The Snapshots in Time Collection

Servicemen Atop Stacked Perforated Steel Planking (Marston Mat) at Pacific Tent Camp

Servicemen Atop Stacked Perforated Steel Planking (Marston Mat) at Pacific Tent Camp

Two servicemen pose atop a stack of perforated steel planking, or Marston Mat, used to rapidly build airfield surfaces on Pacific islands during World War II. Behind them, a row of canvas tents forms a typical forward-area camp, illustrating the improvised infrastructure that supported American operations across the Pacific theater. Project: 218307