Description:

World War II
Philippines, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, ca. 1944-1945
21 Detailed Maps 147pp, Photos for the Invasion of Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa from the End of War in the Pacific, 1944-1945
Archive

This archive of maps includes 21 maps, several consisting of multiple pages, from the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Most were prepared by the 64th Engineer Topographic Battalion for use by artillery and aircraft in the American invasion of the Philippines and the battles for the strategic islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa in the early months of 1945.

Most of the maps have the ownership signature of "R. A. Wilkens." The two Japanese items were likely contraband of war taken from a Japanese soldier in the Philippines or on Iwo Jima or Okinawa.

[WORLD WAR II.] Archive of Pacific Theater Maps, 1944-1945. 21 documents, 147 pp. Some soiling and edge tears; a few pages with loss, as noted; very good.

Contents and Highlights

Philippines

- Air Force, Pacific Fleet, "Manila Area Air/Sea Rescue Chart," September 25, 1944, Confidential. 1 p., 8" x 8".

- Air Force, Pacific Fleet, "Lingayen Gulf Air/Sea Rescue Chart," September 25, 1944, Confidential. 1 p., 8" x 8".

- "Appendix 3 to Annex ‘G' to Comp PHIBB Group Nine, Air Operations Chart," n.d., Top Secret. 1 p., 8" x 8". Small holes at bottom; stain at top center.
Shows "Mike Xray Attack Force Area of Air Operations" in a triangle with points at Manila Bay, Botolan, and Port Binanga, Luzon, Philippines.

The Philippines MX Operation was a major amphibious landing by Allied Forces on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. On January 9, 1945, 175,000 U.S. troops landed and established a 20-mile beachhead at the southern end of Lingayen Gulf. Australian forces provided air and sea support, and Mexican forces provided air support. Allied forces rapidly advanced southward toward Manila and by early March, the Allies controlled most of the island, though some Japanese remained in the mountains until Japan surrendered.

- BMP, U.S. Army, "General Area Map Central Luzon Plains," December 1944. 1 p., 15.25" x 22".

- Intelligence Section, Third Amphibious Force, "General Area Map Port Bolinao," n.d. 1 p., 15" x 22".

- 64th Engineer Topographic Battalion, "Grid Index Map Lingayen Gulf," November 1944. 1 p., 15" x 24".

- CASCU, Phib Group Nine, "Special Air Support Map Mike X-Ray Operation," January 20, 1945. 1 p., 14" x 14.5".

- Topographic maps of the western coast of Luzon, Philippines. 5 pp., 14.25" x 14.5".

- 64th Engineer Topographic Battalion, "Index Map of Air Support Charts / Lingayen Gulf," 2 pp. and "Air Support Chart / Lingayen Gulf" Nos. 1-34, 34 pp., 8" x 8". Bound with string at top.

- "Operations Chart" (Lingayen Gulf), ca. December 1944, Top Secret, Reduced to Restricted in Combat Area. 1 p., 7.5" x 7.5". Some loss on left edge.

Iwo Jima

- 64th Engineer Topographic Battalion, "Air Support Chart, Iwo Jima," December 1944, Confidential. 1 p., 15" x 19".

- Operational Intelligence Section, Com Air Pac, & Intelligence Section, Amphibious Group One, "Iwo Jima Air & Gunnery Target Folder," Confidential, December 15, 1944. Paired maps and aerial photographs of Target Squares 121-182; containing 7 photographs and 7 maps. 17 pp., 8" x 8".

- Operational Intelligence Section, Com Air Pac, & Intelligence Section, Amphibious Group One, "Iwo Jima Air & Gunnery Target Folder," Confidential, December 15, 1944. Paired maps and aerial photographs of Target Squares 215-251; containing 9 photographs and 9 maps. 19 pp., 8" x 8".

- Operational Intelligence Section, Com Air Pac, "Air Anti-Sub Patrol / Daylight / Iwo Jima," n.d. [1944], Confidential. 1 p., 8" x 8".

Okinawa

- 64th Engineer Topographic Battalion, "Index Map of Air Support Charts – Okinawa" (2 copies) and "Air Support Chart," Nos. 14-58. December 1944 – January 1945, Confidential. 47 pp., 8" x 8". Stapled in 6 groups of 6-10 pp. One-third of Chart No. 56 missing.

- 64th Engineer Topographic Battalion, "Okinawa Overall Grid Chart," Nos. 1-3, January 1945. 3 pp., 8" x 8".

- 64th Engineer Topographic Battalion, "Area Chart—Okinawa," January 1945, Confidential. 1 p., 15.5" x 18.375".

- 64th Engineer Topographic Battalion, "Air Support Sheet South, Okinawa," January 1945, Confidential. 1 p., 15" x 24".

Miscellaneous

- Typed Document, "Articles of War," n.d. Stapled and folded into cardstock folder stamped with the note "READ THIS AND KEEP IN YOUR POSSESSION." 2 pp., 8" x 10.5".

- Printed Document, "Yosegaki of War Comrades," 6 pp., 7.5" x 5.375".
Page of Japanese flag with Japanese text, "Praying for the longevity of your military career / Yokouchi, Shizuoka City / Mr. Yuta Tsukamoto."

Instructions in Japanese: "It will be a lasting memorial. / This ‘Yosegaki' of your memories will be a lasting memory of your life. / I am a friend of yours who has been laughing with you all through your life. / We had a lot of talks in the camp on the cushions of the grass. / And one evening, when the battle was over, under the pale moonlight. / The unforgettable comrades-in-arms who fought amongst us! / Sometimes we fought together under the fierce fire of the enemy's guns. / We were all so happy together at the end of the day. / I remember those who shared the joys and sorrows of war with me at the end of my days. / Through the writings of my friends, I look back to the distant front lines that have passed. / When you look at the book, you will see the battle in full swing. / On the day of his return, I would like to leave a piece of this / Praying for the longevity of your military career / (Cut out and attach to your photo album to make it shine even brighter. Please make it shine.)"

The Japanese had a tradition of presenting yosegaki hinomaru, or "Good Luck Flags," inscribed with messages from friends and family members, to departing soldiers. This booklet served a similar purpose with an image of the Japanese flag on a perforated page with a message of encouragement.

- Printed Document, Samples of College Entrance Examination Questions, English and Japanese translation questions. 2 pp., 7.75" x 21". Handwritten pencil notation at top: "A Jap learning to speak our language."

"It seems a pity for nations to waste so much time and money on armaments to gain world leadership when, as in the case of Japan, that leadership demonstrably may be attained through other approaches, commercially, industrially, and artistically."

"The time may come, though I hope it will not, when it will be necessary to repeat the sacrifices of the past; to give money and life and what is dearer than life, that the nation may be preserved. If that time shall come, meet it as heroes met it in the past."

64th Engineer Base Topographic Battalion was the primary cartographic unit of the U.S. Army in Asia during World War II and the Korean War. It began in the Pacific during World War I and pioneered modern aerial mapping, producing thousands of maps of previously unmapped islands, including Iwo Jima. Their efforts were critical to the recapture of the Philippines and the occupation of Japan. The unit was disbanded in the early 1970s when satellite mapping made their efforts obsolete.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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