Three naval aviators pose informally before a carrier-based fighter aircraft, their names -- 'Maj, Ed, Ross' -- recorded in period handwriting beneath the photograph. A red-ink annotation identifies one man as 'Ed,' likely Edward P. McAleer, the subject of this album. Photographs like this, taken between missions on a carrier's flight deck, capture the camaraderie of naval air crews during World War II, offering a personal counterpoint to the more formal record of squadron operations. Project: 218146