Japanese dog tag

[paul kennedy]

This is a new purchase. If I'm reading this correctly, the first kanji on the right is for an East New Guinea unit. Is this correct? Does anyone know the unit for code 15708?
Thank yhou.

[SNLF]

Code 16708 was for the First Sea Pursuit Battalion, last location was Karatsu, Japan. The Kanji on the Right above the numbers is code for Akatsuki.

[paul kennedy]

Thank you very much. I'm unfamiliar with shipping units. What would a Sea Pursuit Battalion be used for?

[muddyboots]

Great tag and I seen it posted on another forums Spoils of War section. I believe it was found in a gun camera case if I’m not mistaken. And there’s a name of the Vet who brought it back on the case.

[tomp]

Army Ministry/Army Shipping Command tags (Akatsuki coded) represent, imo, some of the most intersesting (not to mention strangest) units in the IJA. There are tags out there for Suicide Boat Maintenance Battalions, Hospital Ships, Sea Raiding Regiments, Liaison Boat Units, and Army Submarine Transport Units to name a few. Unfortunately, I do not think there is a ton out there in English about these kinds of units. Hopefully someone will publish something about this part of the IJA one day.


Tom

[Nick Komiya]

Thank you very much. I'm unfamiliar with shipping units. What would a Sea Pursuit Battalion be used for?

The full name of the unit your tag came from was 海上駆逐第1大隊（暁16708）, literally "1st Sea Surface Raider Battalion"and they were equipped with high powered speedboats to destroy US PT Boats and submarines. The unit was established in December 1943.

Historically, such units were originally conceived to defend army mass-landing operations by protecting the landing crafts and freighters moored at bay, from enemy attack, a need the army started to prepare for soon after WW1. But the WW2 boats more specifically targeted PT boats in terms of armament and engine power.

The battalion was comprised of 5 Raider Companies, which were scattered across the Pacific. The 1st Comp and Battalion HQ mainly stayed in the Sea of Japan, while the 2nd Comp went to the Philippines and the 3rd took part in the Battle for Okinawa. Each company was supposed to be equipped with 6 speed boats like the one shown below.

The attached photo is actually of an IJN torpedo boat that got introduced after 1942, but these were, in fact, designed under full army supervision, and were only a slightly modified version of the army boats, as the Navy completely lacked know-how in designing such high speed boats back then.

[paul kennedy]

Wow! That's fantastic. Thanks for the help.
Nick, Thank you for the information on the units and their purpose.
Tom and muddyboots, thank you for your replies.

[SNLF]

Thank you Tom and Nick for the background info on these units. Very interesting.

David.