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1946 October
Sgt. Lester Taylor, Louisianna
Platoon Sergeant
Anyone who has been in the army, can always seem to remember
their first platoon sergeant. He was the first symbol of
the power of rank.
|
 |
1946 October
Sgt. Taylor and me of Co.
Compass Course
Taylor is giving some of the men in the company instructions on
the use of the field compass. After the instruction, hew
will turn them loose to find three marked points on their maps.
Will they find them? Just keep on reading! |
 |
1946 October, Fort Dix
Pvt. Solomon F. Kelley of Binghamston, NY
Just the thought---
Instead of looking for those landmarks on the compass course,
they ended up like this, mugging for pictures. Others were
found sleepin in some nice sunny spot. The gas chamber, by
the way, is for tear gas practice. |
 |
1946 October, Fort Dix
Dreamer
Taken while on compass course. We found a high tower and
climbed to the top to look around and to get a couple of
pictures. |
 |
1946 November, Fort Dix
Rifle- M1
It seems that most of the time in Basic Training is spent in
cleaning one's rifle. (Oh no, they never call it a gun in
the Army.) You have tot ake it apart, clean every bit of
oil out of it, so that the inspectiving officer will not get his
dainty white gloves dirty, and then when he's through, they tell
you to oil it up again!
This is not a posed shot. I happened to notice my bunk
mate getting ready to put his rifle away, and shot it with a
camera I had borrowed from Sol Kelley as I did not have my
camera through any part of basic. |
Lower Manhattan skyline taken from the Staten Island Ferry.
Looking down on 34th street from the Empire State Bulding.
The Empire State Building. |
New York City
A few views of the city where we would study Army photography. |
This building formerly housed Paramount Pictures New York
studio. It was bought by the army in 1942 for
approximately $10 million.
Orderly Room and T-3, barracks on right.
T-4 and T-5, barracks on lower left. |
Signal Corps Photographic
Center (SCPC)
To the "inmates" this was SCPC. Other pet names included
Sammy Cohen's Picture Company or Special Center Park Commandos
derived from the many picture taking excursions into the park. |
 |
G I Barracks
This is the scene from my bunk in the corner of barracks T-3.
I had the bunk for about 15 months after moving over from T-5.
On the left is the fourth squad, on the right, the third- my
little boys. We had between 26 and 32 men per floor, using
double-deck bunks to hold them. At the end of the aisle,
Sy Schwertzman is shining his shoes. |
 |
Seasons Greetings
Signal Corps Photographic Center |
 |
1947 November
First snow in Central Park.
The snow disappeared by mid-afternoon. This was take about
0915. Wally Klink and myself had our classes at the park
on assignment. The fellow in the picture is Pvt. Turner
who was working in the lab school and was awaiting his Christmas
present- discharge. |
 |
Summertime In Central Park
The park served the need for relaxation for many people,
including myself. This was taken one Sunday afternoon as a
few of us were wandering through the park with our cameras.
The blonde never knew I took it, but Wally Klink had her pose
for another shot. |
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Building
Tall and powerful, this structure was a half block up from Grand
Central Station. Not only myself, but many other students
used them as "models" for their cameras. They were always
good "roack-steady" subjects. |
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Struggle
Atlas struggling with the burdens of the world and seemingly
Radio City also. his statue is on Fifth Ave. and has been
"shot" (by cameras" many times by many people. |
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1947 March, Long Island,
NY
Al Werner
Classmate
Werner and I were classmates in Lab class D-46. This shot
was taken on oen of our shooting assignments. We were up
near the Triboro bridge getting some shots. I needed two
more so I took a couple of Werner. Our instructor, Mike
Chopko, wouldn't allow us to use exposure meters for this
problem, so for a guess exposure I think this is pretty good. |
 |
1947 January, Long Island,
NY
Scotty Alexander
Thinker
This picture was taken on the very first shooting problem the
class had. We had a few extra sheets of film, and Mike
told us to go ahead and shoot each other. (That's one way
of getting rid of a class!) Using two No. 4 floods I took
this shot. |
 |
G I Negative
This term was applied to the negatives given to us to practice
printing. They were the pick of a few years shooting-
usually the worst so that we would really have a job printing
them and gain some valuable experience. The sailors are at
St. Patricks Cathedral on Fifth Ave. in New York City. |
 |
Motion Picture Students
Sometimes we would shoot our own pictures for printing practice.
