Small Scale Military Headquarters

I saw this and thought the pics were really cool - closeups of a plane and uniforms.

Brought Home by US Serviceman for Unknown Reasons Item number: 6608702820

WOW!!!

The photos really sent chills up and down my spine. In some way, I felt like I was an unwelcome intruder. The photos of people, girlfriends, family, etc. were especially touching . Like so many of the great U.S. stories we hear, this opens a window into the human side of war. Japan was particularly closed and distant to our understanding then, and this is a very rare insight.

On the airplane side, a couple of things to note: The modern-style aircraft (#82) that shows in several shots is (I'm almost certain) is a Nakajima B5N2 "Kate". I've no idea what the biplane is. A few "Betty"s show up in the far background of one photo. Also, the photo of the fencing-type competion is on an aircraft carrier deck; you can see the decking and the round tie-downs.

It is neat that so many people are viewing this on e-bay; the seller is saying he's never seen anything like it! I hope this goes to a good home, maybe even returned to Japan; and some of the story can be shared.

Stuka, thanks for sharing your find! Seeing that album was absolutely an unforgettable experience!

Again:

JimBob

This is an educated but wild guess: after checking some photos and references, the aircraft carrier shown in the artwork at the beginning of the album may be the Soryu. She had the gun tubs under the front edge of the flight deck.

JimBob

YOU BEAT ME TO THAT - I SPENT HOURS THE OTHER NIGHT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER - i THINK i WAS LOOKING AT THE PICTURES FOR ABOUT AN HOUR - MAYBE WE SHOULD TAKE UP A COLLECTION AND SEND THE BOOK BACK TO JAPAN AS A GROUP - SILLY IDEA.

WOW!!!

Thats a very cool historical artifact! It certainly provides a window into the life of an average Japanese airman during WWII. Alot of the photos aren't much different from what might be seen in a similar American album and it polks through the fog of war, letting us know that the Japanese fighting men were not that much different from our own. I wonder what airfield he was stationed at.

Very cool and I hope it goes to someone who will value it, or get it to a museum or someplace else where it can be enjoyed and studied by as many people as possible!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 6608702820
I posted the link to make it easier to get to. Very nice Album not like the stereo types portrayed in War movies and propaganda. They look like good honest soldiers fighting for their country and emperor.

I've gone back several times to view this album. It never ceases to amaze me.

If you go all the way down and view the questions to the seller, there is some more information coming out from someone who can read some Japanese. The translation supports that the ship is the Soryu. The Soryu also supports the China connection. I've added a comment to the ebay questions for the benefit of the "watchers" like me.

I've found the following information on the Soryu from hazegray.org:
http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/ijn_cv.htm

"Built by Kure Navy Yard. Laid down 20 Nov 1934, launched 23 Dec 1935, completed 29 Dec 1937.
Participated in the Sino-Japanese war; air group was sent ashore to support the Army in China in 1938, 1940, and early 1941. Participated in the Pearl Harbor raid, and Indian Ocean raids in 1942.
Bombed by US aircraft at Midway 4 June 1942; munitions and fuel exploded on the flight deck and hangar deck, leading to uncontrollable fires; blew up and sank when the gasoline tanks exploded."

If this is so, this makes the album doubly poignant in my mind.

JimBob

Chance,s are the pilot didnt survive the war. The GI who brought it back probally bought it from the family or married a female relative of the pilot
In any case it would be an enteresting story in its self just to know how it made it to this counrty.

Final report: Sold for $5,356.00

But IMHO, the historical information contained in the album is priceless. Again, a very remarkable piece of history!

JimBob

Darn, I missed the opportunity to view the pictures from this auction.

the pics may be up for 90 days in the closed auctions

I was at a military show and this kid walked in with Himler's photo album.
I asked him how much he paid for it and he said he bought it off some kid who needed the money for a $100.00!!. The kid told him his grand father got it during the war. He had offers at the show for up to $7000.00 Cash but he wouldnt sell it.

I just bought the new book: "Shattered Sword, The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway", and it included a great photo of the carrier Soryu. Check out the comparison with the carrier from the album:





The only carrier close in design was her sister ship the Hiryu, but its island was on the port/left side; opposite of the Soryu.

Must be my night for IJN stuff...

JimBob