Joseph T. Bannan papers

Collection — Container: Single Folder Collections - 2005 Box 4 (05.0102-05.0132), Folder: 05.0128 - Folder 1

Identifier: 05.0128

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection follows Joseph T. Bannan as he served aboard the U.S.S. Panamint (AGC13). He was under the command of Admiral Arthur D. Struble. On this ship were photograph developers that obtained the picture of renowned wartime journalist, Ernie Pyle, lying dead on the island of Le Shima. Only two copies were ever made and the original was destroyed shortly after its creation to prevent a decline in American morale. This collection contains a photocopy of one of the original copies owned by Bannan.

Dates

Created: 1944-1946
Other: Date acquired: 09/12/2005

Creator

Bannan, Joseph T., 1925-2002 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to all researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Biographical or Historical Information

Joseph Bannan was born September 15, 1925, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He joined the Navy in June of 1943. He received 8 weeks of boot camp and 2 weeks of gunnery school in Newport, New Jersey. He served in Princeton, New Jersey and overseas in the Pacific and Japanese islands. He spent most of his time on the U.S.S. Panamint. He was discharged in May of 1946 in Lido Beach, New York. He passed away on December 28, 2012, at the age of 87.

Bannan was assigned to the U.S.S. Panamint in May 1945 after the death Ernie Pyle's death on April 18, 1945. A friend who worked in the photography section on the ship gave Bannan an original copy from the negative of Ernie Pyle's death photograph. Bannan subsequently donated his original copy to the Wright Museum of World War II, Wolfeboro, NH.