Japanese Flag Captured at the Battle of the Tenaru
Catalog Number PTOFLG 0.01
This Japanese flag was captured on the morning of August 21st, 1942 off Japanese Corporal Nobuo Hirobe by Harlan Dean Tucker Jr. of 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division after the Battle of the Tenaru River (Alligator Creek) on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. The Battle of the Tenaru was Japan's first land defeat against the United States in World War II and they would lose 777 men that night along the riverbank / sand bar. It was the first Japanese attempt to capture Henderson Field from the Americans.
Japanese Flag Captured on Corregidor
Catalog Number PTOFLG 0.02
This Japanese flag was found on Corregidor Island during the battle to retake the island in February of 1945 by a US Army soldier. The inscriptions discuss the Japanese Plumb Festival that took place on the island just prior to the US invasion. It is dated February of 1945.
Japanese Flag Captured on Iwo Jima
Catalog Number PTOFLG 0.03
This Japanese flag was captured by a member of F Company 3rd Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division during the Battle of Iwo Jima in February-March of 1945. The surviving members of F Company signed the flag during their stay in Hawaii after the battle was over.
Japanese Flag Captured on Okinawa
Catalog Number PTOFLG 0.04
This Japanese flag was captured on Okinawa in May of 1945 by a US Marine Corpsman. The flag has been damaged by grenades and mortar blasts.
Japanese Signed Rising Sun Flag
Catalog Number PTOFLG 0.05
This Japanese flag was captured in a Pacific battle, likely after a Banzai attack. The flag is missing both corner ties (likely once tied to the rifle), bullet holes of every size, and shrapnel holes. The flag's owner was named Kanta Masaki and members of his family signed the flag. Formerly a part of the Steve Moliter Collection.
Japanese Flag Captured on Mount Austen, Guadalcanal
Ctalog Number PTOFLG 0.06
This Japanese flag was captured by a member of the US 25th Infantry Division during the Battle of Mount Austen on Guadalcanal in 1943. The soldier was a Pearl Harbor survivor and arrived towards the very end of the Guadalcanal Campaign.
Japanese Flag Captured on Roi Namur
Catalog Number PTOFLG 0.07
This Japanese flag was captured on the island of Roi during the battle for the Marshall Islands on February 1st, 1944 by Bernie McDonald of the 4th Marine Division. He found this in a trunk with a Japanese pilot's uniform, seal skin gloves, flying helmet, and personal possessions. It comes with the newspaper article of him holding the flag with a sword he found on the island. He sent the flag with all of the souvenirs he found during the battle home to his parents. The sword he found was in the command bunker on the island which he sold to an American officer for $1,000. Bernie would be killed on the first day of the Battle of Saipan on June 15th, 1944. Acquired directly from the family.
Japanese Navy Headband from Makin Atoll
Catalog Number PTOFLG 0.08
This Japanese Naval Headband was captured by a member of the 27th Infantry Division during the Battle of Makin between November 20th and 23rd, 1943 in the Gilbert Islands. It has the intelligence stamp showing it was inspected by the 27th Infantry Division's translators. This headband belonged to one of the Japanese Naval Landing Forces defending the island.
Japanese Navy Headband from Roi Namur
Catalog Number PTOFLG 0.09
This Japanese Headband was found on Roi Namur in the Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands by a US Marine in the 4th Division. It has numerous red intelligence stamps signifying it was a war souvenir and carried no intelligence value.
Japanese Flag Captured on Tarawa
Catalog Number PTOFLG 0.10
This Japanese flag was captured on Tarawa by Joseph Trgovich of the Scout Sniper Platoon of the 2nd Marine Division between November 20th and the 24th, 1943. He served under Dean Hawkins who lead the Scout Snipers on Tarawa and received the Medal of Honor for his heroism. Trgovich, along with the entire surviving members of the Scout Snipers, all received the Silver Star for the Battle. The flag belonged to a Japanese Sailor who defended the island.
Japanese Naval Flag Captured at Shuri Castle
Catalog Number PTOFLG 0.11
This Japanese Naval Flag was captured by James Ramey of HQ Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division during the Battle of Shuri Castle in June of 1945 on Okinawa. Shuri Castle was the old Okinawan capital and the center of the Japanese main line of defense, the Shuri Line. When the battle began, this was Japanese commander Mitsuru Ushijima's command post.
Japanese Flag Captured on Kwajalein
Catalog Number PTOFLG 0.12
This Japanese flag was captured by Lewis Perry of the US 7th Infantry Division during the Battle of Kwajalein in February, 1944. It came with the newspaper article documenting the provenance. The flag has a black intelligence stamp that says, "Inspected in the field, passed by joint intelligence." There is also a date of January 12, 1943 and Tibetan Prayers written on the top of the flag.
Japanese Flag Captured on Guam
Catalog Number PTOFLG 0.13
This Japanese flag was captured on the island of Guam by Joseph G Hunt of the 4th Marine Provisional Brigade in July of 1944. Joseph was a former Marine Raider in the 1st Marine Raider Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Merritt Edson. He took part in the Marine raid on the Enogai Inlet at New Georgia before assaulting Guam.