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Japanese aircraft meatball signed by Iwo Jima tank Marines


Bob Hudson
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Bob Hudson

Running a few names through the USMC Muster Rolls reveals that this piece of fabric from a Japanese aircraft was signed by members of Co. C, 5th Tank Bn, 5th Marine Division, which fought at Iwo Jima.

 

This is fabric. The meatball itself measures about 25 inches across and the fabric is mounted between thin plywood and plexiglas.

 

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3.jpg

 

1a.jpeg

 

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ParanormalTrooper

Wow, that's incredible!

 

Where the heck did you find that? :huh:

One can only imagine the shipping cost!

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Bob Hudson

 

One can only imagine the shipping cost!

 

I'm alreay looking for a 36-inch pizza delivery box to ship it in.

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RustyCanteen

And here I thought SoCal had dried up!

 

 

 

I guess all those rains finally washed out some more pieces of history long lodged in attics and closets.

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RustyCanteen

 

I'm alreay looking for a 36-inch pizza delivery box to ship it in.

 

I'll eat the pizza first to be on the safe side.. :)

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RustyCanteen

Awesome find though! Can you imagine the amount of stories contained in those signatures?

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Bob Hudson

 

 

I guess all those rains finally washed out some more pieces of history long lodged in attics and closets.

 

You and another member pointed out this meatball is encircled by the orange paint of a Japanese training aircraft, some of which rode the devine wind in the last days of the war.

 

I've looked all over and have not yet found one of these signed by anybody, let alone an Iwo Jima unit. It is a scarce spoil of war for sure.

 

It came with a silk Japanese flag (actual flag, not a "good luck" flag) signed by a unit of the 6th Army (it has its own thread).

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RustyCanteen

I would be surprised if there are more than a few that have that many signatures all the way around it - from any unit!

 

Not only is it a piece of history, but it's a piece of history you can't take your eyes off.

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Bob Hudson

Thats really nice.

 

Have 3 uniforms from the 5th Tank Bn.

 

One of our forum members has a grouping of one of the Marines who signed this.

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Bob Hudson

This could be one of the fabric-covered Yokosuka K5Y1 Willow trainers, produced up until 1945. One of those did the last kamikaze sinking of a US warship in WWII.

 

orange.jpeg

 

red.jpg

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