VD-1 personnel assemble a shoreline panorama of Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville (26486742082)

Lot 9780-3: The Navy’s Flying Photographers, January 25, 1944. In the long Pacific front, few branches of the Allied forces charged with prying the Japanese out of their scattered island bases are more vital than aerial photo reconnaissance squadrons. Swooping down over the enemy outposts, defying the anti-aircraft fire which guards salient sections, “camera” planes film details of construction and topography invaluable to intelligence officers. From their photographs, scenic maps are made, and photo interpretation reports prepared which supply vital information for combat tactics. Such a squadron is the Navy’s famed, VD-1, based on Guadalcanal. In their own photographs, they tell part of the story of the all important roles they are playing in building the road to Tokyo. Shown: Panorama of Bougainville Shoreline. Members of the photo interpretation section of VD-1 assemble a series of pictures into a panorama of the shoreline around Empress Augusta Bay on Bougainville. When U.S. Marines land on those shores soon after, the pictures and maps therefrom greatly facilitated the invasion. U.S. Navy Photograph. Courtesy of the Library of Congress. (2016/04/22).