Help in determining the 38th Repair Squadron,

[germanboy]

Hello,

I am a WWII collector from Germany and received a bundle of US photos. Unfortunately I can't see what kind of island or town it is. There are also only 3 photos labeled on the back. Therefore I ask you to help me to solve this riddle. If you have any questions just let me know.

thank you very much, germanboy says

[Willmore]

Hi there.

I can't help with locations, but I would read the annotations on the photos as -

Manoeuvres (maybe spelt wrong) 1944
Castle ???? 30 miles away. Maybe Castle home?

Jap(anese) Wedding

Motor Pool

Kind regards,

Will.

[BlackCat1982]

Intriguing set of pictures. I'm wondering if the volcano eruption is Mount Vesuvius from 1944?

[Witt]

Hello,

I had the same thought at Blackcat that the one photo appears to show the March 1944 eruption of Mount Vesuvius. This one was definitely taken in Naples although I cannot pinpoint where in the city. It was taken at a higher elevation within the city and pretty close to the gulf. That makes me guess it may have been taken while in the hilltop Vomero district. Below is a photo taken from Vomero that looks similar besides the harbor seems to have changed.



The 38th Repair Squadron has been difficult to track online, almost nonexistent. It may likely be the 38th Air Depot Repair Squadron which happened to be stationed for a while at the Capodichino airfield in Naples. This is roughly 10km northwest of Vomero, left of what is seen in the photograph and closer to Vesuvius.

It is interesting that many of these appear to have been taken in Italy while at least three if not up to seven of them were taken in the Pacific. No idea where the last photo was taken but it shows the Army Air Forces West Camp.

[germanboy]

Hello
Witt / BlackCat1982 and Willmore I would like to thank you for your contributions.
what concerns me are the photos with the Japanese people?
I think the photos with the buildings, houses and much more fit in with this.
The camp was probably built with the bulldozer.
What do you think?

germanboy

[Willmore]

Hi there.

It is possible that the photos were taken in different countries during and after the war. This is a guess on my part but it could explain why there are photos from Europe and Asia.

Kind regards,

Will.

[Chopperman]

I am guessing that the first 3 pictures shown, were taken in Japan
just after the war.

I think that the top picture shows the castle DOME of Hiroshima castle.
and the picture just under and to the right shows the devastation after the
bombing with the arrows pointing possibly to pieces of remaining structures
like chimneys.

Like I said, just a guess on my part.

[Chopperman]

Wow, was I wrong.
The first picture is Castle Dome peak in Yuma Az.

[Chopperman]

Here is a short quote from the US Army Proving Grounds, Yuma Az history.

"Yuma Proving Ground traces its history to Camp Laguna and the Army Corps of Engineers Yuma Test Branch, both activated in 1943. Located on the Colorado River, the Yuma Test Branch conducted testing on combat bridges, amphibious vehicles, and boats. Tens of thousands of mechanized and infantry soldiers were trained at Camp Laguna for duty at combat fronts throughout the world, from North Africa to the South Pacific."

[germanboy]

Hello Chopperman,

You have probably solved the riddle.
Anyway, I've made some progress.
Thanks again for your contribution

germanboy