Memories

Everyone who spent any time at Army Pictorial Center has a story to tell. We welcome notes from anyone who was assigned to APC, worked there, appeared in any of the productions, or just visited. What's you're favorite memory?

To see some of those memories in their original appearance, see A Trove of APC History and In Focus.

Jack Stuart Ott and his wife, Phyllis, appeared in pictures of a boat trip and a Halloween party, apparently from Army Pictorial Center in the 1950s.  The pictures, supplied by his daughter-in-law, Katherine Ott, show other, unidentified personnel, but the pictures typify the relaxed, off-duty comaraderie among those stationed at APC.

Martha Ruth (Lady) Ferris left some colorful personal memories in a typed memoir of the early days at Signal Corps Photographic Center.  They were shared by Christine Pollock.

Joseph Henabery was a director at the time 1LT Norman N. Mintz was at Army Pictorial Center. "Joe was a long-time movie pro. He was an actor in the teens and twenties, played Abe Lincoln in "Birth of a Nation" (you can google him) and a director in the early days of film. I don't know when he went to work at APC or how long he stayed after I left. I worked with him on 'The Big Picture for Christmas, 1956'."

Edmund A. Delli Bovi (Eddie Dell), was an assistant cameraman in Camera Branch in the late 1940s and early 1950s. His daughter, Rosemary Delli Bovi Vaughn, wrote, "I went to work with him many times and remember the 'big' sound stages. Ed passed in 1985."

Richard W. Northrop wrote, "I was stationed at the USAPC from November of 1965 until August of 1966 where I worked in shipping and receiving. I simply loved the place! I didn’t have to pull KP or guard duty and only stood formation once a month. I served there with Johnny Crawford of 'The Rifleman' fame along with Martin Charlot (Hawaiian artist) and many many very creative and talented men."

SP4 James O'Boyle wrote, "I was stationed at the Army Pictorial Center from October 1967 until August 1969, first in the TV Branch then Camera Branch. APC as a duty station was one of kept secrets in the Army-- when our crew was TDY and asked where we stationed-- the reply 'middle of NYC.'"

SP5 James B. Williams wrote, "I served at the Army Pictorial Center in the Television Division with the Studio Location Unit from the fall of 1956 til July 1958. During that time, we traveled over much of the eastern United States making training films (kinescope recordings) at various Army bases. We also recorded the Association of the United States Army convention held in Washington, DC, each year. Our longest deployment (Feb. to April, 1958) was to Operation King Kong at Fort Polk, Louisana."

PFC Arnie Gliner was a still photographer and worked in the still photo lab at Army Pictorial Center.  Arnie provided this 1957 photo: "While stationed at APC, I was sent to White Sands Proving Grounds TDY."

Rita (Baducci) Pinchiaroli's grandson Aldo Burrascano wrote, "My Grandmother, Rita Pinchiaroli (though it was Baducci before she was married in 1946), worked as a Film Editor in the Editorial Department at the Army Pictorial Center.  She first went to work there during WWII (she says either 1942 or 1943) and left in 1947.  She then returned sometime in the mid-to-late 1960s as a Film Inspector, and remained there until it closed.  We were talking about her job there when she asked if I could find out when it was first opened.  We came across your site and it brought back a lot of memories to her.  She recalls many of the people listed as working in the Editorial Department.  I've attached a photo of what she looked like in the 1940s."

Kurt Volkert wrote, "I was a S/Sgt and cameraman at APC from about 1962 till 1967 in Joe Lipkowitz's department when I joined CBS news as a cameraman and later producer. I retired after 27 yrs from CBS and live now in Germany. I remember Joe as a very kind and thoughtful and able boss  to whom I will be forever grateful for his many kindnesses.  Without my activities at APC I would not have gotten the CBS job which later defined my life.  (Posted 011709)

SP5 Marty Welsch served in Cost Accounting & Data Processing, 1961 to 1963.  Marty wrote, "I was also the catcher for the 1962 base softball team.  We only had about 10-12 players but we did rather well against the bigger base teams because we had SSGT Smith who had a really fine riser.  We also had an excellent group of ping pong players at APC.  Duty at APC was very interesting and thinking back we all worked hard and enjoyed the perks and the assorted characters stationed there.  Two of my friends from Finance and Accounting were not in your list:   SP5 David Flynn and SP5 Charlie Trephon.

