Tuesday Treasures: July 14, 2026

-

 More St. Vincent de Paul ephemera. 

A set of ten Treasure Island (CA) Naval Photo Lab photos documenting the arrival and troop disembarkation of the USS... well, the identification of the ship is up to debate.  Depending on which search engine you use it is either the USS Lamar or the USS Bronx.  I am unable to figure out the difference between Bayfield-class (Lamar) and Haskell-class (Bronx), however these are supposedly the differences proving the photos are the USS Lamar.  One search engine's results:

The photos show

  • A Bayfield‑class bridge

  • A Bayfield‑class forward mast

  • Bayfield‑class boat davit spacing

  • Bayfield‑class rounded bow contour

  • Bayfield‑class deckhouse shape

Bronx, being Haskell‑class, had:

  • A completely different bridge block

  • A different mast arrangement

  • A different lifeboat layout

  • A different bow rake

If this is Lamar, the photos show demoblized servicemen, part of Operation Magic Carpet, a post-war troop-return effort, coming into Treasure Island. The photos are numbered 194-1 through 194-20 and are a complete set from tugboat escort to docking in 1946.

These photos would be used for Navy documentation, press releases, and were sometimes given to returning crew. 

One of the photos is shown as Bronx on a non-official naval ship site.  It's true the hull number is similar to Bronx, but it may be a temporary Navy Photo Lab identification.  I am not convinced of that, nor am I convinced it's Lamar, although there is no written record that Bronx docked at Treasure Island.  San Francisco, yes, but no mention of the Naval base.  Perhaps a reader knows more about WWII ships and can give more insight!  $1.00 each, with a single Treasure Island arrival photo selling for up to $20.





One other thing this week.  A tintype photo c.1890-1895.  $2.50 on one of the 1/2 all collectible sale days (and I do have much more to post about that sale!).

Next week continues the random ephemera.  Leave a comment if you can help with the ship identification.  

Comments

Post a Comment