JOHN STAVA
COMBAT PHOTOGRAPHER/GUNNER
5TH AIR FORCE
John Stava, served with the 5th AIr Force from May 1943 until June 1945, as a combat photographer/gunner. Initially he ran the Photo Lab at 5th AF HQ (Port Moresby, Nadzab), as well as flying select combat missions with various Bomber Groups (22nd, 38th, 345th, 3rd, etc.). In Nov 19'44 he transferred to the 17th Recon. Records show that he continued to be "freelanced" out to various bomber groups and shot many photos on those missions, some have been published, some not.
Robert Stava, his great nephew, now has about 300 photos that John Stava brought/sent back from the SWPA. Robert is planning publish them in a book.
Richard Ira Bong's aircraft "Marge" P-38J-15-LO Lockheed Lightning, #42-103993 |
Major Bong
in the Philippines with Kenney and MacArthur. Probably taken |
The guys at 5th AF Photo lab did the blow-ups of Marge for Bong's P38 - he would drop in every month or so to get a replacement copy since they kept wearing off (or were lost in the occasional crash he had). Robert Stava donated copies of both these photographs to the Richard Bong Heritage Center in 2000 after contacting Marge Bong Drucker. She said she had never seen the two photographs before.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I'd like to thank Robert Stava, great nephew of John Stava, for his assistance with this home page.
Can anyone help me with more information?
"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products
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© Peter Dunn 2015 |
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This page first produced 28 April 2001
This page last updated 24 January 2020
