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War Correspondent

MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
Among my many interests, I have a substantial collection of items and uniforms worn by civilian (and some military) correspondents for the US in WW2. Here are a few of the displays I've put on with that over the years:
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This is all original stuff, the correspondent field manual is extremely rare:
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MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
When I do living history displays, I most often portray a war correspondent. The first shot of my 'field table' was at the correspondent/photographer display I put on with good friend Bryan Ilyankoff, at the MVPA convention in Portland. I'm still unhappy that we got no coverage in the press for the event, the only display that was never mentioned anywhere as if we hadn't even shown up. I'll never waste the time to do another event for them again...
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At a camp out for my living history group near my house, with my (1944 Willys MB) Jeep behind me:
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With Bryan at the Olympic Airshow in 2014. I'm portraying a civilian correspondent and Bryan a Navy photographer, both for the Pacific Theater, with a recently restored Corsair behind us. We're both holding military-used 'Anniversary Model' Speed Graphic cameras:
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And my wife even went along with me for an event once, in a repro 1940s dress, as I wore my War Correspondent Class As:
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Grant

Well-Known Member
Amazing collection and cameras! Do you guys shoot 4x5 sheet film with those beautiful Speed Graphic cameras?
There's an elderly street photographer here in NYC that still uses an old Speed Graphic.
 

MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
Amazing collection and cameras! Do you guys shoot 4x5 sheet film with those beautiful Speed Graphic cameras?
Bryan does.
In fact, he was in New Orleans this week discussing a loan of his cameras to the WW2 museum there for a temporary exhibit.
 

Chandler

Well-Known Member
...with my (1944 Willys MB) Jeep behind me:
Just when I was beginning to like you, you have to go showin' off. ;)

I've always wanted an MB since my dad sold his '47 CJ-2A (which I never got to drive).

Wouldn't want to trade for a 2018 Honda, would'ja? :D

How 'bout an all original '42 Garand? :)
 

MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
Yep, I have first editions of every book Mauldin ever released, including the rare stuff that was printed before and during WW2.
I also have a Czech copy of Up Front, from Mauldin's personal collection, among a lot of Mauldin stuff. Ive also written about his work is various publications over the years...
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
A
When I do living history displays, I most often portray a war correspondent. The first shot of my 'field table' was at the correspondent/photographer display I put on with good friend Bryan Ilyankoff, at the MVPA convention in Portland. I'm still unhappy that we got no coverage in the press for the event, the only display that was never mentioned anywhere as if we hadn't even shown up. I'll never waste the time to do another event for them again...
View attachment 71014
At a camp out for my living history group near my house, with my (1944 Willys MB) Jeep behind me:
View attachment 71015
With Bryan at the Olympic Airshow in 2014. I'm portraying a civilian correspondent and Bryan a Navy photographer, both for the Pacific Theater, with a recently restored Corsair behind us. We're both holding military-used 'Anniversary Model' Speed Graphic cameras:
View attachment 71016
And my wife even went along with me for an event once, in a repro 1940s dress, as I wore my War Correspondent Class As:
View attachment 71018
Awesome.... just awesome!
 

Chandler

Well-Known Member
Yep, I have first editions of every book Mauldin ever released, including the rare stuff that was printed before and during WW2.
I also have a Czech copy of Up Front, from Mauldin's personal collection, among a lot of Mauldin stuff.
"Mud Mules & Mountains?" "This Damn Tree Leaks?" I'll add those to a trade for the MB. ;)

I also have a personal reply to a letter I wrote him in Junior High -- part of a book report project.

As I learned more about him in my older years I understand why the note was so short, and appreciate more that he actually replied to me. :)
 

MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
"Mud Mules & Mountains?" "This Damn Tree Leaks?"
Got 'em all. I literally wrote the first magazine article outlining all his printed works.
The rarest to find is the first edition of "Star Spangled Banter," which was printed during the pre-war Louisiana maneuvers. Later he put out another book by the same title but it's a totally different book.
One of these days, I should take digital pics of all the Mauldin stuff I have. There's a great deal of it. My favorite is probably be the sketch he did on a piece of his stationary when he was an editorial cartoonist in Chicago...
 

Chandler

Well-Known Member
Later he put out another book by the same title but it's a totally different book.
Now I need to dig out my copy to see when it was published.
My favorite is probably be the sketch he did on a piece of his stationary when he was an editorial cartoonist in Chicago...
Yeah, my letter's on Chicago Sun-Times stationEry {;)} with a little sketch -- but he was known to be a curmudgeon about replying to "fan" letters, so I'm honored he did so with mine.
 

kirova

Well-Known Member
Among my many interests, I have a substantial collection of items and uniforms worn by civilian (and some military) correspondents for the US in WW2. Here are a few of the displays I've put on with that over the years:
This is all original stuff, the correspondent field manual is extremely rare:

View attachment 71012

that's a minty condition Graflex camera right there, better not let the Star Wars collectors see that :D
 
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MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
I need to take photos of the ID cards and patches I have, as those are the really rare items. I'm not in competition with many people for this stuff, but patch collectors will spend a fortune for a correspondent patch (not the late war tan/blue 'diamond' one, as those are very common).
that's a minty condition Graflex camera right there, better not let the Star Wars collectors see that :D
The funny thing is I'm a huge sci-fi fan as well but I never once thought of turning that into a episode 4 lightsaber.
Yeah, I've had to keep an eye on that in some displays. I've had people taking photos all the way around it as they never knew what it looked like for it's original intention.
And yes, I've had a few people offer me more than a little money for it. One teen must have had parents with money and didn't know how to say no, because I had to get pretty stern with them that I was not selling it, no matter how much they offered (and they offered me much more than I had in the entire camera/gear and original military carrying case for it), just because their spoiled teenager wanted it for his Star war collection.
 

kirova

Well-Known Member
lol yeah I can understand why we Star Wars fans gets a bad rep :)

To be honest I also have a Graflex flash handle as well, got it years ago with the intention of converting to a lightsaber, but I never had the heart to butcher it by drilling holes and dremeling other parts off etc, so I just left it as-is. Later on I got a replica to do that.

here is mine, the MPP is a replica:

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PS are you on the RPF as well? I seem to recall seeing a similar collection over there a while ago.
 
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