V- J Day
Remembering V – J Day
THE STRIFE IS OVER, THE BATTLES DONE,
THE VICTORY OF WAR IS WON!!
When the news that Japan had surrendered spread, the rest of world gave thanks and celebrations erupted______
Most believe that it was the ultimate might of the Atomic bomb that ended the war in the Pacific. But this is not entirely the case; the Japanese military were still firm in their belief that an Allied invasion was the “golden opportunity” and “divine chance” they had been waiting for. Create must be given to” the Jushin, a group of former premiers, the senior statesmen of Japan, who worked behind the scenes and through the Emperor for surrender – They ended the war.”
_______quoted from Pacific War, by Saburo Ienaga
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Farewell Salutes –
Robert Adcock – Palmerston North, NZ; Service # 459672, WWII
Daniel Erdman Jr. – Mechanicburg, PA; US Army, 43rd Signal Corps, PTO
Sidney Gold – Philadelphia, PA; USMC, Lt., WWII, PTO, present at the signing
Gilbert Hillier – Colliers, CAN; RC Army, Korea
Irving Johnson – Sanibel, FL; US Navy, WWII, PTO
Edward Loftus – Phoenix, AZ; USMC, WWII, 2nd Marine Division, PTO
Gabriel Perle – Greenwich, CT; US Navy, Lt., WWII, PTO
Robert Scharf – Detroit, MI & Wellington, FL; US Army, WWII, PTO
Thomas Vecchio – Palo Alto, CA; US Army, Medical Corps
Bobby Walters – Alpharetta, GA, US Navy, WWII
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Late Addition –
An Australian dances for joy!! From a Movitone film at U-tube.
Australia celebrates!!! The sweater remains at a museum.
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Posted on August 14, 2014, in Uncategorized, WWII and tagged 11th airborne, family history, History, Japan, Military, Military History, USA, V-J Day, veterans, WWII. Bookmark the permalink. 103 Comments.
Pacific Paratrooper 
I need some help please.
I’m looking for some kind of information on my great uncle “Paul Fannin” who server in the 11th Airborn Paratrooper, in WW 2
Thanks!!
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NARA might have his records, but don’t get your hopes up; after a massive fire at the records center, 16-18 million sets of papers were lost – but maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones! http://www.archives.gov
You can pick up one of the many books by General E.M. Flanagan, who was not only in the 11th A/B during the war, but is still alive. I’ve spoken with him twice.
And, maybe the Association can help: Request for a Wanted Man Search, c/o Al Harkrader, 3415 N. Sheridan Road, Peoria, IL 61604 – 1430 Perhaps he will put the information in the next newsletter. Try to put in as much info as you have and/or picture.
The 11th A/B yearbook for 1943 is on-line.
Best of luck to you!! Don’t get impatient, you’re dealing with the government on those records. Let me know it turns out.
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Thank You for the info, this helps a lot!!
Take care!!
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I certainly hope so – and I wish you the best of luck!!
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Off topic, but I’m studying records keeping and document management, and the NARA disaster is used as a case study in the course. A really bad case of everyone saying ‘Everyone knows that when I use this word it has that meaning and they all agree with me.’
Not quite the modern day equivalent of the burning of the Library of Alexandria, but close enough.
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I wrote back one time – “I thought the Army did everything in triplicate!” No answer….
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But, I do know people who have acquired their relatives’ records and I DID receive my uncle’s.
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Another marvellous blog post. Could I just ask, was “VP Day” used a great deal at the time? (See photo) I also like your rule about moderating comments and “Is it OK for children?” That is really sensible, and also preserves free speech.
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Thank you for commenting about the ‘moderating’ comments. These troops fight for our right to speak, but every once in a blue moon, someone will make a remark that even adults would find offensive. Funny – after I trash the comment, I never seem to hear from them again – maybe they’re a test? As far as VP Day, I think it more of a newspaper term, I’ll only seen it once in awhile. Thanks for your interest, John.
