Details

Title: [Photo Album]: "Air Force Band Harding Field...

Publisher: Louisiana, Mississippi

Publication Date: 1941

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Near Fine