WWII Japan flag signed by USS Strive crew

[Bob Hudson]

This was signed in November 1945 in Formosa by the crew of the USS Strive (AM 117). The Strive operated in the European theater before being assigned to the Pacific. Most of her Pacific crew appears to have come aboard after a refit in Norfolk. Wikipedia has this account of the Pacific operations:

 

Pacific Ocean operations

 

Strive got underway on 15 February [1945] with a task unit bound for Hawaii, transited the Panama Canal, and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 18 March. On 27 April, the minesweeper headed for the Marshall Islands and arrived at Eniwetok on 6 May. The next day, she sailed for the Marianas as a convoy escort. Strive called at Guam on the 11th, sailed the next day for Okinawa, and arrived at Kerama Retto on the 20th. Strive swept off Iheya Retto from 3 June until the 11th when she turned to patrol duty out of Kerama Retto.

On 13 August, two days before hostilities ended, she was ordered to sweep the "Skagway" area of the East China Sea. She swept Kagoshima Bay from 1 to 9 September, and Bungo Suido from 22 September until early October, when she returned to Okinawa. In November, she swept the "Sherlys" area off Formosa. On 20 December, she departed Kiirin, Formosa, for China and arrived at Shanghai on 22 December 1945.

 

 

In one corner of the flag it says:

 

Muster List

of USS STRIVE

Nov. 25 1945

FORMOSA

 

 

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

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[james127]

So cool!

[Bob Hudson]

Did someone on the forum buy this from me, I can't recall. I've been contacted by the son of a Strive crewmember, hoping he might be able to get a photo of his dad's signature if it's on the flag.

[Bob Hudson]

Got a call today from another crew members family.