Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[gwsiii]

Here's part of a Pacific Theater grouping my Dad and I came across. Here are the particulars. I have been specifically asked to not disclose his name.

Nice little booklet. Book is Japanese in origin, he made a quasi diary of it:


Selected pages from the 'Diary', of note is he started at the back, and worked his way forward. Japanese Style. Casualties, and Ships apparently involved at Tarawa. Diary notes he arrived and left on the Sheridan.


First two entries: D and D+1 (he actually landed on D+1) and list of stops along the way maybe.


D+2, and D+3, and entry for Dec. 3, that mentions its his 23rd birthday, and as such his 2nd straight on a ship.


This might be the dock on the left, and very not to scale, but I can't really decide.


Diary covers through Dec. 22, a few weeks after reaching Hawaii. I would assume, that he sent Diary and Rifle back at this time. His obituary confirms writer of the diary and Vet grouping named to are the same. Very interesting stuff. Oh, I forgot about the rifle: Rifle is early 26k 33rd Series matching, mummed, and staked. He was friends with the person I bought the rifle from, had no other family, and told his friend that he'd gotten the rifle and diary on Tarawa and sent them home. Seller gave a statement to that effect. So while you always buy the items, not the story, this has a little more provenance and historical significance than most, and was very tempting to say the least.


1st Platoon Company D
1st Battallion 8th Marines
2nd Marine Division

...born December 3, 1920...entered the U.S. Marine Corps in Birming­ham, AL on February 10, 1942. He was stationed at Parris Is­land, SC and Norfolk, VA be­fore shipping out to New Zea­land to join the 2nd Marine Division where he trained as a heavy machine gun crew­man. In the 2nd Division, he participated in action against the enemy at Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, Saipan, Marianas Is­lands and Tinian, Marianas Is­lands. He was in Hawaii train­ing for the invasion of Japan when the war was over. He was discharged October 3,1945....Died July 8, 2008.

Semper Fi Marine!
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[new sks 2005]

those are some awesome groupings.where did he come across those??

[gwsiii]

at a local show in Montgomery, AL. It gets better.
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[type-14]

Trey, any idea on the roster of names? Two things jumped out at me, top left the word "safe" and the top right "corp" I'm thinking that the "safe" are the ones who made it though the operation or landing and "corp" could very well be short for Corpsman. If that is the case than writer was a Marine in all likely hood. Looks like ya all did good.

[gwsiii]

Dale that is the 2nd page in the sequence, sorry, I haven't gotten back to this, was looking for parts off and on all weekend. Will post some more of the 'grouping' tonight. Trey
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[gwsiii]

Here's another page:

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[gwsiii]

Uniform and ribbons.



another page from the diary.

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[type-14]

Trey, how's that, I knew it was from a Marine. OK here goes, the small map is an operation map which in all likelihood was drawn up and briefed to his team just before the action took place. In his stuff or writings you may find part a 5 paragraph warning order. Also, the ship listing are ships he sailed on. Next is his uniform, check inside the piss cutter, lining of the goat and trousers waist band and you may find his name stamped in them in black ink. Now his ribbons reading left to right in order of seniority is the Navy Presidential Unit Citation next is the American Campaign Medal and last is the Asiatic/Pacific Campaign Medal. This Marine PFC was assigned to the 2 Marine Division. Is there a unit patch on the right sleeve? A couple of things to note, he got out with less than 4 years served in all likelihood (no good conduct medal) and before the wars end as there is no WWII victory medal nor a ruptured duck pin. If you have his name you may be able to do a search with the 2nd MARDIV and find out a bit more about him. Did a quick search on the 2nd MARDIV and this guy was on Tarawa!!! That's where the 2nd MARDIV won the Presidential Unit Citation. Sure wish I knew of a way to prove that the map drawing was part of the Tarawa operation.

[gwsiii]

Dale, you guessed it! Name is in right sleeve, size and date in left sleeve. No Unit patch on right sleeve, but is on the missing first page.....Stay tuned, you solved it. I'll post the rest of the stuff in a bit. Trey
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[gwsiii]

First post has been updated with the rest of the information for the grouping. See top.
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[03man]

Great grouping, that's the way a 'captured' 99 should look!
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