Photo By Kare Lohse

BEN FRYAR

“WWII Attu Scrapbook, by Janet Fryar Rohlfs”

www.hlswilliwaw.com
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! Janet Fryar Rohlfs (Daughter of Ben Fryar)
Ben Fryar taken in a photo booth. [Ben Fryer] Ben Fryar taken in a photo booth. [Ben Fryer] Ben Fryar taken in a photo booth. [Ben Fryer]
#1 Ben Fryar and a buddy, possibly Felix Fellecia, taken in a photo booth.
#2 Ben Fryar taken in a photo booth.
Ben Fryar. [Ben Fryar] Ben Fryar. [Ben Fryar] Ben Fryar. [Ben Fryar]
#3 Ben Fryar trying out his gas mask.
#4 Ben Fryar.
Been Fryar. [Ben Fryar] Been Fryar. [Ben Fryar] Been Fryar. [Ben Fryar] One of Ben Fryar's buddie. [Ben Fryar] One of Ben Fryar's buddie. [Ben Fryar] One of Ben Fryar's buddie. [Ben Fryar]
#5 This photo is my dad Ben Fryar with his best Army buddy, Ed Hellweg, who still lives in St. Louis.
#6 Fairbanks, AK. 1941. Taken by Mack's mother.
Ben Fryar & Ed Hellweg. [Ben Fryar] Ben Fryar & Ed Hellweg. [Ben Fryar] Ben Fryar & Ed Hellweg. [Ben Fryar]
#7 Another friend of Ben.
#8 More of Ben’s buddies.
Another of Ben's Friends. [Ben Fryar] Another of Ben's Friends. [Ben Fryar] Another of Ben's Friends. [Ben Fryar]
#9 Three of Ben’s buddies.
#10 Adak, Dec 1942/43. Living Quarters!
Three of Ben's buddies. [Ben Frayer] Three of Ben's buddies. [Ben Frayer] Three of Ben's buddies. [Ben Frayer] Three more of Ben's buddies. [Ben Fryar] Three more of Ben's buddies. [Ben Fryar] Three more of Ben's buddies. [Ben Fryar]
#11 Construction on Attu.
#12 The “Bridge,” Attu’s main dock.
Construction on Attu. [Ben Fryar] Construction on Attu. [Ben Fryar] Construction on Attu. [Ben Fryar] The "Bridge," main Attu dock. [Ben Frayer] The "Bridge," main Attu dock. [Ben Frayer] The "Bridge," main Attu dock. [Ben Frayer]
#13 Little Falls Cemetery, Attu, Aleutian Islands, AK.
#14 This photo is of Cesar Romero and Ruth Hussey (I believe) at the Stage Door Canteen in Stockton, California which is where my dad was before he went to Attu
Little Falls Cemetery, Attu, Aleutian Islands, AK. [Ben Frayer] Little Falls Cemetery, Attu, Aleutian Islands, AK. [Ben Frayer] Little Falls Cemetery, Attu, Aleutian Islands, AK. [Ben Frayer] Cesar Romero and Ruth Hussey (?) at the Stage Door Canteen in Stockton, CA. [Ben Frayer] Cesar Romero and Ruth Hussey (?) at the Stage Door Canteen in Stockton, CA. [Ben Frayer] Cesar Romero and Ruth Hussey (?) at the Stage Door Canteen in Stockton, CA. [Ben Frayer] Ben Fryar and a buddy, possibly Felix Fellecia, taken in a photo booth. [Ben Fryar] Ben Fryar and a buddy, possibly Felix Fellecia, taken in a photo booth. [Ben Fryar] Ben Fryar and a buddy, possibly Felix Fellecia, taken in a photo booth. [Ben Fryar] More of Ben's buddies. [Ben Fryar] More of Ben's buddies. [Ben Fryar] More of Ben's buddies. [Ben Fryar]
Originally published: 2 Jan 2002