Japanese document signed on VJ Day by 37th Division unit

[Bob Hudson]

Curious if anyone knows anything about this document, signed by members of the 148th Infantry Regiment on VJ Day.

 

 

[Rod]

Hi Bob,

 

It's a Japanese military postal savings booklet with entries from Aug. 12, 1943 to Jan. 31, 1945. The cover seems to be missing, which is where the original owner's personal info would be.

 

I googled the 148th I.R. and it appears one of the fellas picked it up somewhere on Luzon, the P.I. That regiment fought many battles during the campaign and as the booklet was picked up sometime after the last entry you can sort of, kind of broadly ballpark when and where.

 

Best!

[Bob Hudson]

Hi Bob,

 

It's a Japanese military postal savings booklet with entries from Aug. 12, 1943 to Jan. 31, 1945. The cover seems to be missing, which is where the original owner's personal info would be.

 

I googled the 148th I.R. and it appears one of the fellas picked it up somewhere on Luzon, the P.I. That regiment fought many battles during the campaign and as the booklet was picked up sometime after the last entry you can sort of, kind of broadly ballpark when and where.

 

Best!

 

Thanks!

 

The soldier who brought it home was wounded Feb 2 1945 in a "brief but bitter" battle at Plaridel with a Shimbu Group provisional infantry battalion. I don't know if he returned to active duty after being hospitalized.

[Bob Hudson]

I see that "20" is 1945 but what about the months and days - is the date 20-1-31 equal to Jan. 31, 1945? If so that was just a couple days before Sgt Haney was wounded.

[Rod]

I see that "20" is 1945 but what about the months and days - is the date 20-1-31 equal to Jan. 31, 1945? If so that was just a couple days before Sgt Haney was wounded.

 

You're correct sir, it's read: Year . Month . Day (1935 is 10, 1940 is 15 and 1945 is 20, makes it easy to remember)

 

That's interesting history, almost certainly it was picked up in the moment and repurposed into a memento of his time over there. A little odd and sad the original owner made a deposit a couple of days before his demise but it also demonstrates the Japanese Army mail system was still functioning to some degree at this late point.

 

Thanks for the additional information.

[Bob Hudson]

I have been checking some of the names; one is Randle Corydon Moon, born in Kansas, moved to Canada at a young age, enlists in US Army in Kansas, goes back to being Canadian after the war: