Robert L Astrella | American Air Museum

Robert L Astrella

Military

Staff Sergeant Robert Astrella of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group with the signboard of the 22nd Photographic Laboratory at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Written on slide casing: 'Mount Farm.'

media-387660.jpg FRE 5376 Staff Sergeant Robert Astrella of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group with the signboard of the 22nd Photographic Laboratory at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Written on slide casing: 'Mount Farm.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5376 - Staff Sergeant Robert Astrella of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group with the signboard of the 22nd Photographic Laboratory at Mount Farm....

Staff Sergeant Robert Astrella was a keen photographer, he photographed the aircraft that visited Mount Farm, and like many airmen he used his leave to travel to historic sites around Britain. His colour photographs are a rich record of Britain at war – through his lens the airfields bustle with aircraft and activity, the thatched cottages appear sleepy and pubs busy with American uniforms. In 1998 he donated some of his impressive photographic record of the war to the Imperial War Museum and Roger Freeman. Astrella died 12 July 2007.

Good Conduct Medal/ Presidential Unit Citation/ Croix de Guerre w/ Palm & 6 Battle Stars

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 14th Photographic Squadron, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group . Featuring Bugs Bunny.

14th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Type Category: Reconnaissance

Staff Sergeant Robert Astrella of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group with the signboard of the 22nd Photographic Laboratory at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Written on slide casing: 'Mount Farm.'

22nd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Reconnaissance

Photographic officers of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group look through camera lenses infront of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Esten Illustrated.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 8 Jul 1943.' [stamp] and '273528.' [Censor no.]. A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed.

7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Reconnaissance

Aircraft

A Fairchild UC-61 Forwarder (serial number 41-4604) taxying at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group .

41-4604

Aircraft Type: UC-61 Forwarder

A Mosquito (Z, serial number MM 345) of the 25th Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Written on slide casing: '25 BG Mosquito Z.'

MM345

Aircraft Type: Mosquito
Unit: 25th Bomb Group 802nd Reconnaissance Group (SP) 653rd Bomb Squadron

Places

Mount Farm

Site type: Airfield

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Born	Boston, Massachusetts	17 September 1921
Died		12 July 2007

Revisions

Date18 Mar 2015 10:05:52

ContributorEmily

ChangesChanges to media associations

Sources

Associated images from the Freeman Collection taken by Robert Astrella

Date30 Sep 2014 14:43:40

ContributorEmily

ChangesChanges to biography, awards, events, place associations and media associations

Sources

Updated bio and Associated images
+ Obituary: http://forum.armyairforces.com/Robert-Astrella-and-others-still-with-us…

Date27 Sep 2014 18:23:41

ContributorAAM

ChangesAAM ingest

Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self

Robert L Astrella: Gallery (190 items)

Mosquito PR Mark XVI, MM364, at Mount Farm, Oxfordshire, on being handed over to the USAAF.Image by Robert Astrella

Object number: COL 369 -

Mosquito PR Mark XVI, MM364, at Mount Farm, Oxfordshire, on being handed over to the USAAF.Image by Robert Astrella

Object number: COL 370 -

The George Hotel and High Street in Dorchester, Oxfordshire. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group . Written on slide casing: 'Dorchester, (near Mount Farm) Oxon.'

Object number: FRE 10515 -

A thatched cottage in Drayton St. Leonard, Oxfordshire. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group . Written on slide casing: 'Drayton St. Leonard, Oxon.'

Object number: FRE 10516 -

Corporal Robert Brud of the 303rd Bomb Group, cleans the propeller of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed for publication 16 Dec 1942. Printed caption on reverse: 'The Holidays He Missed. 23 year-old Robert Brud, of 4618 N. Melvina Avenue, is a corporal in the Air Corps. In private life he was with the Howard Radio Corporation of Belmont Avenue. "I hope you enjoyed your holidays" he sends word to his parents and sisters. "I'm busy here, but fine." O.P.S. Robert cleaning props. 47a.' On reverse: Current Affairs

Object number: FRE 4168 -

Two P-47 Thunderbolts of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group at Mount Farm.

Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group.

Written on slide casing: 'Mount Farm.'

Object number: FRE 5358 -

A Spitfire Mark XI of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Handwritten on slide casing 'Spitfire XI Mount Farm.'

Object number: FRE 5359 -

An F-5 Lightning of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group takes off at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Written on slide casing: "Mount Farm R. Astrella"

Object number: FRE 5360 -

Vehicles and base buildings at Mount Farm, home of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Handwritten on slide case “Astrella Mount farm”

Object number: FRE 5361 -

An F-5 Lightning of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group at Chalgrove. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Handwritten on slide case: "Chalgrove? R. Astrella"

Object number: FRE 5362 -

An F-5 P-38 Lightning of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group takes off at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Written on slide casing: " 423709 R. Astrella Mount Fm"

Object number: FRE 5363 -

The nose art of an F-5 Lightning nicknamed "Dot + Dash" of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Written on slide casing:"F-5 DOT DASH R IM138"

Object number: FRE 5364 -