VIRGINIA BEACH — After a close friend of Todd Lindbergh passed away a few years ago, he inherited the man’s large collection of World War II memorabilia. At first, it was overwhelming — nine storage units filled with airplane parts, foot lockers, uniforms, parachutes, knives, canteens and packs of Lucky Strike cigarettes.
But Lindbergh, a Virginia Beach artist who with his brother, Eric, have painted dozens of local murals under the name TALENT, was determined to sift through the relics piece by piece.
When he came across a stack of nearly 200 black-and-white photograph prints, Lindbergh suspected he had something special and maybe even rare.
More than a handful of the 8-by-10 images feature D-Day-related military operations including U.S. assault troops preparing to land and coming ashore on the beaches of Normandy, France.
Thursday marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, known as the largest amphibious invasion in military history. D-Day brought together land, air and sea forces of the Allied armies to the beaches of Normandy. The invasion included 7,000 ships and landing craft manned by over 195,000 naval personnel from eight countries. The efforts of the Allies on the western front and Russia on the eastern front, led to the defeat of German Nazi forces and the end of the war.
The intensity of the invasion, captured in the sharp, detailed images taken by war photographers, speaks to the bravery of the troops.
“Each one tells a story, and they’re in perfect condition,” said Lindbergh, 59, as he flipped through the pages of a thick album.
Captions typed on the back of the prints describe what was taking place. Some of them are stamped by a field press censor or marked confidential.
One of the most powerful images shows more than a dozen troops wearing helmets and standing in a landing craft heading for the beach. A plume of smoke rises in the distance.
“American assault troops in a landing craft huddle behind the protective front of the craft as it nears the beachhead on the northern coast of France. Smoke in the background is from naval gunfire supporting the landing,” the caption reads.
The photo is credited to the Signal Corps and dated June 7, 1944. The U.S. Army Signal Corps managed communications throughout WWII. Photography was part of the corps’ mission.
Lindbergh reached out to an expert to confirm the authenticity of the collection.
Billy Wade, chief of National Archives Still Picture Branch, wrote in an email that vintage prints were created during WWII from original negatives that are most likely in the possession of the National Archives. He confirmed that a copy of a stamped photo Lindbergh emailed to him was one of those.
“A good number of prints would have been made right after D-Day for distribution and eventual publication,” Wade wrote. “One clue is the passed for publication stamp.”
Lindbergh plans to paint on canvas a series based on a few of the photographs that have made a lasting impression on him. He’s trying to get the collection appraised and hopes a museum or foundation will be interested in them.
“I want to get the word out,” said Lindbergh.
Another notable photo features Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower aboard a Navy ship. It’s credited to the Signal Corps and dated June 25, 1944.
“General Eisenhower gets a salute from the Navy as he pays a visit to France. Somewhere along the French coast,” the caption reads.
It’s one of Lindbergh’s favorite shots. He’s been researching D-Day history, of which he had little knowledge before the prints landed in his lap.
“Now I know so much I could probably teach a class,” Lindbergh said. “It’s a fascinating story.”
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
