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Okinawa brigbacks


Steve S.
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These items were brought back from the battle for Okinawa by Howard Eugene Tucker, USMC. Gene was my neighbor from the time I was born until we moved when I was 11 and was someone I considered family. We went fishing together & he pretty much got me thru the 6th grade when I had a below average teacher who didnt teach, just wrote things on the board & expected you to figure it out. Gene had me write down everything each day, bring it over & we would figure it out together. He also loved to tell his war stories. Since I was younger, the particulars of his service & which battles he was involved in didnt stick with me but wish now that I had the history of his service. Shortly before he passed in the mid 80s, we were in for a visit & he gave these to me. Said it was taken from the last Japanese he killed on Okinawa. Said they were on patrol in high grass & the enemy was jumping up & charging here & there at them. Kind like rabbit hunting as he put it.

 

Silk good luck belt sewn onto a pair of wool socks with blood stain from bayonet wound

 

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Flag taken from the same soldier

 

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These items had been stored in a panty hose box since the war

 

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americankraut

Nice item, with a great story. He must have been a very good man. I had a similar mentor, but he would never talk about his service in the army, just hunting and wood carving.

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From Ancestry website:

Name:

Howard E Tucker Muster Date: Jul 1945 Rank: Private First Class Station: Consolidated Hq and Servco And Wpns Co, 7Thmar, 1Stmardiv, Fmf.
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Eric Queen

Here is the flag in its correct orientation.

 

祝出征田村庄八君 = iwai shussei tamura shouhachi kun

 

(given to) Mr. Shouhachi Tamura in celebration of departure to the front

post-161323-0-99680600-1522812538.jpeg

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  • 1 month later...

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