“Peace at Last” . Three words in a WWII edition of Stars and Stripes. My Dad holds a copy Stars and Stripes from 1945 for someone to snap his picture of this historical occasion. It was a momentous decisive event, one he wanted to record it for posterity. I also find it humorous that the camp dog also holds the honor of being in the photo.
I didn’t know who this was at first, but as I have researched and compared other photos this is my Dad. I never saw this photo, there wasn’t any writing on the back but I am now sure this photograph is my Father.
There are no other photographs from this time period, I found one I believe of him just before he left, but then there is over a ten year gap between when he was 16 and twenty years old.. I would like to believe is my Dad, in many ways it doesn’t look like him, but in some ways it does.
I had four relatives that served in World War II as part of the greatest generation. Back then almost everyone could say they had a relative in the war.
My Dad, Leo Tyrrell, served aboard a destroyer in the Pacific around this time. This shot bears a family resemblance to his nephew Michael Morrill who has a similar nose, slight build, and dark complexion. In various pictures of my Dads youth, he often had a dog with him. This article has been posted on Twitter numerous times and I’ve asked for help in getting more information.
Here is what I learned about the photo:
- This is a field hospital, note the bandage on the right hand (how did I miss that)
- The uniform is a general issue given to anyone at the base
My other relatives that served in WWII were my Uncles Otis and Herman Faries, and my Great Aunts Gussies’ husband Master Sgt. Grover Hale.
I would like to find a copy of this Stars and Stripes and hang it next to the photo next to my son’s Marine Corps photographs. Haven’t found any of this issue yet (that I can afford) but I did find someone on Amazon that does sell the original WWII Stars and Stripes along with several books about this iconic newspaper.
Great GERMANY SURRENDERS Nazis Quit V-E Day 1945
The Stars and Stripes: Story of World WarStars and Stripes: World War II and the5 U.S. OCCUPATION OF JAPAN Stars & StripesRare FRANCE EDITION Stars and Stripes Post D-DAYThe Stars and Stripes, Mediterranean, Vol. 1, No.The Stars and stripes: World War II front
Related articles
- Missing WWII Ace Located After 71 Years (history.com)
- Member of secret WWII Navajo code talker Marine unit dies at 90 (givemeliberty01.com)
I think the photo is from the Pacific theater. Probably a wounded recovery area the man has a bandage on his right hand. He’s wearing what might be the clothing for wounded at the time. Not a specific uniform. He does have “boondockers” on which the Marines and Navy wore. Those tents look like the ones used in the Pacific.
Thanks for the comment and the information, this would make sense. My Dad did two tours in the Pacific, he was on a destroyer, so I’m assuming he was Navy. I didn’t recognize the uniform either so I wasn’t sure. I didn’t notice the bandage on his hand, very observant. He was very young and carried ammo to the guns and sat on a gun later he said. He talked very little about his WWII days. I wish I knew more, but thanks for helping fill in some of the holes. I didn’t even know this photo existed until my Mom died.
I was here **__**
Hope you are able to fill in all the blanks ultimately. I knew many men of that generation who would never speak of the war as i think they had never come to terms with the horrors and overall.
trauma. That looks like a typical Border Collie sat next to him.
He never did speak of it, i wish i knew then to ask, I vaguegly remember my Mom telling me to not ask about it. Thanks for visiting, please come back again.
Have you requested your Dad’s service records? Then look at history and records of the units/ship where he served. They may even contain pictures of him that would make it easier to match/ discount this as his picture.
Thanks for the suggestions, I’ve looked up units he’s served with and recently got some paperwork from Ancestry.com I’m going to update the post for Fathers Day. Please come back again and visit.
This looks like the August 15, 1945 European/Italian issue of the paper. I have seen that same headline and folks reference that date. Of course, they could have printed the same in the pacific. this was several days after the two bombs were dropped in Japan.
I found out the same thing, however in talking with Mr. Dailey who wrote a book on the Edison, they were in Pearl Harbor on August 14th, then left for Japan, so I wonder how much time it takes for a newspaper to get to the military bases, ships etc? The photo I was told my “internet historians” was taken in a hospital camp. Probably in the Pacific according to ship logs.