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Japanese Flag Bringback


hirsca
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From the estate of a WW2 USMC Veteran. Family kept most of his things (which they should), but I was able to get this. I will take it to my Japanese friend for some translations. First one that I have seen with the Tiger drawn on it. Thanks, Al.

post-12790-0-28892800-1393715120.jpg

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That is a Japanese soldier's "hinomaru yosegaki" "good luck" flag which was signed by friends and family and carried, folded up, in battle. I believe that photo shows the backside of the flag.

 

Most have the same phrase at the top, which means something like "Eternal Fortune in Battle".

 

hinomaru.jpg

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That is a Japanese soldier's "hinomaru yosegaki" "good luck" flag which was signed by friends and family and carried, folded up, in battle. I believe that photo shows the backside of the flag.

 

Most have the same phrase at the top, which means something like "Eternal Fortune in Battle".

 

attachicon.gifhinomaru.jpg

 

Thanks Bob. Kanji is not my thing. I'll reverse it for future photo's. What about the tiger? Unusual or not? Thanks again, Al.

 

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crotalus358

Very nice flag!! Out of curiosity, any info on the USMC vet or where this was captured?

 

Steve

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Thanks guys. Sorry crotalus358, but the estate sale people did not have any info other than he was a Marine and served in the Pacific Theater. The family kept everything else (as they should), so there wasn't anything at the sale to provide details. I will do some research by going to the county property tax records to get the owners name, then go on from there. Now, does anyone know the significance of the tiger image? Year of the tiger---1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, etc.---but for what? Al.

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Now, does anyone know the significance of the tiger image?

 

It is not uncommon to find a tiger image on a good luck flag: in Japan the tiger is highly symbolic, of a warrier, and, as one website put it, "Tigers were popular as they were known to be able to roam far away from home and then return safely."

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It is not uncommon to find a tiger image on a good luck flag: in Japan the tiger is highly symbolic, of a warrier, and, as one website put it, "Tigers were popular as they were known to be able to roam far away from home and then return safely."

 

Thanks Bob. Great Information.

 

Al

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Very nice flag!! Out of curiosity, any info on the USMC vet or where this was captured?

 

Steve

 

Hello Steve. Here is what I (actually my head researcher--my wife) have found. Joe Ernest Grubbs, Sr. His obituary only said that he was a WW2 Veteran who served in the South Pacific. However an on line obituary had three pictures of him at various times of his life, one of which is a picture of him in his USMC uniform. I had to enlarge the picture, but you can clearly see him in the Marine uniform. That's all I have right now. If you or anyone can dig a little deeper as to his assignments in the South Pacific, I would be very grateful. Thanks, Al.

 

post-12790-0-49978200-1393944679.jpg

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Would those be blood stains, Al? :o

 

Hello Ian. They look like it, but I need to show the flag to a friend of mine who is a physician and fellow collector of militaria. He has identified blood stains on other items that I have, so I will report back after he gives his opinion. Thanks, Al.

 

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Hello Steve. Here is what I (actually my head researcher--my wife) have found. Joe Ernest Grubbs, Sr. His obituary only said that he was a WW2 Veteran who served in the South Pacific. However an on line obituary had three pictures of him at various times of his life, one of which is a picture of him in his USMC uniform. I had to enlarge the picture, but you can clearly see him in the Marine uniform. That's all I have right now. If you or anyone can dig a little deeper as to his assignments in the South Pacific, I would be very grateful. Thanks, Al.

 

 

He enlisted in April 1944 and the October 1944 Muster Roll shows him being with the 5th Marine Division in the Pacific, but starting in January 1945 he was back in the states, so he did not go to Iwo Jima with the 5th. It looks like he spent the rest of the war at the Marine Barracks in Spokane, Wash. In looking at the muster rolls it appears he may have gotten sick or been injured, perhaps when the 5th was training in Hawaii, but you can't tell for sure.

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He enlisted in April 1944 and the October 1944 Muster Roll shows him being with the 5th Marine Division in the Pacific, but starting in January 1945 he was back in the states, so he did not go to Iwo Jima with the 5th. It looks like he spent the rest of the war at the Marine Barracks in Spokane, Wash. In looking at the muster rolls it appears he may have gotten sick or been injured, perhaps when the 5th was training in Hawaii, but you can't tell for sure.

 

Thanks Bob. Very interesting. I don't think Hawaii is considered to be in the South Pacific, so, I wonder why the obit said that? I'll keep digging. Thanks again for the update. Al.

 

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Thanks Bob. Very interesting. I don't think Hawaii is considered to be in the South Pacific, so, I wonder why the obit said that? I'll keep digging. Thanks again for the update. Al.

 

 

Technically, no, but in popular usage anything from Hawaii southward is called the "South Pacific." I think the Marines only campaign south of the Equator might have been Guadalcanal.

 

Here's his WWII Muster Roll entries:

 

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4407g1.jpg

4410g.jpg

4501g1.jpg

4501g2.jpg

4501g.jpg

4505g.jpg

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vintageproductions

Japanese flags with tigers are very tough to find. Same as Koi and demons.

I own about five tiger flags, and that is from over twenty years of searching them in Japan.

Great flag.

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Bob--thanks for posting the muster rolls.

 

vintageproductions--thanks for the comment. Scarce is nice.

 

So, based on the muster rolls, it doesn't look like Private Grubbs got this himself directly from the battlefield. It does look like it is original, so maybe a buddy brought it back for him.

 

Thanks, Al.

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