Vintage Military - Part 1

 Pre-World War II

More great photos from the LIFE magazine archive.  Photos were not published in LIFE magazine unless otherwise specified.

This recruit is being tested at Randolph Flying Field (now Randolph Air Force Base), Texas in 1938.  Photo by Carl Mydans.

A U.S. Army unit holding maneuvers in Mississippi in 1938 takes time off for some horseplay in a stream.  Photo by Thomas McAvoy (photo cropped to show detail).

This photo of a recruit at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station by Bernard Hoffman was published in the Oct. 29, 1940 issue of LIFE.  At the time, rear nudity was not a big deal, even in a family magazine.

LIFE covered the sea as well as the land.  This photo of a sailor in the shower on a U.S. destroyer was taken in 1940 by Hans Wild.  From his age, he was probably an officer. 

World War II had started in Europe, and everyone knew it was just a matter of time before the U.S. was involved.  This photo of recruits undergoing an Army physical, taken by Ralph Morse, was published in the Oct. 21, 1940 issue of LIFE.

In 1941, war was imminent but the U.S. was still not involved.  This photo of members of the 260th Coast Artillery in Texas horsing around, taken by George Strock, was published in the March 17, 1941 issue of LIFE.  We're not quite sure what they're doing with that broom, but the older guy on the right is enjoying it, too.

The Philippines was a U.S. territory at the time.  This photo of Philippine soldiers showering was taken by Carl Mydans in December, 1941.  On December 7, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and the next day, Japan invaded the Philippines.  The U.S. was at war.

More vintage unashamed military photos to come.