Fire Island
Jones Park - January 1942

January 1942

These images feature the South shore of Long Island, New York, from near the west end of Jones Beach to Sunken Forest on Fire Island, Long Island, New York (approx 10 miles).

Photograph dates: January 28, 1942.

Image Source: Photographic archives of the Beach Erosion Board (predecessor of the Coastal Engineering Research Center), supplied by Ms. Lynn Bocamazo, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, N.Y. District. Label on one image states "B.E.B. Accession No. 72C."

Aerial flight service: Believed to be U. S. Army Air Corps, Mitchel Field, NY (based on labels on other Long Island photographs from the same era - altitude = 8,400 feet).

Numbering Convention: Original frames labeled M49-1 to M49-69. Digital images are labeled from west to east, beginning at Jones Beach near the Wantagh Parkway and ending at Sunken Forest on Fire Island.

Scale: 1 inch = 700 feet

Tide Condition: Flood - L.W. (+1.0) at 12:00 noon

Gauge Reading: At 13:10 = +1.5 M.L.W.; at 14:05 = +2.0 M.L.W. (gauge location not specified)

Wind Speed: 33 mph north

Original Image Condition: Superb. Printed on single-weight glossy paper, with a slight tint, possibly selenium. These prints were exposed dark, but land features show a full tonal range. Beach sand is white but still shows texture and features. Dark areas like water show minimal texture. The digital files do not do justice to the quality of the originals.

Scanner: UMAX Powerlook 2100XL

Resolution: 400 x 400 dpi, 256 Gray Scale

Scanning Date: June 2003

File Names: Based on date and image number, with location description if applicable. The images are numbered sequentially from west to east starting with northernmost flight line.

Contrast adjustments: Gain and contrast adjusted to emphasize features on the beach. Minor contrast adjustments by Andy Morang to improve features on beaches. Adjustments made with Paint Shop Pro v. 7.0.

Note: These photographs were taken three years after the Great New England Hurricane of September 24, 1938. Evidence of the storm was fading compared to previous flight dates. The Robert Moses Causeway had not yet been built, but the land was cleared and prepared. Construction was delayed until after the end of World War II. The U.S. had been in the war only one month when this flight was made.