Elmer A. Ball World War II Negatives

The Elmer A. Ball World War II Negatives is a collection of 184 photographic negatives taken by Ball during his service with the U.S. Navy, much of which took place in Guam during the later years of World War II. The negatives are all medium format black-and-white negatives, except for one color transparency. They were not organized in any particular manner.

The images depict a variety of people, activities, and buildings in and around Naval Air Station Agana on Guam from roughly 1944-1950. Many of the images are related to the Combat Air Service Unit CASU(F) 12, which Ball may have been a part of. The majority of images, about 65, are informal individual and group portraits of servicemen at and around the base. Candid shots of men in the course of both work-related and leisure activities make up about 35 images. Included among those are images of men in Structural Department work tents and huts, relaxing in their bunks, writing letters or reading, exploring beaches, or holding their mascot dog "Foo Foo." Buildings such as the CPO club, rows of Quonset huts, tents for work areas such as a paint shop or sheet metal shop, and an outdoor theater are depicted in many of the images. A cemetery for American servicemen at Agat, Guam is pictured in a few images. Eight images show men in Naval uniform at a dance or party with women, most likely somewhere in the U.S., perhaps at NAS Sandpoint in Washington, rather than on Guam.

Aircraft are seen in about ten images, with an additional eight images showing detail views of nose art. Aircraft depicted include the Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer, Curtiss SB2C-3 Helldiver, Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless, Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat, Grumman F7F-2N Tigercat, Grumman FM-2 Wildcat, Grumman TBM-3 Avenger, and North American Aviation P-51D Mustang. Five images show a Japanese Type C Kō-hyōteki-class submarine on display at the base. A few images depict coastal defense artillery pieces.

Beyond military personnel and activities, local people, likely Chamorro, are depicted in about five images. Local buildings such as churches, a school, and thatch huts are also pictured in a few negatives. Some of the buildings show destruction from bombings. About 20 images show seascapes and landscapes around the island. One color transparency depicts an unidentified stone statue.

Identifications of some images were provided by Ball's family, though people are generally only identified by last name. Names include: Browning, Chamberlin, Church, Eaton, Gladin, Gruber, Jones, Lee, Martin, O'Donnell, E. H. Palmer, Poulik, Samples, Schmidt, Benny Schotten, Watters, and Earl Wilder. Ball is seen in a few images as well.

Digitized Materials: This collection has been digitized in its entirety.

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