Couple more pics, any ideas?

wristwister · 16 January 2008, 01:37 PM

So here are two more pics out of Grandpa's collection. I can't corrrelate these particular pics to any of the letters. Anybody know where this might be? Anything you can tell me about these photos would be helpful, thanks.

FOKKERJ · 16 January 2008, 02:15 PM

Looks like the U.S. of A., Very formal!
Primary training would be my guess.

Regards, FOKKERJ

Cigogne · 16 January 2008, 03:43 PM

Looks like ground training at one of the big university programs. It is probably somewhere in the southern US judging the dry conditions?

Froggy · 17 January 2008, 10:00 AM

Hello

I found this site dedied to AEF in ww1
The Doughboy Center - Contents

Very interesting from my point of view
May be you already know it ,

Cordialement
Bruno

wristwister · 17 January 2008, 07:20 PM

Thanks everybody. These photos probably being stateside sure narrows it down! Robert first reported to MIT for initial training, as the below telegram confirms. Anyone have info on the training that was done at MIT? Can anyone confirm that these photos are definitely MIT?

Froggy, EXCELLENT website. Thanks for posting that. I'm becoming fascinated with all aspects of WW1. I could spend all day at that site!

ONEALM · 20 January 2008, 12:25 AM

Wrist -

That's MIT. The attached picture is taken from "Technology's War Record" which has a little writeup of the ground school and some general notes on the curriculum. The photo is small and fairly grainy, but the architecture of the place matches well.

It also notes - The First Ground School for Pilots at the Institute opened on May 21, 1917.....The first squadron, composed on twenty-three men...."

Count the heads - 23 in the photos.

Looks like your grandfather was in the first class of pilots graduated at MIT.

wristwister · 20 January 2008, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ONEALM

It also notes - The First Ground School for Pilots at the Institute opened on May 21, 1917.....The first squadron, composed on twenty-three men...."

Count the heads - 23 in the photos.

Looks like your grandfather was in the first class of pilots graduated at MIT.

Yup, that matches up perfectly with the dates he was there. Thanks for that little tidbit of info.

I'm pretty sure I've found him in the second photo. He's top row, 3rd from the right

ONEALM · 23 January 2008, 08:46 AM

Wrist -

Gustav Kissel, from Morristown, NJ was in the first class at MIT as well so is certainly in this shot somewhere, but I can't pick him out - some of the hats/shadows are making it a tough go.

Kissel later went to 43 Sq, RAF (camels) and was KIA 12 April 1918.

Still looking for a good clear photo of him.

Mike