Steve S. Posted April 4, 2018 Share #1 Posted April 4, 2018 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 Link to post Share on other sites
Steve S. Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted April 4, 2018 Flag taken from the same soldier These items had been stored in a panty hose box since the war Link to post Share on other sites
Steve S. Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share #3 Posted April 4, 2018 The back of the box with documentation Link to post Share on other sites
bobgee Posted April 4, 2018 Share #4 Posted April 4, 2018 Great story & poignant reminders of war. Bob **PLEASE NOTE: THIS COMMUNITY MEMBER HAS SADLY PASSED AWAY** https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/343375-remembering-bobgee/ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/211496624/robert-brendan-gill Link to post Share on other sites
americankraut Posted April 4, 2018 Share #5 Posted April 4, 2018 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. Link to post Share on other sites
Blacksmith Posted April 4, 2018 Share #6 Posted April 4, 2018 Thanks for sharing these items Steve. Really powerful stuff. Link to post Share on other sites
agate hunter Posted April 4, 2018 Share #7 Posted April 4, 2018 Great items Looking for: Washington and Oregon Coast Artillery items Any items related to the Harbor Defenses of the Columbia River and the Harbor Defenses of Puget Sound, 1860s-WWII. This includes items from Fort Stevens, OR; Ft Canby, WA; Ft Columbia, WA; Ft Worden, WA; Ft Casey, WA; Ft Flagler, WA; Ft Ward, WA; Ft Whitman, WA; Camp Hayden, WA; and the following units that served at these forts:Columbia River: 33rd, 34th, 93rd, and 160th Companies, CAC; and 18th and 249th Coast Artillery regimentsPuget Sound: 26th, 30th, 62nd, 63rd, 71st, 85th, 92nd, 94th, 106th, 108th, 126th, 149th, and 150th Companies, CAC; and 14th and 248th Coast Artillery regiments Coast Defense Study Group member & site representative for the Columbia River fortsASMIC member Link to post Share on other sites
katieony Posted April 4, 2018 Share #8 Posted April 4, 2018 Amazing and historical bring backs...thank you for sharing his story and images! Mike Link to post Share on other sites
M24 Chaffee Posted April 4, 2018 Share #9 Posted April 4, 2018 Great story and special bringbacks for you! Very cool! Frank Link to post Share on other sites
manayunkman Posted April 4, 2018 Share #10 Posted April 4, 2018 Awesome. Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt Barickman Posted April 4, 2018 Share #11 Posted April 4, 2018 Those are great souvenirs with lineage to boot. Thanks for sharing. Kurt My hobby is my job and my job is my hobby. High School and University History Instructor Link to post Share on other sites
USCapturephotos Posted April 4, 2018 Share #12 Posted April 4, 2018 I enjoyed reading about these. Sounds like a very special man. Paul Link to post Share on other sites
badash5946 Posted April 4, 2018 Share #13 Posted April 4, 2018 Fantastic items! and thanks for keeping the memory of your friend alive. Collector of Vietnam and Korean War Sniper Weapons Link to post Share on other sites
huntssurplus Posted April 4, 2018 Share #14 Posted April 4, 2018 Great items! It's cool that it's from a close family friend!Thanks for sharing!Hunt I am an amateur collector of US military items of the 20th century. Looking for items related to: -The Aleutian Island Campaign of WW2, Alaskan Theater, Alaska Defense Command, and more specifically the Battle of Attu -Items related to the 50th Combat Engineer Regiment/Battalion -Items related to Wheelus Air Force Base Libya, particularly from 1957-1960 -WW2 items belonging to service members from Northern Virginia -WW2 Uniforms (all branches and services) -Cheap/Throwaway WW2 named uniforms -Smaller WW2 Groupings -7th Infantry Division Items -WW2 Photos and Letters (all branches, theaters, services, etc) ^^ PM ME!! Instagram: @surplus_central https://instagram.com/surplus_central/ eBay: http://www.ebay.com/usr/giovachm Link to post Share on other sites
muddyboots Posted April 6, 2018 Share #15 Posted April 6, 2018 Very nice bringbacks and thanks for sharing. James Link to post Share on other sites
ww2marine Posted April 6, 2018 Share #16 Posted April 6, 2018 Killer items, thanks for posting! Link to post Share on other sites
SV1976 Posted May 17, 2018 Share #17 Posted May 17, 2018 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. Link to post Share on other sites
Eric Queen Posted May 23, 2018 Share #18 Posted May 23, 2018 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 Link to post Share on other sites
sundance Posted May 24, 2018 Share #19 Posted May 24, 2018 Wow. Great items and a great story. Link to post Share on other sites
LibertyDivision Posted July 18, 2018 Share #20 Posted July 18, 2018 Wonderful bring back group. Link to post Share on other sites
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