Two US Navy sailors toast with coconuts in Megan's Bay, St. Thomas, circa 1942

black-and-white photograph

PHOTOGRAPHS
Strauss, Henry
VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES, St. Thomas, Megan's Bay
circa 1942
emulsion on paper
overall: 2-1/2 x 3-1/2 in.

2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch emulsion on paper black-and-white photograph of two US Navy sailors clinking rum filled coconuts in a toast in St. Thomas, circa 1942. Nelson is on the left. He was identified using 2004.81.33. He is shirtless, with white shorts and a his white uniform hat unfolded. The sailor on the right is wearing uniform pants and a white t-shirt with his white uniform hat. They are on rise overlooking Megan's Bay, St. Thomas. From Henry Strauss transcript in Sound Archives: "That was a big deal. That was St. Thomas. We took supplies to St. Thomas, which was of course a Navel base then. And we walked over the hill and up, first of all it was a wonderful place, and we discovered that rum was something like 10 cents. And we, there were four of us, started over to Megan’s Bay because it had a great beach and it was good for swimming. And we get the great idea, suppose we pour the rum in a green coconut and we kept checking it out all the way."

2004.81.25