This is an early attempt which shows just how awful I was.
Notice you can't see any face clearly and the interest is hidden
by the camera. Oh well, experience is the best teacher. |
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1947 April, SCPC Yard
Get up!
Of course we had to shoot pictures of each other and stuff like
this resulted. |
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1947 March
Mike Chopko, Instructor
A real swell guy from Scranton, PA who really knew his stuff.
He made all the problems a game of sorts and you never thought
you were working, but you were always learning. |
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1947 January
Instructor Mike Chopko and classmate Scotty Alexander on our
first outdoor assignment. Scott doesn't seem to be doing
quite the right thing. |
 |
Class Picture
This is what the character of D-49 devised for their final
picture. The fine caricatures were done by Dick West, one
of the members of the class. Mike and I are in the left
center of the shot. |
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1947 Spring, Ansco Co,
Binghampton, NY
Attending the first color processing school- prelude to
developing a course for the Army.
|
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1947 April, SCPC Dayroom
Discussion
Wally Iverson, Paul DeShay and myself were engaged in a
discussion of some technical point, color I think, when this was
taken. The hang is going for the pencil and paper for the
sketch for the clincher. I had just returned from Ansco so
I was "the authority" on color. |
 |
1947 June
A-a-a-a
"Let me help you Wally. You seem to be too tired to help
yourself." Wally Iverson, Instructor, Sgt. "Bill" Dill,
student and myself in the yard with classes one morning. |
 |
Intermission
Photo (top) by C W Cleavenger
Article: Queen of winter sports is pretty Barbizon model
Joan Findlay who was voted New York State's snow-time ruler at a
recent convention of the New York State Winter Sports Council.
The queen's scepter in this case is a pair of ski poles, true
symbol of the Winter season. |
 |
Class D-49
What a change from intermission diversion on the opposite page.
This motley crew was my first class. I worked with my old
instructor, Mike Chopko for a few days and then he took a
vacation leaving me to teach twenty characters. When he
returned two weeks later there were fifteen left. That
started my "bouncing" career which ended up with a total about
thirty. |
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Class D-53
This was the first class with WACs while I was at SCPC.
Wally Iverson had them for most of the course, but as with all
the classes, I got them for their last week. Always full
of fun as they would leave soon, it was a little difficult to
teach them color photography, but still it was fun. |
 |
Examples
Sometimes the students would go out and take the shots they
should (top) or "getting the proper information for captions-
you know, name, address, telephone number" as the little guy on
the left (bottom). |
 |
Sometimes they "doctored"
their shots. |
 |
I Give Up- What Is It?
At least that is what my instructor said when I came back with
this. Some of my students came back with stranger shots
than this. Many times we would five or six exposures left
and had to get back to the post so we would shoot anything in
sight with results like this. |
 |
Wastin' Film
One morning about 7:30, Cec Riley came upstairs with six
exposures left in his camera. The results are these four
shots. Then we put on our shirts and went to work. |
 |
Just One More
This shot of Marilyn Quinnones was taken after about 16 sheets
of film and 32 flashbulbs were used up. Looks like she
doesn't want any more taken. Well that usually happens to
good looking gals who know photographers. They're always
thinking of pictures when they should be engaged in other
diversions. |
 |
1948 April
Bussman's Holiday
Most people go for a walk in the park to get their minds off
their weekly chores, but to me it was just another setting for a
picture. |
 |
1948 Summer
Wha-a?
No, it is right side up now. Yes, it's a picture, of
sorts, ss the flag, the tree and their reflections in the lake.
This is what a photo-gopher on the loose will do to a beautiful
scene. This is Rahway River Park, or was. The roll
was beautiful until the cold wash water hit the emulation
directly, creating the star-like effect. |
 |
1948 June
G I Boots
A photo-gopher is liable to use anything for a subject, as this
shot proves. Sitting around one Sunday afteroon, I noticed
the play of light on my combat boots. This led to six
different shots, one of which is above. A window provided
the light (and the shadows). |
 |
1948 January
Over-There
Box Miggins in the back and Wally Klink and myself in the front,
looking over a subject in Central Park. Cec Riley snapped
the shot. We often went to the park to find ah--- subjects.
