My father is on the left in uniform. This was taken in a cocktail lounge at Long Beach, California, where my father was waiting to join his ship. No idea who the other people are, unfortunately! Dad had travelled from Chicago to Los Angeles on the Super Chief train.
I have the name of this particular cocktail lounge somewhere and I contacted the Long Beach historical society (something like that) and they are, I think actually located more or less where the lounge was.
Your Dad would have been there at about the pinnacle of Long Beach's success as a tourist resort and attraction. It began it's decline about 2 decades later. The Queen Mary is still anchored there and for a time Howard Hughes' famous spruce goose was hangared next door.
The Super Chief still runs today as the Southwest Chief and stops in St.Louis. Was your Da in the Navy? The uniform looks RAF. My Uncles Harry Wynn and Joseph Powell were both sent to the Pacific Theater.
Do you know, I've never seen that film! I must make a note to get it. Thanks.
Spielberg did a pretty good job of re-creating vintage Long Beach in his movie 1941.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078723/
That's pretty much the way your Dad would have seen it--minus John Belushi, of course.
I have the name of this particular cocktail lounge somewhere and I contacted the Long Beach historical society (something like that) and they are, I think actually located more or less where the lounge was.
Your Dad would have been there at about the pinnacle of Long Beach's success as a tourist resort and attraction. It began it's decline about 2 decades later. The Queen Mary is still anchored there and for a time Howard Hughes' famous spruce goose was hangared next door.
Dad was in the Merchant Navy (he's 18 years old in this picture). His brother, who was several years older, was in the RAF.
Dad still remembers that train - he loved it.
The Super Chief still runs today as the Southwest Chief and stops in St.Louis. Was your Da in the Navy? The uniform looks RAF. My Uncles Harry Wynn and Joseph Powell were both sent to the Pacific Theater.