Daniel Abramson Korean War Photograph Album

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 2020-02-26

Content Description

The Daniel Abramson Korean War Photograph Album consists of one album with snapshots documenting Abramson's service in the United States Air Force during the Korean War.

The album has a teal cover with a Chinese or Japanese style dragon plate on the front cover, presumably purchased during his time abroad in service. It measures approximately 9x12x1.5 inches and has black paper pages. Inside there are 143 black-and-white photographs, each about 3.5x4.5 inches, affixed with album corners. There are an additional 12 loose photographs, ranging in size, as well as a single clipping.

The photographs document Abramsom's time serving with the USAF Rescue Crew #1 in Guam. The majority of the photographs depict soldiers at leisure. For example, they depict men resting in barracks, interacting with native people, relaxing on beaches, having parties, and shoppiong at markets in Japan. Some photos depict aircraft including SB-29's, SA-16's, C-47's and H-19 and H-5 helicopters. There are a few aerial images. The loose photographs include some formal group portraits of the #1 Rescue Crew. Most of the photographs have some sort of handwritten caption along the lower border on the front of the print, though these captions tend to be more humorous than informative. Locations noted include Manila and Luzon in the Philippines; Mount Surabashi, Tokyo, Tachikawa, and Okinawa Japan; Tumon, Guam; and Los Negros Island. Of the people identified with full names are: Darrel Boles, Arleigh Franklin, Billy Halfon, Emilio Moriel, Don Petrell, R.O. Pitchford, and Jim Pruett.

The single clipping dates to 2004 and includes a picture of Tumon Bay with reference to the Pentagon.

Dates

Creation: 1952-1953, 2004

Creator

Ambramson, Daniel, 1932-2012 (Person)

Language of Materials

All materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research and is accessible in the Dahlberg Research Center by appointment. For more information contact us.

Conditions Governing Use

The Museum of Flight (TMOF) Archives is the owner of the physical materials in the archives and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from TMOF archives before any publication use. TMOF does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners. Consult repository for more details.

Biographical Note: Daniel Abramson

Daniel Abramson was born April 8, 1932 in Detroit, Michigan into a family of Jewish immigrants from Hungary and Russia. He studied at San Diego State College.

He grew up during World War II and always thought he would follow in the footsteps of his uncles who served in the military. At the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Daniel enlisted in the Air Force, having never been on an airplane. He was assigned to B-29 Rescue Crew #1 out of Guam, part of the USAF Air Rescue Service, and served as a gunner. There were 16 modified B-29's that were known as SB-29’s, nicknamed Super Dumbo, for Dumbo, the Disney character. These aircraft were for air sea rescue and were modified to carry droppable A-3 lifeboats. All defensive armament was also retained on the aircraft except for the forward lower gun turret. The aircraft carried a variety of radio equipment, provisions, survival kits, and extra crew. The all metal A-3 lifeboat, carried under the fuselage, contained a 30 day supply of food, water and clothing for 12 men. During his service, Abramson received a Purple Heart when he was injured by the A-3 lifeboat when it came unsecured while the crew, at battle ready alert, slept beneath their SB-29 in Okinawa.

After the Korean War, Daniel went to work for leading New York City ad agencies. He also became a successful artist, a vocation he continued after his retirement. He had married Leslea Steffel in Decemeber 1953 and they had three sons. He died September 5, 2012.