We usually found something to waste our film on, sometimes it
was ourselves. |
Going through the ranks
Final salute |
1948 August
Inspection!
Lt. Thomas and Sgt. Riggs in front of the company preparing for
an inspection by a Major from the Adjutant General's Office.
The company was supposed to be in the sun so we (Tom Condie and
I) could get the pictures but it was too hot and they figured it
would be better for us to sweat it out rather than the company.
The heat wasn't the only thing. The exposure was tricky,
and the camera too tight for fast operation. Well, we got
some shots, two of which follow. |
 |
Lab Class D-56
What'll I do? E-5 tomorrow- Craig
Clean that lab- MSgt Bechtel
Late again- Miskell
This @!@ flat print- Gould
Bellvue bound- T4 Kotuby
Thay fella- Thomas
Pass the seal blubber- Utterback
I can't get it in focus- Fillipone
Have you heard this joke?- Collins
Texa here I come, via Fort Bragg- SSgt Hosier
Damn yankies- Cantrell |
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1948 April
Boy And His Dog
While walking around with my class near the Triboro bridge, I
saw this littel fellow and his dog playing in the street. |
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1948 April
Guard Duty (?)
Yes, Roy Haefner is supposed to be on guard duty. I
brought my radio out, got a chair and joined him. Once in
awhile it would tighten up and no radios would be allowed but we
always got them back. |
 |
Wally Iverson
An instructor in the lab section. He got his discharge in
April 1947 and should be well on his way to being a dentist by
now. |
 |
Cec Riley
An instructor in the still school. A real swell guy and a
wonderful photographer. He was denied on-the-job-training
with Ray Atkeson because he knew as much as Ray. Very good
at flash. Learned a lot from him. |
 |
Walter Klink
Instructor in the lab section. Went to Japan in April 1948
came back and got out in June 1949 and now is studying
journalism in Columbia University. He, Riley, and myself
used to go on "shooting" expeditions together. |
 |
G Royce McGowen
"Mac" was one of my students in Class D-60 and then became an
Assistant Director in SCPC. He and Dick Jacobs were the
only students left in D-60. In fact, "Jake" was the only
student for about three weeks when Mac had to make a picture. |
 |
Lowell Storms
"Stormsie" was first a student, then he became my assistant with
class D-56. Later he was transferred and last heard of,
was spending time in the jug for AWOL. Some guy, eh! |
 |
1948 May
Paul Heiderman
Paul slept across the aisle from me in T-3. While shooting
some other portraits Heiderman asked that his be taken.
Here he is with his typical big grin. |
 |
1948 May
Terry Beam
Terry was the clerk in the office. He handled all the
students records and did a very good job of it. He was
going to take some shots of himself to send home, but Lt. Buck
asked me to take them. This is one of five, taken with my
little Ciro and two flashbulbs. |
Signed- To a good instructor Sgt Kotuby- Harry J Lewis |
Colonel Lewis
This is the kind of officer you wish the Army had more of.
He was friendly, understanding, and always tried to help the
instructors. He and I bowled together in the league, and
he would always remove all insignias and be just another "guy."
He is now in charge of the Signal Schools in Camp Godron, GA.
Everyone was sorry to find out that he would not be in Ft.
Monmouth with us. |
 |
1948 February
Now What?
This is Central Park in the winter. Cec Riley, Wally Klink
and I were out to see what we could find. Cec took this
shot of me as I was getting ready to get a low angle shot of the
Train Towers on Central Park West, somewhere in the middle
sixties. |
 |
Portrait Sitting
One night, with the temperature at about 85 degrees in the
barracks, Tom and I decided to shoot some pictures instead of
going to bed. We needed a training aid shot of a
flashbulb, so here is the setup. We had to have a picture
of just the bulb and nothing else. That is the reason for
the plate of glass and the white background below. |
Cecil Riley |
These three shots were
taken one Sunday afternoon by Cecil Riley. It was raining
so we couldn't make our usual pilgramage to Central Park so we
set up and shot inside. |
 |
Informals
Top- Self-portrait. Deciding that I had taken plenty of
shots of other fellows, I wanted to see if I could get one of
myself and this is the result.