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gp, always enjoy your historical blog posts. My Dad, Lawrence John Reilly Sr. (USN GMCM (Ret)) was a gunner’s mate and plank owner on the USS Oakland (CL-95). They fought in many of the major battles in the Pacific, including the Gilbert & Marshall Islands, Kwajalein, the Marianas, Guam, the Battle of the Philippine Sea (in which Dad was part of the famous “turkey shoot”), Iwo Jima, Peleliu, and the decisive Battle for Leyte Gulf. After Leyte, the Oakland returned to San Francisco for repairs and training, then sailed back to the Western Pacific to participate in the drive toward Japan and the Okinawa campaign. She would have been a participant in the invasion of Japan, had that come to pass. Instead, on August 14, 1945, the Oakland was anchored in Tokyo Harbor for the Japanese surrender. During Vietnam, Dad survived the sinking of the destroyer USS Frank E. Evans (DD-754), escaping from and swimming away from the sinking foward half of the ship (June 3, 1969). My brother and his namesake, Lawrence John Reilly Jr., was one of 74 sailors lost in the sinking. Dad retired as a Master Chief Gunner’s Mate after nearly 30 years in the Navy and this past June turned 90. Thanks again for reminding us all of the sacrifices so many American men have made to protect and preserve our freedom.
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September 2, 1945, at Tokyo Bay, not August 14! Sorry.
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No problem – you should see some of the typos I need to correct sometimes!! 🙄
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Jim – THAT is an outstanding story and just the sort of thing I’ve been looking for. Thank you very much for helping to make this site even better!! I’m very sorry for the loss of your brother, I know no words heal those wounds, but I care about each loss deeply. Your entire family has given service to this country and I can not thank you all enough for that, but please stand a mighty big salute to your father for me!
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Memorable pics, the dancing man pic is well known in Australia, not sure but I think I read somewhere that researchers had identified him.
Emu
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I did not know that. Ron, from “Freedom Born” told me about him, so I retrieved a photo to help represent Australia in the post.
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My dad was an 18-year-old draftee in August 45 and being trained for the invasion of Japan. When the bomb(s) were dropped he and all the guys in his unit jumped for joy because at least in their minds there would be no invasion.
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And they were right, weren’t they!! You father was a lucky man. Thank you for sharing.
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I’m sorry gpcox I won’t be commenting anymore and Ron too on your Blog, the reason why is because you continue to Moderate and so someone at WordPress can and is manipulating your settings which means when I leave a comment or I leave one for Ron, they play games and I’m fed up with their rudeness.
I’m sorry you will be the one who misses out but this happens with others too who moderate and unless this person is stopped than I will not post comments where they are moderated after the first one but I will read yours myself and leave you a Like if enjoyed.
Blessings – Anne
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I really have no idea what you’re talking about, as I have not had any trouble with my comments, but if you are – I respect your wishes and I’m sorry to lose you.
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Yes I moderate – not WordPress, because I leave this site open to everyone. I am just checking to be certain everything would alright for a youngster to see. Otherwise I pretty much allow everyone to say their opinions, whether I like them or not.
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Not sure gpcox if you received my private e-mail because you did not reply but it is not just about you moderating but someone adjusting your settings because you do and so when I post Ron’s comments they disappear, others have told me they have found comments in spam and so have I but mostly when their being moderated the first time although a few others too, now I always check.
I will try again in the future because Ron enjoys reading and commenting on your messages but is also concerned about the deliberate attempt of someone seeking to upset me.
Blessings – Anne
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I don’t believe anyone would deliberately try to upset you. Private emails are not opened due to the fact that I am not the only one using that address. But, when dealing with computers, glitches do happen and I find mistakes both in the W.P. spam and the private spam – so I wouldn’t be upset if I were you – chalk it up to the technology of the day!
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Thank you gpcox for the reminder of the euphoria that engulfed the free world , not only on VE Day ,but when VJ Day arrived . In Australia the iconic picture that embodied this day , was of a civilian man dancing in the newspaper strewn streets holding his hat aside and leaping joyfully.. The scourge and horror of such a long war, was behind , a peaceful tomorrow to be enjoyed.
Blessings
Ron
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I couldn’t resist, Ron – I went and checked it out. When you get time, come back to V – J Day and see if I did good!?
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Such a classic photo of the day. I love this photo. Thank you gpcox for including it and Ron for suggesting it.
