wwii price sheet - Phil Stern`s Archives

 Presents
WWII
PRICE SHEET
601 S. Los Angeles St. Los Angeles CA 90014
213.488.0138 / [email protected]
Open by appointment only
PHIL STERN’S WWII JOURNEY
In the late 1930’s while Phil was working for LIFE magazine, he was enticed to
volunteer as an army photographer to avoid the general draft and stick to his
trade. This brought him to London in 1942 to work in an army photo lab, which
focused predominantly on photographing the elite’s social life in wartime England.
This was far from Phil’s ideals at the time, as he wanted to do something more
meaningful in the army. Then the perfect opportunity arose; Colonel William
Darby was forming an elite American military group based on the principles of
the British commandos and he was hand picking the volunteers for this outfit.
Phil met with Darby right away, but to his surprise, Darby said to him, “What the
hell will I be doing with a photographer?” And Phil’s answer to that was,
“Obviously you’re going to face some very interesting assignments, and you
Darby, are a rather colorful character yourself. Don't you think it should be
recorded historically?” Apparently, appealing to Darby’s ego worked and Phil
was shipped off with the Rangers to N. Africa.
Phil was now right smack in the middle of the action and capturing the most raw
and gritty images of his fellow rangers, civilians, prisoners of war, and more.
While living in this danger zone, Phil was wounded during the Battle of El Guettar
in 1943. His right hand was half ripped off, his neck and right arm disabled, and
his left leg shattered, but after many surgeries he returned home to the States to
receive a Purple heart. After his astonishing recovery, Phil was determined to get
back with his unit. In the summer of 1943, he joined the staff of “Stars & Stripes”
and accompanied the Rangers during the first wave of the Invasion of Sicily. He
was one of the very few photographers to capture the historical importance of
Sicily being liberated by the Allied forces.
"He turned up just in time to take part in the Sicilian Campaign during the
summer of 1943. His pictures of the invasion and its aftermath remain
among the most outstanding documents in the annals of combat photography
in any war, before or since" Herbert Mitgang
Stern's time in the Army during WWII influenced his photographic style for the
rest of his life – gritty and honest with nowhere for either subject or viewer to
hide. Phil believes his army career was what put him in good stead with the alpha
males of Hollywood. Wayne, Bogart, Sinatra... they all saw him as a man's man
and put far more trust in him than other photographers.
16x20s
Ranger Company, Tunisia 1942
4th Ranger Battalion Commander,
Col. Roy Murray (rt) training for the
Invasion of Sicily, N. Africa 1943
Rangers clean up after securing
Arzew Harbor, Algeria Nov 1942
General Terry Allen of the 1st
Division being greeted by Col Darby
for the 1st birthday of Rangers
Tunisia, 1943
One of 1st Rangers on Harley
Davidson, Tunisia, Feb 1943
Day Phil Stern was wounded
during the assault of the 10th Panzer
Division, El Guettar, Mar 23, 1943
Tunisia, 1943
Ranger burial Arzew, Algeria,
Nov 1942
Charred Germans after attack
Sicily 1943
Ranger, Tunisia 1942
Members of 1st Ranger battalion
training before supplies came in.
Still wearing WWI helmets.
Scotland, Sep 1942
Darby’s Rangers plot invasion
Of N. Africa, 1942
Rangers Road march w/Arab locals
Tunisia, Feb 1943
Afrika Korp/German army
Prisoners of War, Gafsa,
Tunisia, 1943
Col. William O. Darby training
training the invasion of Sicily
N. Africa 1943
1942, Phil’s hospital bedmate &
Sherman tank driver hit by Gen.
Rommel in the Invasion of Algiers
96 Ranger survivors in foreground
accompanied by 3 army battalions
behind to display all the Rangers lost or
injured, Camp Butner, N. Carolina 1944
Bob Hope entertaining American
Troops, Algiers, N. Africa Jan 1943
20x24s
Col. Darby & General Terry Allen
Company Commander meeting
Tunisia, 1943
Rangers training in Arzew
Algeria, 1942
Rangers march through
Tunisian Village, 1942
Darby’s Rangers landing in Gela
Sicily, 1943
Live fire rehearsal during training
for the invasion of N. Africa led by
British Commandos, Carrickfergus,
Scotland, Nov 1942
Algerian Coast, 1942
Ranger services, Tunisia 1943
Anti Aircraft Artillery & Cheek
Plane, Palermo Airport, Sicily 1943
Tunisian Campaign, 1943
Ranger gunners in N. Africa
1942
Algerian Beach, 1942
Col. William Darby on Harley
N. Africa, 1942
Civilians fleeing German bombing,
Algiers, 1942
Members of 1st Ranger Battalion
relaxing playing baseball, Tunisia
Jan 1943
Col. William Darby addressing Rangers
in prep for the Invasion of Sicily,
Tunisian Coast, July 1943
1st Rangers on Half-track
Sicily, July 1943
Phil’s Brown Derby gag during
lunch break with Col. Darby (rt)
1943
Departing for Invasion of Sicily
July 11, 1943
30x30s
American troops entering Comiso,
Sicily, July 1943
Ranger in Sicily, 1943
German mascot from Africa Korp, 1943
30x40s
Landing craft approaching Sicily for the invasion, July 1943
Ranger hits the beach during the Invasion of Sicily, Gela, July 11, 1943
72x48s
POW Camp, Tunisia, March 1943
Rangers securing Arzew Harbor, Algeria Nov 1942