Bottom- A quickie shot by Ed Girardy taken out next to the
barracks. He wanted to try my Ciroflex and this is the
result. |
 |
Informals
Top- The photographer posing for his class who had to make six
quick exposures to practice tropical exposure and evelopment,
mainly development.
Bottom- Myself after a few tussels with a focusing cloth and a
camera. I was demonstrating synchro-sulighyt technique
with color and just stopped for a rest when one of my students
got this shot. |
|
1948 May
Dreamer
This is Al Flynn who hails from Asbury Park, NJ. We took
basic training together in Ft. Dix then went our ways. He
was transferred to SCPC about a year and a half later. I
wanted to check my flash synchronization and got Al to pose
writing to his girl. If you take a close look you can read
what he has written and it's not to his girl.
Note by John- Here's the letter.
Dear Gloria,
Right now I am having my picture taken by a guy that calls
himself a photographer. Actually I don't believe that he knows
the first thing about photography. |
Thomas M J Condie, Lab School Instructor |
1948 September
Instructor At Work
My boy, Tom Condie, is doing "research" for new material for the
lesson plans. He is trying to make it legal by reading a
photo magazine. Personally I think he is reading an
article on how to shoot pin-up pictures. This is an
attempt to duplicate the modern type of portrait as sometimes is
found in Life magazine. |
 |
1948 August
Tired
Paul Heiderman has just completed about 14 hours of tough KP.
I had been shooting some portraits of Bill Sitler and was just
changing rolls of film when Paul came in and sat down under the
lights. That was the fastest I ever loaded a roll of film.
I set the camera, focused and shot before anyone knew it was
taken. |
 |
1947 July
This Little Piggy
This little fellow was snapped at Seaside Heights, NJ. He
had been playing near our beach umbrella for some time so I
picked up my camera and started to follow his actions and
travels. This is one of the few shots that I got. |
 |
1948 May
Playing Hookey
This little fellow was actually playing hookey from school.
We found him in Triboro Park with his color-book and crayons and
having a grand time. We couldn't blame him as it sure was
a beautiful day. We hated to go back to the salt mines
(dark rooms) ourselves. |
 |
Intermission |
 |
Mrs American 1949
C A Krumholtz |
 |
Hup, Two, Three
Now we are in Ft. Monmouth. The last of the photo school
in Long Island City left SCPC on the 22nd of October 1948.
Chuck and I with our buggies and Bill Sitler and Corbley
Cleavenger were the last four to evacuate. Where SCPC was
practically the same as a civilian job, Fort Monmouth was G I.
This is my company, Instructor Co. #2, parading on Army Day of
1949 for Gov. Driscoll of NJ and other visitors. I got out
of parading to do a little picture taking. |
 |
Russell Hall
This is the main building of Ft. Monmouth. It is the GHQ
and the office building of all the big-wigs of the post.
The G Is on the post aptly named it "The Kremlin." Some of
the orders from there really susbstantiated the name. |
 |
Day Room
This is where many leisure hours are spent. This is the
day room of Instructor Company #2. On the extreme right is
the television set, turned on every evening. The door near
it leads to the pool room. The room right next to that is
the library. In the back of the room is a
jukebox--collecting money the first two weeks of the month, then
is changed to a free play machine. On the left and around
the room are writing tables and some very nice easy chairs.
This photo is made up of 12 separate shots and was done by Bill
Sitler. |
 |
1948 October
Letter From Home
Bill Sitler reading a letter from his brother. As in all
(practically) army barrracks, we had double bunks. Bill
had just gotten his new camera and I was showing him what could
be done with it. I had a camera just like it. I had
a single flashbulb in my focusing reflectorand was on top of the
bunk across the aisle. I had another fellow open the lens,
I fired the bulb and then had him close the shutter. |
 |
Cpl Ed Girardey
One of the instructors in the lab section, Ed hailed from
Danburry, CT. Ed was tossed out of his instructing job by
Lt. Moore about the same time I got discharged. Ed always
did have a beligerant attitude. |
 |
1949 March
Cpl William Sitler
Bill is from Dantoon, OH. He was a very good instructor,
sometimes a little too good to his students. He also was a
very nice guy. We used to go on photo expeditions
together. After his discharge in June 1949, he went to
Kent State University majoring in education. This pic was
taken in the attic of our barracks at Ft. Monmouth. |
 |
1948 November
Expressionistic Informals
All the fellows in the lab section could identify a portrait as
mine if the backlight outlined the head and had a gentle spill
on the back of the shoulders. One Sunday afternoon, Tex
Harrison and Bill Sitler asked me to show them how I got it.