Former SP4 Richard E. Goodwin wrote, "I took advance training at Fort Monmouth, NJ and then was stationed at the Pictorial Center in LIC for about 2 or 3 months in 1957. 20 of us were sent from LIC to Fort Ord California to set up a photo lab there since they did not have one at the time.  I was in the Army from 1957 to 1963.  I met someone today who was stationed at APC in the 60s and he directed me to your site.  I am at: 7 Henry Avenue, Sanford, Maine 04073, 207-324-2867."

Richard Krachun wrote, "In August 1959, I arrived at APC as a Pfc. serving in the TV repair barracks behind the main building. I was later transferred to the B&W mobile TV van and later to the Color TV van. I was separated as a Spec. 5 in August 1961. I lived in the building across the street and enjoyed my 2 years there.  I am sorry that I never went back to visit before APC closed." 

Sharps Rifle and Pistol Club, a report by Joe Lipkowitz in the December 1968 issue of In Focus:

The Sharps Rifle and Pistol Club elected the following officers for 1969:

Mr. J Salamone - President

Mr. B. Shapiro - Vice President

Mr. J. Lipkowitz - Treasurer

Mr. C. Hemingway - Ex. Officer

Mr. V. Salamone - Secretary

At the meeting a club insignia was agreed upon and steps taken to produce it.  The two meetings at the Rifle and Pistol Ranges at Fort Tilden were exciting and productive.  The club now boasts approximately 45 members, and it is contemplated that new membership will soon be closed.

"The update on Sgt. Calicchio was interesting to hear," wrote Howard Rieder.  "I remember him well;  he was our first sergeant.  The thing I remember best was that we were often treated to him taking out his glass eye in the latrine and washing it off.  Not necessarily a pretty sight, but true."

"Stumbled on to this site from a Google search. The names and photos bring back great memories of my wonderful years at APC," writes Steven R. Gilman (stevengilman@msn.com), First Lieutenant (Signal Corps,) who was an assistant director for Harry Cunningham in Directors Branch from October 1964 to February 1966.

"I was on travel with Major Pleas Perry and Private First Class Budworth in sunny Hawaii," remembers then-Specialist 5 T. Adams, "and then to the 'island with a woman behind every tree'; there were no trees on this manmade island.  APC was a terrific and for me, unforgettable place."

Robert H Lehner, who served as a corporal in the 2nd Signal Photographic Platoon from April 1952 to October 1953 as a still photographer, recalls, "When I served there the [2nd Signal] CO was Capt. Stanford Roberts.  Later he was replaced by LT. Warren R Corville.  At that time we had about 30 or 40 enlisted men and a like number of officers. A great place to do your army service."

Robert E. Wandrey was assigned to the Photo School Division of the Signal Corps Photographic Center in July 1944.  He provided student names and photo school instructions.

"When I served there the {2nd Signal Photographic Platoon] CO was Capt. Stanford Roberts.  Later he was replaced by LT. Warren R Corville.  At that time we had about 30 or 40 enlisted men and a like number of officers. A great place to do your army service."   - Robert H Lehner  Cpl.  2nd Signal Photographic Platoon, April 1952 to Oct. 1953, Still Photographer 

Harold Hudnell of Chester, Pennsylvania, wrote:  I was at the center around 1961 with a group of entertainers from Ft. Jay, New York. We made a motion picture. Our song and dance group was the First Army's best. The action started off as play then song and dance.  I remember the name of the scene as THE SOFT SHELL SOAP CORPORATION. We were part of the USO. My name is HAROLD HUDNELL 165653654. Can you locate this film? (If you can, send information to Webmaster.)

Actor Christopher Walken said, "And you know now there is the Kaufman Studios where Woody Allen makes his movies. Before that it was the Army Pictorial Center, and when I was 18 years old I made training films there."  He was talking, with singer Cindi Lauper, about a recent movie they made.  "Training films? What are training films?" Lauper asked.  "How to replace a tread on a tank or how to make your bed," answered Walken, who began as a child actor on live TV soaps in the early '50s, was then known as Ronald or Ronnie Walken.

Laurie Rader Siegel remembers:

My father, Martin Rader, worked at Army Pictorial Center from 1947 to 1970. He was a sound engineer. My dad loved going to work. He enjoyed what he did and loved the people he worked with. I went to work with him from time to time, and I could see how  all the employees felt like a family. There are certain employees that I remember. One was Herman Korman. He was responsible for the boom. I also remember Harry Noack. He was a cameraman. Another person I remember is Ezra Gold. He was very kind, with a great sense of humor. 

My father worked at the center for 23 years-until the day of it's closing. In 1970 Former President Nixon decided to cut down on government spending. Unfortunately, he decided to close the Army Pictorial Center. What a sad day it was for many employees. Their "family" had now  vanished.

Updated June 10, 2019.

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