These shots were taken by my grandfather when he was 25. It looked like a beautiful September day (not unlike another September day of recent times). It's hard to imagine but when my grandparents were at LGA this day, it was the 'dark' days of WW2 when no one really knew exactly what the outcome would be. It was not yet a year since PH and the invasion of Europe was almost two years away. I wonder what was going through their minds at the time?
I had asked my grandmother when she was alive if she recalled what might have been going on at the airport this day? She didn't recall. But I figured out that the 6th was a Sunday in '42 and she said that explained it. "Sunday was family day. Back then there were no stores open except for gas stations and the bakery in the morning. After church we took a ride like everyone else and listened to the radio shows in the car before dinner. LaGuardia was one of the places your grandfather liked to go like a lot of people." How times have changed. People actually went to the airport to watch planes! If you look at old aerial photos of LGA, there was an observation "board walk" of sorts that was on top of the passenger embarking gateways.
My grandmother is facing the camera. Behind the DC-3 and the B-24's is the Hellgate and Triboro bridges.
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AA DC-3 (Note what looks like a Goose or Widgeon departing in the background)
I would feel confident saying that these P-47's were from the 56th FG, and probably a detachment from Mitchel Field. (Anybody please feel free to provide input if you can.)
Enjoy, :)
Peter
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Originally Posted by AA 777
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