5th ENG Special Brigade Signal Corp Photog

[MrBern]

thought some of you might like this shot. Ive just purchased this `44 print of 1stLt Steck- shortly before D-day. He commanded a Signal Corp Combat Photo Unit among the first to document D-Day in Normandy.

Ive found its generally uncommon to see army 'camera men' with black Leicas & camerabags during the war. Post-war, there are army manuals on how to operate this sort of kit.

 

[Eyemo]

Winter combat Jacket and what looks like an early Hawley liner...nice!!

 

[MrBern]

Yes, definitely wool trousers & a 'tanker' jacket with the rectangular 'conmatic' zip, like on the buzz rickson copies. The signal corp patch on his forearm is clear, Camera Man Official.
There seems to be 45 on his hip, behind the camerabag.

It might not be evident, but on the original, his helmet clearly has the markings of the Special Engineers Brigade.

There are other pix of this officer with his unit floating around out there. But offhand, Im not sure how much of their Dday film made it off the beach.

Years ago, I picked up a shot of a YANK photog a bit after Dday kneeling over the grave of a Yank photog killed in the invasion. He is also gripping a leica, but no bag.

 

[matrioshka]

Dumb question. Was the Leica issue? Or did he acquire it from a German that had no use for it anymore?

M

 

[MrBern]

I believe the only wartime standard issue 35mm camera was a kodak 35. But I have heard of photogs being issued the leica, tho the NY wing of the Leica company was unable to provide the US Army with a camera supply.

Steck was a professional photog before the war, so it mightve been his personal camera. Or it mightve been provided to him as part of the war effort. After the war, this became an issued piece of gear to SOME photogs.

The US did try to get a contractor to make a leica copy, but it didnt arrive in time for the war.

There are pix of Patton wearing a leica as well as a book of his photos.

 

[MrBern]

Omaha

http://www.gordon.army.mil/ocos/ac/WWII/D-DAY.asp

Detachment P of 290th Signal Photographic Company, commanded by Lt. George Steck, landed at Omaha Beach. The detachment consisted of Steck, two still photographers and two motion-picture cameramen. They had arrived as part of the first pre-dawn assault wave, but couldn't immediately take photographs because they'd need to use flashbulbs, which would alert the German defenders on shore.

When daylight broke they started snapping their invasion pictures. Some of the most impressionistic photos taken that day came from Steck's detachment. The photographers shot pictures of men checking their equipment and saying goodbye to their friends before battle. They captured on film the first casualties being brought back and the D-day invasion's second wave.

They got shots of the Germans' big guns hitting the water, casting up huge walls of spray; of medical corpsmen working ceaselessly, administering aid to the wounded; of men who had been killed even before they reached shore; and of Germans who were taken prisoners.

Most important, they got forever on film American soldiers methodically working their way forward toward the relentless Germans.

 

[alden405]

nice to see a photo man with a sidearm

thanks for sharing

 

[PSU Chris]

George Steck is my maternal grandfather, and I came across this page while looking him up. I've never seen this photo of him before, but I'm very glad I found it! There is a picture he took at http://www.history.army.mil/html/reference/normandy/pictures.html , the 21st picture down. My mother has a box full of the Official Signal Corps photos from WWII, which my Grandfather scanned shortly before passing away a few years ago. I'm in the process of typing up all the captions so I can get them online.

He definitely loved his photography, and I'm certainly glad I found such a great photo of him. Thanks for posting! Can I ask where you got it?

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I believe the only wartime standard issue 35mm camera was a kodak 35. But I have heard of photogs being issued the leica, tho the NY wing of the Leica company was unable to provide the US Army with a camera supply.

Steck was a professional photog before the war, so it mightve been his personal camera. Or it mightve been provided to him as part of the war effort. After the war, this became an issued piece of gear to SOME photogs.

The US did try to get a contractor to make a leica copy, but it didnt arrive in time for the war.

There are pix of Patton wearing a leica as well as a book of his photos.

I recall reading somewhere that the Army purchased a large quantity of Leica cameras in neutral Spain for its photogs.

