DAD'S WAR PHOTOS
Adventures in the South Pacific
By Neal Bertrand

Curtis Bertrand was just a country boy with a camera when he entered the U.S. Army in WWII. He returned home from the Southwest Pacific Theater with over 600 photos to share with family members and friends, never realizing the importance these unique views of the war would provide.

Thus far, the WWII photo memories and story of Curtis Bertrand have remained private. Now these never-before-seen pictures, along with official battalion diary entries, are being made available to the public, bringing to life his battalion’s camaraderie and their heartbreaking and harrowing experiences.

The 863rd Engineer Aviation Battalion was stationed in three Australian cities during the summer of 1943: Sidney, Brisbane, and Townsville. Brisbane became the Pacific headquarters of U.S. General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Allied Commander, after the Japanese forced him out of the Philippines in December 1941.

Each stop was necessary for the complex task of getting the numerous battalions organized, fully equipped, and putting the finishing touches on the engineering and battle planning strategy.

After that it was on to the New Guinea Campaign, including Dobodura and Saidor. New Guinea was key in defeating the Japanese bases as laid down by General MacArthur’s strategy called Operation Cartwheel. There are 81 photos depicting men building airstrips, camp life, native scenery, and more.

In a chapter on the Battle of Biak, the near death experiences of Curtis and his war buddies as their boat approached the island are graphically displayed. A photo taken of Curtis’s good friend Clifford G. Wynne, Jr. is included, just weeks before he died on Biak. Another 60 historical images are contained within this section.

Finally, on December 21, 1944, the battalion arrived in the Philippines. Eighty photos cover the destruction of the Battle of Manila and its reconstruction. Curtis’s medals and souvenirs are depicted, along with the Japanese rifle and bayonet he brought home with him.

The homecoming and post war life chapters give an intimate view of what many returning soldiers faced. For Curtis it was getting back to work on the farm, meeting his lovely wife, and trying to put bad memories aside.

Soft Cover, 288 pages, full of photos,
2 page Glossary, 2 Appendices

Order your copy of this great book here

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 29 March 2015

This page last updated 21 January 2020