These two shots are by them practicing the lighting.
Although they are not real sharp, I consider these as very
excellent shots for the ideas that were used to get pictures
with thought in them. |
 |
Instructor #3 Basketball
Team
Don't let those jersey markings fool you. We used them so
we would be different than the opponents who were usually in
white "T" shirts. Jerry Williams and I captained and
"coached" the team. Our record was six won and three lost.
One win, over the medical detachment almost got Jerry
court-martialed. They ruffed Bill Sitler up so Jerry
counter-stacked, not knowing he was working on a Major.
Boy, what a game. |
 |
1949, April 4
Congratulations Sgt
At least that's what he did say. Colonel Carroll,
commander of the Signal Training Regiment handing my my warrant
for promotion to SSgt or as under the new ARs- Sgt. |
Signs, camera right to left- Photographic Division, Enlisted
Department, The Signal School |
R O T C Camp
In July 1949 we had to give lectures to groups of college jokers
who were attending R O T C Summer Camp. I remember it well
because it cut my furlough short by five days. This is the
group of instructors and students who participated. |
 |
1949, August 23
Fort Monmouth, NJ
Photo Divison
Pro Patria Vigilans
Class D-75
MOS 945
Finis
When a class completes its class picture, then we knew they were
throughlearning. The next couple of days were spent
waiting for orders. Cpl. Schwatzman's class went all out
for theirs. They rented the gown, etc. for a day and as Sy
changed film, they changed outfits and this composite resulted.
Many different theme varieties are to be found in these class
pictures from comedy to formals. |
Branson, J E |
Price, J G |
Schwartzman, S J |
Tirkovsky, R W |
Woods, J M |
Darden, W T |
Quinn, J F |
Smith, J J |
Velker, E B |
|
Elledge, M D |
Sauberan, J R |
Thrall, W L |
Witte, W F |
|
 |
D-58
Here is another theme used for a class picture, the darkroom.
As I handled every class for their last week, I was always
presented with a class picture. The layout or the class's
attitude usually determined if I would keep it or not.
Some of those crews I didn't want to remember. |
 |
1949
February 4
The Signal Corps Message Signaleer, Ft. Monmouth, NJ
Brig. Gen. Francis H. Lanshan, Jr.
Commanding General
J P Hoffman
Chief Of Public Information
Editor- Cpl L F Brown
Reporter- Cpl G Zimmerman
Reporter- Cpl D Moore
Staff Photographer- Cpl J Hritz
Address all communications to The Signal Corps Message
Signaleer, For Monmouth, NJ, phone 1335.
The Signal Corps Message Signaleer is an official military
publication published every Friday by and for Military personnel
at Fort Monmouth.
News of Fort Monmouth activities contained herein may be
reprinted by other newspapers without obtaining official
clearance from the Public Information Office, unless otherwise
note at the head of the item.
The Signal Corps Message Signaleer receives Armed Forces Press
Service material and republication by civilian newspapers is
permitted without specific clearance.
Views expressed in the Signal Corps Message Signaleer are those
of the writers, and not necessarily those of the Department of
the Army.
Photo Caption: THE WORKING MODEL of a five inch Ektar lens
with a Kodak Supermatte shutter, used as a visual aid in the
Photo Division of the Enlisted Department, is being demonstrated
by Cpl George Kotuby, Instr. Co. No. 2, Rct. Madeline Barbour,
WAC Det.; Pvt. James Enderson, Co. E; Pvt. Paul C. Nutter, Hq &
Hq Co., STR, students in the photo course. |
 |
First Group Since War
Enrolled In ED
Eleven WAC students are now attending classes in the Enlisted
Department of The Signal School under Department of the Army
authorization. The first of them enrolled just prior to
the Christmas school holidays.
