POW Artwork help needed

**maximus71** · 06-12-2016, 03:06 AM

Hi All,
I won these at an auction, seller states his father was in the Navy during WW2 and spent alot of time on Guam with Japanese POW's, also included a photo of his father during his stay there with some POW's, the art appears to be done on either a hankerchief or table napkin, Please help with any translation or thoughts on these items, Thank you!!

**SteveR** · 06-12-2016, 03:09 AM

Interesting.

**MAP** · 06-12-2016, 04:15 AM

Interesting. Not doubting the seller but they do not look like POW's to me. They appear to be in a rear area and had freedom of movement. Find it odd that a POW (on the left) would be wearing what appears to be a US issued belt buckle as well as sunglasses. The rest of the cloths don't appear to be Japanese as well.

Maybe locals?

**Gwar** · 06-12-2016, 05:04 AM

by MAP

Interesting. Not doubting the seller but they do not look like POW's to me. They appear to be in a rear area and had freedom of movement. Find it odd that a POW (on the left) would be wearing what appears to be a US issued belt buckle as well as sunglasses. The rest of the cloths don't appear to be Japanese as well.

Maybe locals?

A good observation Michael... As many here will attest.... Buy the item.... Not the story....

**Nick Komiya** · 06-12-2016, 06:40 AM

Both have Kanji and syntax errors, and judging by the looks of the guys in the photo, I believe they are Japanese Americans that got a bit rusty with the language they spoke at home, but had not written often enough.

**maximus71** · 06-12-2016, 01:16 PM

Ok well I'm sure the seller just assumed the men in the photo were Japanese, and I did buy the item more then the story, I have seen similar colored pencil on similar cloth pow artwork that was brought home by navy men, I only paid 5 bucks each so I doubt anyone faked them to make money. So what do we make of the origin?

**MichaelB** · 06-12-2016, 01:34 PM

No matter what they are, I like the artwork. At $5.00 apiece, you definitely did not get hurt.

MichaelB

**MAP** · 06-12-2016, 01:49 PM

Great. For $5 I would have bought it!!! Would go great as a backdrop to a collection!!!

**AZPhil** · 06-12-2016, 02:34 PM

Considering that when the Japanese were capture(Rare) they were stripped down to the Underwear. Seeing them in issued US clothing doesn't surprise me. I'll have to research the camps that were on Guam. I have a buddy who is from Guam and I'll ask him about this internement camp.
Like stated above, for 5 bucks the art work alone is worth the price.

Semper Fi

**MAP** · 06-12-2016, 02:59 PM

by AZPhil

Considering that when the Japanese were capture(Rare) they were stripped down to the Underwear. Seeing them in issued US clothing doesn't surprise me. I'll have to research the camps that were on Guam. I have a buddy who is from Guam and I'll ask him about this internement camp.
Like stated above, for 5 bucks the art work alone is worth the price.

Semper Fi

Good point Phil. But still find it odd that they would be "out and about" and hanging out with the "enemy" would be be " frowned" upon by fellow Japanese POWs.