Japanese Navy Hat Captured on Engebi, Eniwetok
Catalog Number HDGR 0.01
This Japanese Navy hat was found on Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll by a member of the 22nd Marine Regiment in February of 1944. The veteran's widow had all of his souvenirs from the battle and sold the entire lot. It was reported that he had a vicious tropical disease and Eniwetok was his only battle during the War since he was sent him shortly after.
Japanese Navy Cap Found on Tarawa
Catalog Number HDGR 0.02
This Japanese Navy Cap was captured by Arthur Robert Bornman of K Company 3rd Battalion 2nd Marine Regiment 2nd Marine Division on Betio in the Tarawa Atoll between November 20th 1943 and November 24th 1943. It belonged to a Japanese Petty Officer Hotta Kazuyoshi from Sasebo and was issued the cap May of 1942 and was a volunteer from Sasebo. The cap was manufactured at the Kure Munitions Depot in September of 1941 and the Japanese sailor had a ID number of 25312. Arthur wrote his unit number on the inside of the hat with his full name (A.R.Bornman 3-K-2) which signifies 3rd Battalion K Company 2nd Marine Regiment. His records on the 2nd Marine Division muster rolls indicate he left K company for L Company right after Tarawa in January 1944 which dates this cap to be from the Gilbert Islands Campaign.
Japanese Navy "Donald Duck" Cap from Corregidor
Catalog Number HDGR 0.03
This Japanese Navy flat hat was captured by Louis Deronde Jr. of the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment during the Battle of Corregidor in February of 1945. Corregidor was assaulted by US Army landings in a combined beach and airborne assault taking the Japanese by surprise. After fierce fighting, it was declared secure a week after the battle began. The cap is dated September 1944 and belonged to a Japanese Navy sailor from the Sasebo Naval Depot.
Japanese Navy Enginners Hat from Tarawa
Catalog Number HDGR 0.04
This Japanese Navy was captured on Tarawa by Donald Potter of the US 2nd Marine Division sometime during the fighting. He was a Corpsman treating wounded Marines during the three days of the battle attached to the 8th Marines. He would be wounded a few days into the Battle of Saipan and sent home. The cap is dated 1941 to a Japanese engineer on the island is a relatively large sized cap.
Japanese Navy Flat Hat Captured on Guadalcanal
Catalog Number HDGR 0.05
This Japanese Navy cap was found in the water off Guadalcanal by Fire Controlman 3rd Class Clyde Pacher of the USS President Jackson on August 8th, 1942 after a Japanese air attack was repulsed. The hat belonged to a Japanese navy pilot who once attended Katsumigara Naval Air Base for pilot training. The manufacturing tag was ripped out from the inside likely as a souvenir and still has a description of its capture taped on the top of the cap.