Warriors in Trunks
Photograph
Unidentified
Maker
Warriors in Trunks
Viking
ca. 1944
Gelatin silver print
Gift of Joanna T. Steichen, ex-collection Edward Steichen
Inscriptions inscribed in crayon on recto in TC: 700636
inscribed in crayon on verso in RC: strike marks and written correction "/often under"
printed in ink on verso: FILE NUMBER 700636 RELEASED: August 31, 1945/
WARRIORS IN TRUNKS/
PICTURE STORY OF NAVY'S UNDERWATER DEMOLITION TEAMS/
One of the most dangerous and difficult assignments of the war was under-/ taken by the Navy's Underwater Demolition Teams. Unarmed, garbed only in/ swimming trunks, members of these teams swam to action-- braving enemy[cancelled, see written correction above] fire/ to clear out with explosives the natural and man-made obstacles lurking[cancelled]/ off the beaches chosen as objectives of our amphibious landings. From/ Normandy in the East, from the Marshalls to Balikpapan in the West, they/ sowed the first seeds of victory by blasting-often at the cost of their/ own lives--the searoads from ships to enemy shores. These photographs depict/ the various steps in operations followed by the "warriors in trunks."/
8. Viking- Resembling a throwback to the days of the Norsemen, bearded/ blond Sergei Aalto exudes pleasurable anticipation as he looks forward/ to blowing up Jap obstacles off Guam as a member of Navy UDT. Born in/ Finland, he now lives in Portland, Ore. Like many other UDT men, Aalto/ - who has the rating Painter, Second Class--is a Seabee./
WATCH YOUR CREDIT/
"OFFICIAL U.S. NAVY PHOTOGRAPH"/
The Navy Department has no objection to the use of this photograph in commercial/ advertisements, provided copy and layout are submitted for review prior to/ publication to the REVIEW SECTION, OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS, NAVY DEPARTMENT,/ WASHINGTON, D.C., or to District Public Relations Office. However, it has no/ power to waive the privacy rights of the personnel portrayed./
inscribed in crayon on verso in RC: strike marks and written correction "/often under"
printed in ink on verso: FILE NUMBER 700636 RELEASED: August 31, 1945/
WARRIORS IN TRUNKS/
PICTURE STORY OF NAVY'S UNDERWATER DEMOLITION TEAMS/
One of the most dangerous and difficult assignments of the war was under-/ taken by the Navy's Underwater Demolition Teams. Unarmed, garbed only in/ swimming trunks, members of these teams swam to action-- braving enemy[cancelled, see written correction above] fire/ to clear out with explosives the natural and man-made obstacles lurking[cancelled]/ off the beaches chosen as objectives of our amphibious landings. From/ Normandy in the East, from the Marshalls to Balikpapan in the West, they/ sowed the first seeds of victory by blasting-often at the cost of their/ own lives--the searoads from ships to enemy shores. These photographs depict/ the various steps in operations followed by the "warriors in trunks."/
8. Viking- Resembling a throwback to the days of the Norsemen, bearded/ blond Sergei Aalto exudes pleasurable anticipation as he looks forward/ to blowing up Jap obstacles off Guam as a member of Navy UDT. Born in/ Finland, he now lives in Portland, Ore. Like many other UDT men, Aalto/ - who has the rating Painter, Second Class--is a Seabee./
WATCH YOUR CREDIT/
"OFFICIAL U.S. NAVY PHOTOGRAPH"/
The Navy Department has no objection to the use of this photograph in commercial/ advertisements, provided copy and layout are submitted for review prior to/ publication to the REVIEW SECTION, OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS, NAVY DEPARTMENT,/ WASHINGTON, D.C., or to District Public Relations Office. However, it has no/ power to waive the privacy rights of the personnel portrayed./
