Based on the letters of Earl Philip Reinhalter (1922-1953). Edited by his son, Earl Philip Reinhalter (1950-).

Photo Highlights: NEW GUINEA (December 1943 to Oct/Nov 1944)

Members of the 3rd Airdrome Squadron (Fifth Air Force) - approximately 136 men.




The 3rd Airdrome Squadron constructing a new camp in New Guinea, 1943-44.




The 3rd Airdrome Squadron constructing a new camp in New Guinea, 1943-44.




Engineers building the air strip at Saidor, New Guinea, 1944.




The first control tower on the air strip at Saidor, New Guinea, 1944.




Campsite in New Guinea, 1944.




Earl and plane, probably in New Guinea, 1944




Earl in his foxhole in New Guinea, 1944. In his May 10, 1944 letter he says: "The hole measures two feet wide, three feet long,
and the deeper the better. From the bottom of the hole to the top of the three layers of sandbags is about four feet.
At one time, I had a foxhole 6˝ feet deep, but as it was too close to my bunk, I had to move it. Stumbling
over the sandbags and falling halfway into a foxhole every night became rather irking after a while."




Mess hall for the 3rd Airdrome Squadron's enlisted men in New Guinea, 1944. The small print on the sign says, "The Best Food in the Southwest Pacific."
According to his May 26, 1944 letter, "One boy was given extra duty as punishment for smearing slimy mud over it with his hand."




The 3rd Airdrome Squadron's enlisted men's club in New Guinea, 1944.




Soldier in front of 3rd Airdrome Squadron's enlisted men's club in New Guinea, 1943.




The 3rd Airdrome Squadron plays softball in New Guinea, circa 1943-44.




The 3rd Airdrome Squadron plays softball in New Guinea, circa 1943-44.




An LST boat, either loading or unloading men and supplies, probably in New Guinea.




Ack-ack (anti-aircraft tracer fire) at night in New Guinea, 1944.




Some soldiers, two jeeps and a dog in New Guinea, circa 1943-44.




Soldiers with native men and boys in New Guinea, 1943.




Natives in their village in New Guinea.




New Guinea natives line up in formation. This is possibly the "native army" that he mentioned in his June 24, 1944 letter.




Native totem poles in New Guinea, 1944.




Earl and a native of New Guinea.




Native chief in New Guinea.




Native girls in New Guinea, circa 1943-44.




Oro Bay sign - "Dobodura-Tokyo Road" - in Saidor, New Guinea, 1944.




Nankina River Road at Saidor, New Guinea, probably in 1944.




A nurse that Earl knew at Saidor, New Guinea, 1944. She appears to be holding a kitten.




A Jap prisoner in New Guinea.




Jap prisoners in New Guinea. Notice "PW" (prisoner of war) on the clothing of the guy on the right.




Another Jap prisoner in New Guinea.




Jap burial ground in New Guinea.




A bombed and sunk Jap transport boat in New Guinea, 1944.




Native girls in grass skirts, possibly the Polynesians mentioned in his 5/26/1944 letter.




The squadron's last New Guinea camp being torn down in preparation for moving to the Philippines, October 1944.




Remains of the squadron's last New Guinea camp before moving to the Philippines, October 1944.

More Photo Highlights:

STATESIDE (late 1942 - May 1943)
AUSTRALIA (June 4, 1943 until December 1943)
NEW GUINEA - notable planes
LEYTE, PHILIPPINES (1944-45)
LUZON, PHILIPPINES (1945)
THE WAR ENDS

NOW AVAILABLE AS A KINDLE BOOK! The Kindle book includes Earl Reinhalter’s World War II letters; all 23 issues of the unit’s wartime newsletter “The Squadron Pulse,” which was originally edited by Leonard Stringfield; all 12 issues of the “Pennant Parade” newsletter that Stringfield published while sailing home after the war; complete text of the U.S. government booklet “Pocket Guide to Australia,” which soldiers heading Down Under were given to read; more than 200 photos; pre-war and postwar family history; and over 700 explanatory endnotes.

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