| These are photos of my dad, Ben Fryar, along with some of
his buddies met while in the Aleutians during the years 1943 and 1944,
including the islands of Attu, Kiska, and Adak. I've also included
pictures of buildings and things that aren't labeled. Ben found some
negatives in 1997 and had them developed and none of those photos have
been identified. Would be nice to know who is in the pictures, and where
they were taken! One photo is of Ricardo Montalban and Ruth Hussey, I
believe (?) at the Stage Door Canteen in Stockton, California which is
where my dad was before he went to Attu. Ben is the only one of the ones
he knew in Alaska that went on to Japan. Ben was on Attu in May of 1943
and did 18 months of his overseas duty there and at Kiska and Adak. He
spent more time at Adak than anywhere else. I have to try to match his
recollections with any documents I may find to adjust slight imperfections
of memory. His records were burned in a fire at St. Louis. I also have a
copy of the Japanese diary of the medical officer Tatsuguri which includes
a goodbye letter to his wife in addition to the daily entries. It appears
to have been translated by a different person as it varies some but gives
the same information. My father passed away in August of 2001 and I can't
believe we didn't know about any of this - he would have loved it. Please let me know if you can identify the photos. Thanks! |
Last Updated: 04 Jan 2013 14:02
Originally published 2 Jan 2002