WACS now attending classes are being trained as still lab
technicians in the Photo Division, crytographic technicians and
radio operators.
The Signal School and other schools throughout the Army are
authorized specified numbers of WAC students, a step by the
Department of the Army in an extensive utilization of Army
personnel, according to Capt. Veronica Riley, WAC Orientation
Officer (unofficial title) of the Enlisted Department.
Each of the eleven WAC students came directly from the WAC
Training Center in Camp Lee, VA after having completed their
basic training.
It is believed that these are the first WAC students to be
admitted to the Enlisted Department since The Signal School was
moved here from Camp Crowder, MO.
The WAC students are: Recruits Shirley M Gough, Beverly A
Thomas, Emma M Ullrick, Madeline Barbour, Vivian J Kitchings,
Ann D Riddle, Norma J Wiseman, Shirley Davis, June Gustafson,
Eddie Williams, and Mary Lafler. |
 |
TSS Pictorial Displays Go
To Army Areas
A pictoral display of typical phases of each of the four
divisions of the Enlisted Department. The Signal School
will be placed in the Training Divisions of each Army area.
This is the new project of the Training and Coordination Branch,
Enlisted Department and has been underway since January 1.
A trial run was made with this type of display during December
1948 in the Training Division of First Army at Ft. Dix.
According to Capt. John A. Anderson, OIC, Training and
Coordination Branch, the experiment was so successful that a
more extensive plan was made to cover all Army area
headquarters.
The primary purpose of this display is to familiarize potential
members of the Signal Corps with the type of training offered by
the Enlisted Department of The Signal Corps.
Photo Caption: THESE PICTURES of activities in the four
courses of the Enlisted Department, The Signal School, will be
placed on display in the training centers of the five Army
areas. |
 |
D-71 At Work (?)
It was raining too hard outside to shoot the 35mm problem, so we
grabbed a few lights and put the class together shooting each
other. They really went for angles- some even got down on
their stomachs. That made the first time they really
cleaned their classroom floor. |
 |
1949 April
Cpl. Rice
Cpl. Rice was the class leader of D-71 and was a good student.
He really had a job with those characters. Both shots were
made with the lights and my Rollei. The upper one is
candid. |
 |
Small Parts By D-71
I gave the class about 15 minutes instruction on shooting small
parts and the lighting. I then gave each team of two
people one light and told them to shoot some small items I had
brought and any other things they might have. They did
better for a first time than any other class had done. I
was surprised more than anyone after all the trouble I had had
with that class. It was a fine relief to see them do good
work for a change. |
 |
1949 June
Now Which One?
Three mmebers of Class D-76 are in the midst of their first
major problem. After varied exposures and development
times, they have the nine exemplary negatives of photography-
that is if they have done the problem correctly. Right now
they are trying to decide which of the three exposure variations
they should shoot. This is just one of they many
confusions of the problem. The real headaches come in the
darkroom. |
 |
1949 May
Joe Mangriacini
Joe was the Chief Instructor in the Still Section. That of
course meant that we'd constantly be attempting to rib the other
guy's section. The friendly feud between the sections was
known to all the people in the Photo Division. It was even
carried on after the students left school and were assigned to
outfits. With Joe, you could really joke about it.
Joe was in the first still class to go through the Army photo
school at the Photo Center. After that he went into combat
photography and then became a photographer for Stars and
Stripes. After the war he came back to SCPC and had a job
in the personnel section before he became Chief Instructor.
I was giving a portrait lighting demonstration to D-71 when Joe
came up to see me about something. In a matter of a few
seconds he became my model and this is the picture that
resulted. |
 |
1949 July
N C O Club Dance
This was the first of the big dances sponsored by the NCO Club
with big name bands providing the music. Colonel Carroll
is wlcoming Skitch Henderson and his crew to the post.
Skitch is the guy in the back. Next to the Col. is Sgt.
Boyd who was MC. He also was our First Sgt. for about 8
months in Instr. Co. #2. Great guy and made a pretty good
MC. |
|
