[Ross, George Olen, Colonel, G-5 III MAF Headquarters] (1920-1994). Extensive Private Archive of Over 420 Mounted and Loose Gelatin Silver Photos (Including over a Hundred Panoramas) taken and Collected by Colonel George O. Ross During His Service in the Headquarters of the III Marine Amphibious Force, Da Nang, in the Vietnam War, and Showing Da Nang Military and Air Base, Numerous Military Planes and Helicopters, Commanding Officers of the III MAF at Reviews, Award Ceremonies, Dinners and Social Events, Korean and South Vietnamese Military Commanders, Open-Air Catholic Mass Led by Cardinal Francis Spellman in Vietnam, Views of Da Nang, Portraits of Vietnamese Civilians, School Children, &c.; With Eight Official Invitations to Military

Twenty-six loose wove paper leaves, from ca. 37,5x65 cm (14 ½ x 25 ½ in) to ca. 37x48,5 cm (14 ½ x 19 in). Over 370 mounted gelatin silver photos, including one large image ca. 20x24 cm (7 ½ x 9 ¼ in) and over a hundred panoramas of various size (eight- to two-part, from ca. 6x60 cm or 2 ¼ x 23 ½ in, to ca. 7,5x16 cm or 3 x 6 ½ in). The rest of the images are from ca. 12x16,5 cm (4 ½ x 6 ½ in) to ca. 6,5x9 cm (2 ¼ x 3 ½ in). Over a hundred photos with Ross's pen or pencil captions on verso (readable when photos are detached), two photos with ink stamps "Official U.S. Marine Corps Photograph…" on verso, one photo with a red ink caption on recto; over a dozen photos with printed dates "Jul. 67" on the top margin. With fifty-three loose/detached photos, including one large image ca. 20,5x25 cm (8x10 in) (with an ink stamp "Photographic Laboratory, U.S. Marine Corps Facility, Santa Ana, California…" on verso), thirteen five- to two-part panoramas (from ca. 7x58 cm or 2 ¾ x 22 ¾ in, to ca. 5,5x14,5 cm or 2 ¼ x 5 ¾ in); and 38 images from ca. 9x14 cm (3 ½ x 5 ½ in) to ca. 7x10 cm (2 ¾ x 4 in). Over a dozen photos with printed dates "Jul. 67" on the top margin, twenty-one photos with Ross's pen or pencil captions on verso. With eight printed or typewritten invitations to military ceremonies and dinners in Vietnam (some completed in ink), ca. 12x15 cm (4 ¾ x 5 ¾ in) or slightly smaller. One invitation (detached from the leaf) with Ross's pen note on verso. With five printed postcards showing Bangkok, Saigon and Hue. The mounts are slightly age-toned, with minor tears or losses on extremities; many images are mounted with old tape; occasional creases, a number of photos previously removed from the leaves (but 53 of them are present, see above). Overall, a very good archive of bright and sound original images. Historically significant extensive archive of original gelatin silver photos, taken and collected by Colonel George Olen Ross of the U.S. Marine Corps during his service in the Vietnam War in ca. 1965-1967. A veteran of WW2 and the Korean War, in April-July 1967, Ross served as G-5 (Assistant Chief of Staff) in the Headquarters of the III Marine Amphibious Force in Da Nang, the base of the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps in the Republic of Vietnam during the war (Marine Command and Staff List, January-December 1967// Telfer, Maj. G.L. & others. U.S. Marines in Vietnam: Fighting the North Vietnamese, 1967. Washington, D.C., 1984, p. 273). The archive mostly documents the events in the Headquarters of the U.S. III Marine Amphibious Force in Da Nang during the first phase of the American involvement in the Vietnam War. Over a hundred excellent panoramic photos include views of "Danang sky line, from III MAF boat dock," Da Nang airfield (landing strips, numerous military planes and helicopters, helicopter landing pads, U.S. marines waiting with their possessions), military base (administrative building with the sign "Welcome to Da-Nang AB, RVN Base Operations," barracks and military vehicles, interior of an office with servicemen at their work desks (one with the sign "Capt. Gremmels"), beach and volleyball grounds, a building with a sign in both Vietnamese and English ("Trung Tam Huong Nghiep/ Technical Center"), boats with the flags of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam), military reviews and ceremonies with orchestra, interior of a military Catholic chapel, construction of ground fortifications, a damaged span bridge, &c. There are also interesting panoramic photos of Bach-Dang Street and a crossroad of Doc-Lap Street in Da Nang (identified by addresses on storefront signs), a street view with the entrance to the "Banque Commerciale et Industrielle du Viet-Nam," general view of the city taken from above, with Da Nang Cathedral, &c. The collection also includes numerous individual and group portraits of the U.S. Marine Corps high-ranking officers, taken at military reviews, award ceremonies, dinners and gatherings, &c., someti. …