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EXTENSIVE WORLD WAR II VETERANS & MILITARY AVIATION PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVE
MID-ATLANTIC AIR MUSEUM — WORLD WAR II WEEKEND
READING REGIONAL AIRPORT, PENNSYLVANIA
2012 & 2013
Offered is a substantial, privately assembled photographic archive documenting the World War II Weekend commemorative gatherings held at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, Pennsylvania.
This large three-ring album contains numerous photographs, printed historical identification cards, military aviation images, and documentation of surviving World War II veterans participating in these commemorative events.
Unlike an ordinary collection of airshow photographs, this album preserves the people behind the history, including veterans photographed during interviews, presentations, and public appearances.
IDENTIFIED VETERANS INCLUDE:
• Calvin Summers — U.S. Army truck driver who served in the North African, Italian, and Philippine theaters and performed occupation duty in Japan. His accompanying identification describes narrow escapes while driving during wartime.
• William Gast — U.S. Army, 743rd Tank Battalion, M4 Sherman tank driver, identified as having landed at Normandy on D-Day.
• Henry Kudzík — U.S. Navy submariner aboard USS 168 (USS Nautilus), with an accompanying card describing participation in several Pacific missions.
• Martin Fleisher — U.S. Army Air Corps B-26 bomber pilot, 370th Bomb Group, 9th Air Force, identified in the album as having flown 65 missions, including D-Day support missions.
THE COLLECTION ALSO FEATURES:
• Photographs of World War II veterans and commemorative speakers
• Historic military aircraft photographed on the ground and in flight
• B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft
• North American B-25 Mitchell bombers, including the aircraft identified in the album as “Yankee Warrior”
• Military vehicles, including restored U.S. Army ambulances and Jeeps
• Displays of military insignia, patches, medals, and wartime collectibles
• Reenactors, exhibits, and scenes from the WWII Weekend gatherings
• Printed captions, aircraft identifications, and historical background information
The album includes dated introductory pages for the June 1–3, 2012, and June 7–9, 2013, events.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
These gatherings provided opportunities for the public to meet surviving members of the World War II generation and hear firsthand accounts of military service.
This collection documents not only historic aircraft and equipment but also the veterans who returned decades later to share their experiences.
Of particular interest are the named veterans and their accompanying service histories, which provide valuable context for researchers, military historians, aviation enthusiasts, and collectors of World War II remembrance material.
A substantial photographic collection offered intact, preserving its original organization and historical context.
Please note: These photographs document modern commemorative events rather than being original wartime photographs. The total number of photographs has not been counted.
The complete album shown is included.
