WWII American GI's War Date Photo Album from North Africa

North Africa Campaign W.W.II American GI's Well captioned photo album with 66 black and white photos and ephemera including currency, tickets, and clippings. This Photo album was put together by an American GI in the in the Army Air Force in the North African theater in 1943. This album consists of nine disbound album pages measuring 14" x 11.5" each, with no covers. Photos mostly measure between 2.5" x 2" to 3.75" x 3.25". Following the Operation Torch landings in November 1942, the Allies were able to advance into Tunisia, but only in single division strength. The US troops were elements of US 1st Armored Division. The Allies were halted by the Germans and pushed back having advanced eastwards to within 19 miles of Tunis. Many shots of the aftermath of the North African campaign that express the hard fought and destructive nature of this pivotal Allied victory. Captured and destroyed Nazi vehicles and weaponry, including 88 mm. flak guns, anti-aircraft guns, tanks, planes, and trucks all feature heavily in the album. We can also view the damage caused by the campaign, with photos of war zone areas in Tunis, such as the docks, that had been turned to rubble.

By 1943, Rommel had some successes, most notably in routing the US II Corps at the Battle of Kasserine Pass. But then Rommel was in an Allied "two army" pincer. They were outflanked, outmanned and outgunned. Rommel went back to Germany for health reasons and was substituted by the Italian general Messe. First Army in central Tunisia launched their main offensive in mid-April to squeeze the Axis forces until their resistance in Africa collapsed. The Axis forces suffered big losses and surrendered on 13 May 1943. A couple shots here are taken at a Nazi graveyard in "Djeidiea" where German-Italian force was halted and, despite heavy pressure including air attacks, failed to dislodge the American defenders. In another photo we see a dry patch of desert full of Nazi war planes that had been chewed through by Allied anti-aircraft guns. Most of this album is shot in Tunis where most of the fighting occurred in 1943, though there are several shots of nearby Bizerta and also of the ruins of the ancient city of Carthage. The ephemera in here, includes war date franc notes, Italian lire, British military authority shilling note, street car tickets from Bermuda, 1940's postage stamps, and a few other tokens and souvenirs. American troops North Africa war photos are scarcer, since most the troops in North Africa were British, Germans, and Italians. But it was a very important turn of the war that cost 400,000 Axis and Allied injured and deaths. Also included is a July 1945 issue of the Transcor News, a publication from the Transportation Corps "For the Personnel of the Seattle Port of Embarkation." Where our GI probably got back home. In very good condition overall.