I have created a way to accept donations to grow the project, use the WWII Veterans Portrait Series Go Fund Me.
Where are you located?
I live in the San Diego area but have traveled to many locations to interview and photograph Veterans.
How Long is an Appointment?
Appointments usually last an hour. But please free up time for Mickey to set up lights and cameras, hold the interview, and take some still photographers for in the project.
Do you accept reservations?
Yes is the simple answer to the question. Each appointment is set up as an individual session. Group sessions have been set up when I visited a senior living facility or many of the California Veterans Homes.
Army
CPT
World War 2
Alban “Al” Reid, hailing from New Haven, CT, answered the call to duty by voluntarily enlisting in the US Army in 1940, starting as a Private. As World War II escalated, he completed boot camp and Advanced Infantry Training. PVT Reid was deployed to Trinidad at Naval Base Trinidad, also called NAS Port-of-Spain. In Trinidad, he played a crucial role as an assistant with the military news service, providing daily news updates to the New York office. Notably, Trinidad’s rich oil resources were vital in supplying the Admiralty with millions of gallons during the war.
In 1943, Alban was chosen for Officer Training School, leading to his relocation to Ft Benning, GA, for attendance at The United States Army Officer Candidate School. Although he was offered the opportunity to attend flight training, Alban’s dedication to the infantry led him to request a role as an Infantry Officer to reunite with his fellow infantry brothers. Upon successful completion of his training, he was assigned to Headquarters Company, First Battalion, 142nd Infantry, within the 36th Infantry Division.
As a 2nd Lieutenant in the 36th Infantry Division, Alban served as a Platoon Leader with an anti-tank unit. His deployment with the 36th ID took him through intense combat experiences in North Africa, Italy, France, the Rhineland, and Bavaria. A remarkable milestone in the division’s history was the 36th’s amphibious assault at Salerno, Italy, making it the first American division to land on the European continent.
Following intense battles to capture San Pietro and cross the Rapido River, the 36th Infantry Division played a pivotal role in the breakout from Anzio and achieved the distinction of being the first allied unit to enter Rome. The division continued its valorous efforts by leading the invasion of Southern France and advancing through the formidable Siegfried Line into Germany and Austria.
Notably, the 141st Infantry, also known as the “Lost Battalion” faced a challenging situation when surrounded by German forces in the Vosges Mountains of France. After five days of intense combat, they were finally rescued by the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a segregated unit primarily composed of Japanese Americans, including Noboru Seki, who is also featured in the Veteran’s Portrait Series.
The 36th Infantry Division received orders to secure a concentration camp near Landsberg, Germany, now the location of the European Holocaust Memorial, and was officially recognized as the liberating unit of that camp.
Capt Alban Reid received a distinguished array of awards and honors for his service, including the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Croix de Guerre, and two Purple Hearts, along with numerous unit awards and campaign ribbons.
Army
CPT
World War 2
Alban “Al” Reid, hailing from New Haven, CT, answered the call to duty by voluntarily enlisting in the US Army in 1940, starting as a Private. As World War II escalated, he completed boot camp and Advanced Infantry Training. PVT Reid was deployed to Trinidad at Naval Base Trinidad, also called NAS Port-of-Spain. In Trinidad, he played a crucial role as an assistant with the military news service, providing daily news updates to the New York office. Notably, Trinidad’s rich oil resources were vital in supplying the Admiralty with millions of gallons during the war.
In 1943, Alban was chosen for Officer Training School, leading to his relocation to Ft Benning, GA, for attendance at The United States Army Officer Candidate School. Although he was offered the opportunity to attend flight training, Alban’s dedication to the infantry led him to request a role as an Infantry Officer to reunite with his fellow infantry brothers. Upon successful completion of his training, he was assigned to Headquarters Company, First Battalion, 142nd Infantry, within the 36th Infantry Division.
As a 2nd Lieutenant in the 36th Infantry Division, Alban served as a Platoon Leader with an anti-tank unit. His deployment with the 36th ID took him through intense combat experiences in North Africa, Italy, France, the Rhineland, and Bavaria. A remarkable milestone in the division’s history was the 36th’s amphibious assault at Salerno, Italy, making it the first American division to land on the European continent.
Following intense battles to capture San Pietro and cross the Rapido River, the 36th Infantry Division played a pivotal role in the breakout from Anzio and achieved the distinction of being the first allied unit to enter Rome. The division continued its valorous efforts by leading the invasion of Southern France and advancing through the formidable Siegfried Line into Germany and Austria.
Notably, the 141st Infantry, also known as the “Lost Battalion” faced a challenging situation when surrounded by German forces in the Vosges Mountains of France. After five days of intense combat, they were finally rescued by the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a segregated unit primarily composed of Japanese Americans, including Noboru Seki, who is also featured in the Veteran’s Portrait Series.
The 36th Infantry Division received orders to secure a concentration camp near Landsberg, Germany, now the location of the European Holocaust Memorial, and was officially recognized as the liberating unit of that camp.
Capt Alban Reid received a distinguished array of awards and honors for his service, including the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Croix de Guerre, and two Purple Hearts, along with numerous unit awards and campaign ribbons.
