Japanese ID Document from Tarawa
This Japanese document was found on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll by a US Marine of the 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. The document is a personal identification belonging to one of the defenders of the island. It is complete with family information, occupation history, skill sets, address, and unit names. It also contains the sailor's photograph. When it was captured, it was inspected in the field by Marine Corps intelligence personnel whom stamped it with red ink on the front passing it as a war souvenir and containing no critical information.
Japanese ID Document from Tarawa
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.002
This Japanese document was found on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll by a US Marine of the 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. The document is a personal identification belonging to one of the defenders of the island. It is complete with family information, occupation history, skill sets, address, and unit names. It also contains the sailor's photograph. When it was captured, it was inspected in the field by Marine Corps intelligence personnel whom stamped it with red ink on the front passing it as a war souvenir and containing no critical information. This one belonged to a Japanese Naval Engineer.
Japanese Navy Magazine Found on Tarawa
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.003
This Japanese Navy Magazine was found on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll by a US Marine of the 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. The magazine was for Japanese Navy personnel and had events going on that the Navy was involved in and life in mainland Japan. Also popular fashion trends can be found in the book. The back has a red intelligence stamp that says, "Passed in the Field By Joint Intelligence." Also has writing naming the captured piece to a Marine in the 2nd Marine Division, but mostly is unreadable.
Japanese Art Work Captured on Tarawa
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.004
This Japanese Art Work was found on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll between November 20th and 24th, 1943 by a US Marine of the 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. The Japanese Sailor drew scenes of island life before the battle including Gilbertese Natives. A red stamp on the back reads, "Inspected in the Field By Joint Intelligence" after it was captured and approved to be a souvenir. The entire Japanese garrison except seventeen were killed.
22nd Marine Regiment Commendation Letter Eniwetok
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.005
This 22nd Marine Regiment Commendation letter was given to Frank Ramos for the Battle of Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands Campaign. It was for the unit distinguishing themselves in combat in the Atoll and came with a Presidential Unit Citation. Frank Ramos would land on Guam later that year.
Japanese Letter Captured on Tarawa
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.006
This Japanese Letter was found on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll during the battle in November of 1943. The postal code "U66, U233" labeled on the front signifies 3rd Base Force, 6th Yokosuka Special Naval Landing Force, Tarawa Atoll. There is a blue stamp that reads, "Passed in the Field By Joint Intelligence" showing it is an approved war souvenir. The letter is three pages long and was sent to a sailor that defended the island.
Japanese Money Captured at the Tenaru River
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.007
This Japanese Money was found on the body of a dead Japanese Captain on the banks of the Tenaru River on August 22nd, 1942 after the Battle of Alligator Creek. It was kept by a US Marine Captain as a souvenir.
Japanese Photograph Captured at Cape Gloucester
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.008
This Japanese photograph was captured by Private Louis Medina of the 1st Marine Division during the Battle of Cape Gloucester, New Britain in December 1943. He would fight on Peleliu and be killed a few days into the Okinawa Campaign.
US Intelligence Map Tarawa
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.009
This US intelligence map was made for the Invasion of Tarawa in 1943 and is based on reconnaissance photographs in preparation for the upcoming battle. It shows the known defenses of the island the US Marines had to prepare for before going into the landings.
Hand Drawn Map from Guadalcanal
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.010
This hand drawn map was made by a member of the Cactus Air Force during the Battle of Guadalcanal in December of 1942. He was a part of the "Lancers" who were Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 212 and played a crucial role in keeping the infamous Tokyo Express away from the island. Any maps of Guadalcanal had to be hand drawn based on recon photos since no actual maps of the island existed.
US Navy ID Card from Pearl Harbor
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.011
This US Navy ID belonged to Cyrus Dayton of the USS Dobbin. The ship was moored at Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941 and received almost no damage during the attack. The ship's crew would help survivors in the water and assist with clean up. Cyrus had this in his pocket that day.
Japanese School Book Captured on Okinawa
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.012
This Japanese School Book was found on Okinawa in June of 1945 by Clarence Conaway of the 146th Seabee Battalion. He wrote on the front cover documenting his journey across the Pacific to Okinawa. He describes the island as, "hell on earth." By June of 1945, the battle was coming to a close and the rainy season took over. This made Okinawa a quagmire of mud, rain, and scenes of the battlefield that emulated WWI.