Many of the photos of the Normandy Campaign were also shot by photographers from the 165th Signal Photographic Company which was the First Army photographic unit.

 

[Story]

George Steck is my maternal grandfather, and I came across this page while looking him up.

Welcome to FL. Keep an eye on the EVENTS folder, you might want to hit the air show in Reading this coming June.

 

[naptowneer]

PSU Chris

Can you email me at darrenrneely@gmail.com? I am working on a book that is exactly what you are referring to, signal corps photos brought home from the war. would love to discuss more with you.

 

[Peterz]

George Steck is my maternal grandfather, and I came across this page while looking him up. I've never seen this photo of him before, but I'm very glad I found it! There is a picture he took at http://www.history.army.mil/html/reference/normandy/pictures.html , the 21st picture down. My mother has a box full of the Official Signal Corps photos from WWII, which my Grandfather scanned shortly before passing away a few years ago. I'm in the process of typing up all the captions so I can get them online.

He definitely loved his photography, and I'm certainly glad I found such a great photo of him. Thanks for posting! Can I ask where you got it?

Hey Chris on this anniversary of D Day I was thinking about a group of v letters from George Steck that I purchased awhile back. I found this post and if you see it and can somehow prove that George Steck is your maternal grandfather I would be happy to return them to your family. I am sure that they would mean more to your family then to me.
Peter Z

 

[Peacoat]

Hey Chris on this anniversary of D Day I was thinking about a group of v letters from George Steck that I purchased awhile back. I found this post and if you see it and can somehow prove that George Steck is your maternal grandfather I would be happy to return them to your family. I am sure that they would mean more to your family then to me.
Peter Z View attachment 339856

I have sent Chris an email alerting him of your generous offer. It's been over 11 years since he has logged in, so the likelihood of his seeing your message is slim.

 

[Peterz]

I have sent Chris an email alerting him of your generous offer. It's been over 11 years since he has logged in, so the likelihood of his seeing your message is slim.

Thanks!!!

I have sent Chris an email alerting him of your generous offer. It's been over 11 years since he has logged in, so the likelihood of his seeing your message is slim.

 

[MisterCairo]

Small world, hope there can be a connection!

 

[Peterz]

Small world, hope there can be a connection!

Me too! Fingers Crossed.

 

[Peacoat]

Me too! Fingers Crossed.

Haven't yet received a reply, but haven't received a bounce back either. May be an address he doesn't check very often.

 

[Peterz]

Haven't yet received a reply, but haven't received a bounce back either. May be an address he doesn't check very often.

I hope that is the case. Maybe he is ignoring it thinking it is spam.

 

[Peacoat]

I hope that is the case. Maybe he is ignoring it thinking it is spam.

Anticipating that he may think it was spam, I put the name of his grandfather in the subject line. He'll see that for sure.

 

[Michelle NJ]

Hey Chris on this anniversary of D Day I was thinking about a group of v letters from George Steck that I purchased awhile back. I found this post and if you see it and can somehow prove that George Steck is your maternal grandfather I would be happy to return them to your family. I am sure that they would mean more to your family then to me.
Peter Z View attachment 339856

Better late than never; fingers crossed this works. I'm Chris' sister and I stumbled upon this post yesterday. Here's my grandfather George's obituary. He spent the last few months of his life in hospice and finally started telling stories about his time in the Signal Corps. We always knew what he did and we'd look at the photos he brought home, but he didn't really talk about it until the end. He joked about how grossly unprepared they were for any type of battle- with all of the camera equipment, they only carried a small sidearm. He told us about how hard it was to get into London during the war for color photo development, so he only did it once and then stuck to B/W. (He was oddly descriptive about the fog in London, and it's funny that 20 years later I can still hear him going on about it.) He was an amazing man and our family was lucky to have as much time with him as we did. If you ever see this, and the offer still stands, we'd be eternally grateful. Google and the obituary should confirm everything, but we can always provide more proof. Half of the family has since moved, but the PSU part of my brother's user name should help make it all make sense.

I'll keep checking back here, but I can also be reached at michelle.amy.mckeon@gmail.com

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/palmbeachpost/name/george-steck-obituary?id=27112763