| Original caption: “Officers on Mogmog Island. Pilots on liberty at the bar.” United States Navy pilots at “Crowley’s Tavern,” which posts that “Chits on request for all parties.” Officers and enlisted men socialised in Mogmog at separate places according to rank. Ashore crew engaged in the 4 “Bs,” Bathing, Baseball, Boxing, and Beer – but only from 1300 Hours to 1800 Hours – and only with an allotment of 3 beers per sailor sold for 25 cents apiece. Most of the ships in the harbor were releasing a 3rd of their complement at a time to go ashore, meaning that as many as 15,000 sailors and 1,000 officers were on the island on any given day. Arriving on the beach for a 4-hour liberty, the sailors were given 2 cans of warm beer, sometimes Iron City beer from Pittsburgh or Rupert’s from New York City. Naturally, the bluejackets soon developed a barter system, so those who wanted could drink their fill, with the sailors trading cash and smokes for others’ ration of beer. Unfortunately, the beer was spiked with formaldehyde to prevent spoilage in the tropical heat. While this deterred a few sailors, overindulgence led to a “walloping” hangover. Areas designated as baseball fields, a sandy beach, a swimming area, and a shady grove sounded far more glamorous than their rugged reality of intense heat, relentless sun, and sharp coral. On the plus side, refreshment stands dispensed beer, soft drinks, cigarettes, and cigars. In “Officers Country” of Mog, the engineers constructed a series of thatched huts that served as a makeshift O club and recreation area, known as Crowley’s Tavern, the most prominent establishment. Housed in a hut that was said to previously belong to the former Mogmog chief, King Ueg (1910 – 1954) of the Lamathag, officers at Crowley’s could drink as much beer as they wanted. The officers sipped beer or whiskey at a very long bar constructed of crushed beer cans, or enjoyed grilled steaks or a game of horseshoes. Photo by Lieutenant Charles E. Kerlee (March 28, 1907 – January 23, 1981), United States Naval Reserve. Kerlee was already well-known as a professional, award-winning commercial photographer. As such, he was approached by a United States Navy Reservist, Lieutenant Commander Edward Steichen (March 27, 1879 – March 25, 1973), himself a famous commercial photographer from New York. Steichen had a simple proposal – that Kerlee consider joining the United States Navy, not as a sailor or soldier, but as a cameraman. The top brass within the United States Navy, realizing that Steichen’s talents could help foster public support, had tasked him with assembling a special naval unit composed of the world’s best photographers and videographers to document the war effort. Steichen, in turn, called on his circle of friends, associates, and competitors, including Kerlee. Within a few months, Charles Kerlee found himself on board the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-10) and headed out to sea and into battle. His camera remained at work until the last days of the war. | |
| Image Filename | wwii2278.jpg |
| Image Size | 946.97 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2353 x 2422 |
| Photographer | Charles E. Kerlee |
| Photographer Title | United States Navy |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | February 1, 1945 |
| Location | Crowley’s Tavern |
| City | Mogmog |
| State or Province | Ulithi Atoll |
| Country | Carolines |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NWDNS-80-G-408126 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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