C. F Rabideau's Letter from Iwo Jima
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.013
This letter was handwritten by C. F Rabideau on the island of Iwo Jima while in a shell hole. He was writing his account of the Battle to his wife while it was going on around him. He writes in very vivid details of Iwo Jima and some of the hardships he faced. Rabideau served in the 3rd Marine Division as an artilleryman. He would stay on Iwo Jima until the Battle was over in March of 1945.
USS Indianapolis Captain's Letter
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.014
This typed letter was written by Captain Charles McVay, former commander of the USS Indianapolis to the wife of Andy Knernsheild after his death aboard the ship July 30th, 1945. He wrote to every sailor's family documenting how they died during the tragedy. He received a lot of mail from the families condemning him for his "negligence of command" as declared by the US Navy. In 1968, he committed suicide. Andy's wife wrote an annotation about his suicide on the letter.
Japanese Communications Book Captured on Attu
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.0015
This Japanese Communication Book was captured at Holtz Bay on May 11th, 1943 during the Battle of Attu Island. It was found on the body of Sergeant Major Yamashita who defended the Bay against the US 7th Infantry Division. His photo came with the booklet.
Propaganda Leaflet Leyte Island 1944
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.016
This US leaflet was dropped over Leyte Island to the residents of the Philippines informing them that General MacArthur had returned as he had promised once he left in April of 1942 as the islands fell to the Japanese.
US Assault Map from Tarawa
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.017
This assault map of Tarawa was carried into the landings on November 20th, 1943 by a member of the US 2nd Marine Division. He kept this in his pocket during the battle and wrote on the bottom, "Hold on to this and I will tell you about it later." Presumably, he sent this through a letter or a parcel to a family or friend immediately after the fighting.
Corporal Palawek's 2nd Marine Division Letter Collection
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.018
This bag contains the letters that were sent to Corporal Pawalek of the US 2nd Marine Division during World War II. He would serve on Tarawa, Saipan, and Tinian where these letters would bring him the comforts of home. He would stick some of these in this bag and his helmet during the fighting.
Manhattan Project Congratulations Letter
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.018
This letter was given to Robert J Vogel who worked in the K12 District of the Manhattan Project, the US Government plan to build the Atomic Bomb. He received this letter the exact day the world's first Atomic Bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, August 6th, 1945.
Intelligence Map Kwajalein Island
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.019
This aerial recon photo of Kwajalein Island belonged to a Captain in the US 7th Infantry Division and was issued prior to the assault on February 1st, 1944. The island only took a week to capture before it fell to the US Army.
US Assault Phase Map of Iwo Jima
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.020
This Assault Phase Map was carried into the Iwo Jima landings on February 19th, 1945 by Owen Paul Shoaf of the 4th Marine Division. The sheet was to help Marines orient their objectives and assigned landing beaches. It has a chart on the back with a checklist for D-Day. They were not supposed to land with the Marine, but Owen kept his. He wrote on the map where he landed and where his friends were killed. He also listed where he was kit by a 90 millimeter mortar on March 14, 1945 and lost an eye as a result of the blast.
USS Indianapolis Telegram
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.021
This Western Union telegram was sent to the mother of Andy Knernshield who served on and perished during the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in July 30th, 1945. After the USS Indianapolis carried the Atomic Bomb from the US to the island of Tinian, it steamed towards Leyte when it was struck by a Japanese submarine on the night of July 30th. Most of the crew perished during the sinking and floating out in the water for days. The ship's sinking was made famous by Quint's speech in the movie Jaws.
USS Arizona Song and Prayer Book 1941
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.022
This US Song and Prayer book belonged to a sailor who served on the USS Arizona in 1941. On December 7th of that year, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor where the ship was moored. It received a direct bomb hit in the magazine room, detonating the explosives. As a result, over 1,000 sailors died in minutes. It was the highest loss of life in the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Japanese Letter captured on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima
Catalog Number PTODOC 0.023
This Japanese envelope and letter was captured on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima between February 19th and February 23rd, 1945 off a dead Japanese soldier. It contains a three page letter that belonged to a member of the Japanese 312th Independent Infantry which defended the mountain in the first few days of the battle. Mount Suribachi was famous for the Flag Raising photo on Iwo Jima and took several days to conquer. The 312th Independent Infantry ceased to exist after February 23rd.