WWII Japanese satchel contents

[snitwort]

[Hello group,

I inherited a WWII relic from my late father-in-law, collected from the battlefield on Guam in 1944 that I would like to explore the meaning and value of. The relic consists of a Petty Officer’s leather satchel that contains many personal items, including a hinomaru inscribed with dozens of prayers and well-wishes, a Manchukuo Men’s Red Cross Medal with certificate and pin ribbon, several Chinese cigarette wrappers, and assorted insignia and rank patches. There’s also a couple of opium pipes.

There is also an officer’s katana that goes with the pack according to family history, several furnishings of which are in the pack, including two very phallic lion menuki.

The pack has been carefully stored for 47 years and its contents are pristine. The katana is in rougher condition, with loose wrappings and a blade tarnished by handling and bloodstains. If there’s any interest, I can post scans and photos of the contents.

I’ll start by posting the hinomaru, whole and in close-up.

Thanks in advance,

Snitwort
ATTACH=CONFIG]1504211[/ATTACH]

[Razorback76]

I for one would like to see pics of the entire contents and sword. Here is the correct orientation for you flag. Thanks for posting.

[ghp95134]

Top line reads from right to left:
祈武運長久
Inori buun chōkyū
Prayers for continued luck in the fortunes of war

Large horizontal letters on the right:
堀栄二郎君
Hori Eijirō-kun
Mr. Hori Eijirō

All the rest appear to be signatures of well-wishers.

-- Guy

[RH1941]

Yes please lets see the rest

[snitwort]

Thanks for the quick response! I’ve added the info to my research file on the satchel.

It’s amazing the amount of information that can be gleaned from the internet about what one would assume is a pretty obscure thing—a WWII satchel taken from the battlefield. I’ve assembled quite a lot of info that I’m more than willing to share. It’s like a post mortem snapshot of a stranger’s life.

Below is a list of what’s in the satchel and what I’ve learned about it. I can post pictures of any or all of it, depending on your interest.

Thanks,

Snitwort

JAPANESE WWII PACK CONTENTS

Taken July 21, 1944 Guam, Marianas

1 leather pack, approx. 9” X 11” X 4” with strap

1 ID photo 3.5” X 5.25” in laminated sleeve (probably for Heichō (兵長?)
Lance Corporal in rank) SHIBATA NORIO Non-commissioned officer, military ID
Date of registration, December 1, 1943
Registration number, 1-327
Issuing authority
Manchuria 303 Battalion Tsuchiya Corp.
Army Captain Toshitsugu Tsuchiya (stamp of Manchuria 303 Battalion Tsuchiya Corp captain)
Valid until: June 30, 1944
Name of officer: Army soldier, Norio Shibata
Posting: Manchuria 303 Battalion Tsuchiya Corp.
Your ID must be carried at all times

Feb 12, 1935 Red Cross Org

1 white cotton dittybag, with Naval emblem, 12” X 8”, crumpled

1 black silk dittybag with bamboo tag (ID for Shibata Norio dogtag?), crumpled, about 2” X 4”

1 white silk dittybag with labeling, crumpled, holes, about 4” X 8”

1 silk hinomaru good luck flag with dozens of signatures, 23” X 22, crumpled

2 folding fans 9” long, one with red sun, the other with rising sun and printing

1 metal box, cigarette sized, bottle green 3” X 4”

1 aluminum box, 3” X 4.5”

1 eyeglass case, containing round prescription lenses in frame (Includes prescription)

Assorted Japanese coins, aluminum; 1, 5, 10 yen coins;

1 bamboo ID token “Manchuria 303 Battalion Tsuchiya Corp., NCO army soldier Shibata Norio”

1 compass about 1” dia

7 Chinese cigarette wrappers

1 chop case with chop and red ink cake

6 collar rank patches Jōtōhei (上等兵?) Senior Private specialist

1 large citation, Manchukuo Men’s Red Cross Society

1 medal and presentation box, bow rosette, Manchukuo Men’s Red Cross Society medal

1 medal bar: 1937–1945 China Incident War Medal; Order of the Rising Sun 7/8th Class

2 Naval shoulder insignia, 1-stripe rank 三等兵曹 Santōheisō Petty Off 3rd, or 二等兵曹 Nitōheisō Petty Off 2nd (pre/post 1942)

1 Veteran’s badge 28 mm by 18 mm silvered shield bearing a naval anchor with a bronze star. (Issued to any veteran of the war against China, Korea, Manchuria, or the Allies.)

2 bean pod opium pipes

1 pack of illustrated postcards

1 leather sunglass case

1 toothbrush

2 menuki from the katana; proudly male lions/dogs; matches Etsy menuki attr. to Edo period (pre-1860s)

1 chrysanthemum pin from the katana (belongs on the hilt)

1 chrysanthemum-in-circle pin

[snitwort]

Here is the satchel itself.

Snitwort

[tomp]

I would be very interested in seeing the Photo ID, front and back, if possible.


Tom

[snitwort]

Here's the ID

S

[tomp]

Thanks for the ID pic. Fyi, the unit the soldier belonged to was coded, so not a battalion, but to the 29th Division Transport Regiment, which used 満州第三〇三部隊 -- found on your card. A rare card to have, thanks for sharing.

Tom

[snitwort]

I'm treating this as a forensic puzzle. From the artifacts in the pack, Shibata Norio started out in Manchuria in the Army, but wound up having Naval rank insignia on him when he died at Guam. Are you familiar with such cross-service duty?

Thanks,

S