That Famous Picture

Powell Black

March, 2006

Editor's Note: I recently received an email regarding that famous picture and thought I would share it, along with our very own beloved photographer's response to the inquiry.

"I have accessed your USS Euryale web site and find thereupon a photograph of the ship at Milne Bay (photo 1-16). I was on the ship at Milne Bay and would like very much to obtain a print of that picture. Can you tell me how to accomplish this?"

D.L. Hannum

Powell's response:

Dave, this picture was taken in the Admiralty Islands (Manus). At the time, I was a mail clerk (MaM1c). On a mail run (as we called it when going for the mail and our return to the ship) I had my camera with me which was a no-no should I have been found with it The EURYALE (Blue Beetle, as we called it) looked so good that I snapped the picture.

You cannot imagine my surprise when the foto shop developed it for me to see the clouds in the sky. I was completely dumbfounded, because the camera was a cheap one and very small. I had no filter for it that expensive cameras had. Completely surprised. It was all I could do to believe it.

Eventually, the picture found it's way to many people including the Navy Department. It used the picture when publishing the book of the ship which so many of us have. It's probably out of print but it is a good one with many pictures including all the divisions. (I don't recall pictures of the relief crews being in the book.) It was on that day that I took the picture and therefore missed being in the picture of the Fifth Division of which I was a member.

If ever you see a copy of the book, look for the band. On the back row is Lt. Norton, our director, and I stood next to him on his right.

After the war (four years for me), I eventually obtained a direct commission as a Lt and worked my way up the ladder and was retired when I reached my sixtieth birthday in 1981. Had a total of 32 years of service, all reserve, at the time.

It is my pleasure to send this to you, and I thought you might like to know the story behind it. And I thank you, Sheri, for getting us together.

I hope you enjoy the picture.

Sincerely,
Powell Black
Capt.USNR (Ret)

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