Roger Kelm 1945/46 photo collection
![img](atafu_roger_later_in_life.jpg)
![img](atafu_lcm_during_construction.jpg)
LCM during construction of Atafu Aug/Sep 1944
![img](atafu_original_crew.jpg)
Atafu, Unit 93, Original Crew
Front Row, L-R: J. Teater [KY] S1c, N.
Smith [MA] RdM3c, W. Killip [NY] RM2, A. Padgett [WA] CRE "Skipper", W. Kelly [CA] CMoMM, G. Kowalski [MI] RdM3c [L], T. Reagan [PA] RM1c
cond Row, L-R: D. Gabbard [KY] MoMM3c, R.
King [OK] RdM3c [L], F. Kurtz [PA] RdM3c [L],
F. Dennick [NJ] RdM3c
[L], "Buddy" Sheard [WA] S1c, J. Porter [MA] RdM3c, J. Crisenzi [CA]
S1c
Back Row, L-R: H. Warrington [IL] RdM3c, T.
Brown [CA] SC1c, J. Nermo [ND] SC2c,
W. Burns [WI] RdM3c [L], L. Rooney [MA] CRT, J. Ferdian [CT] PhM1c, R. Kehm [SD] RT2c, G.
Coffman [IN] RT2c, W. Brunson [KS] RT2c, M. Angel [KY] RT2c
Not Pictured: W. Garcia [NM] RM2c, B.
Woodard [WA] RM1c
![img](atafu_albert_padgett-cd_co.jpg)
CRE Albert F Padgett, Construction CO Sept 1944 Atafu Unit 93
![img](atafu_men_of_the_cd.jpg)
Construction Crew Aug/Sep 1944
Front Row LtoR: RT1c Glenn D. Coffman, RT2c Maurice Angel
Back Row LtoR: Fred Hall (Unit 211), RT2c Roger L Kehm,
PhM John Ferdain, RT2c William Brunson
The RT's and PhM were part of the Construction Crew and stayed as permanent party.
![img](atafu_rlm_and_7_others.jpg)
![img](atafu_bulldozer.jpg)
Clearing the land
![img](two_story_hut_under_coonstruction.jpg)
The "Garage" in the construction phase.
With native help, the end result was a garage for the truck and bulldozer
and the second story housed six crew members (the luck ones).
![img](two_story_hut_with_chief_kelly.jpg)
End result of Chief Kelley's desire for a "garage" for the
truck and bulldozer.
The building is a two story and six
crew members were quartered there. Supposedly the lucky
ones.
As Roger Kehm (pictured and provider) stated "It was
more like home and not the Quonset Hut".
![img](atafu_mail_boat.jpg)
Boat used to meet PBY when it came in about every
six weeks with mail and supplies. Shown left to right
RT2c Roger Kehm, RM1c Tom Reagan, CMoMM Earl Kelley.
![img](atafu_pbm.jpg)
The mail/supply plane
![img](atafu_roger_on_guard_duty.jpg)
Roger on guard duty
![img](atafu_equipment_hut.jpg)
Equipment hut and antennas
Tall antenna is the transmission and the others arer receiving
![img](notice_received_fdr_died.jpg)
CO came out of the Officer's hut and annouced that FDR has died
"Half staff the flag"
in honor of Franklin D. Roosevelt
![img](atafu_station_huts.jpg)
Living quarters
1st hut is the Officer's hut
![img](atafu_station.jpg)
![img](atafu_station2.jpg)
![img](atafu_stations_huts.jpg)
![img](atafu_water_tower.jpg)
Water tower
![img](dump.jpg)
Fuel dump
Around the village
![img](atafu_village.jpg)
The village
![img](atafu_town_eldeers.jpg)
the village eldeers
![img](atafu_village_residents.jpg)
![img](atafu_village_residents_2.jpg)
Some of the residents
![img](atafu_church.jpg)
![img](atafu_church_interior.jpg)
![img](atafu_community_center.jpg)
The community center
![img](atafu_local_house.jpg)
a typical house
![img](atafu_canoe.jpg)
a typical canoe
Thanks Roger!
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