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It was kind of you to return.
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Reblogged this on Practically Historical.
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Thank you very much. I sincerely hope your readers enjoy it!
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I chanced upon the memorial event on friday here locally.
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You didn’t happen to have your camera with you, did you? Did you stay and enjoy it?
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Only caught the last 10 minutes of the ceremony. Took a couple of shots but mostly just stood there and took in the ceremony.
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Good for you!
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Apologies for going off-topic, but during the week I was reading the IMDB bio on Fred Clark. According to this usually reliable source, Clark signed on as a Navy pilot in 1942 but later transferred to the ground forces, serving with the Third Army.
Would that have been common? It seems quite a jump to me.
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Ah, good ol’ Fred Clark, a wonderful character actor. In searching for the Farewell Salutes I have come across a number of men who did this. It’s not as though it happened everyday, but it wasn’t a rarity. They had finished their original obligation and felt they still had more to offer, but in a different way. No apologies needed – If I don’t have an answer to a question, I’ll say so and try to either research it or refer you to someone I think might have the answer.
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Thanks!
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A pic from Australia for VJ or VP Day – http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P02018.226/. Saw this yesterday and thought of your blog.
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Thanks, I’ve put it in my gallery.
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Looks great. 🙂 Her VP jumper is part of the collection at the War Memorial. It was very colorful – http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/REL23911/.
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That’s wonderful. Can’t imagine what it would be like to have my sweater in a museum, but OH, what a day that must have been!!
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I totally agree about having a sweater in a museum 🙂
It’s hard to fathom the mixture of emotions they must have gone through in those years.
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As you said – hard to fathom. We can only try to imagine.
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Check back to see your pix.
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I just love your blog. I learn something new every single time. It is so important that this history is known and remembered by people.
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That compliment works both ways! You continually teach me about Nature! Thank you.
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Amazing photos! It must have been an incredible celebration for it to be over.
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For most it appeared to be exactly that. Thanks for coming by.
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In this link you will find a photo of a small VJ Day celebration in one suburb of Christchurch. http://cclblog.wordpress.com/tag/this-week-in-history/ I have a special farewell salute today, for my great-aunt’s only son. Brickle, Bert Vincent (No. 447652 NZ Army), aged 92, on August 7, 2014, in Christchurch. I attended the funeral this week. A representative of the Returned and Services Association was present and we were invited to place poppies on the casket. Bert served almost 5 years in the Army and was in Italy in WW2. His grandson played the Last Post at the service.
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Thank you, Ann. The ChristChurch City Libraries is a great site, though I have to admit I haven’t been as faithful a reader lately as usual. I caught up with a few posts thanks to your link and really enjoyed the photos! Very sorry to hear about the passing of your cousin, he will be in the next Farewell Salutes.
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I think you have been very busy with other reading. 🙂
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‘fraid so, but I did promise to be more international this time thru the Pacific War.
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Excellent post as usual, one of my relatives was on the Burma Road, died not long after the war from blackwater fever, never met the guy, mores the pity..
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Such a shame, that Burma Road cost the lives of far too many good men. Any other data on your relative? Unit he was in?
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No, unfortunately, chances are he was a Dodd, Yorkshire Regiment perhaps (the relatives were all Yorkshire on my mum’s side)? My mum would know but alas.. Too late to ask her. Jack or John I suspect..
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You never know, we just may come up with something.
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I just took a quick look.. East Yorks, most likely, Grimethorpe was the family town, (Grim eh?)
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It’s a start….
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One of so many, a small start..
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GREAT pics !!!!!!
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Thanks, Chris. I was trying to show all sides of the spectrum for the news.
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It looks really terrific !
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😉
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excellent post. I love all the images too.
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Thank you, Sedge, that means a lot from someone with such a photography site as yourself.
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Thank you 🙂
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My pleasure.
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Great images. A victory without which I would never have existed, but at such an appalling cost. Interesting that moves were being made in that direction before Hiroshima. Though there were generals in Thailand and Borneo who were planning to fight on even when the Emperor surrendered.
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Most of the military wanted to fight to the end, thankfully that didn’t happened – or neither one of us would have existed! Thanks for visiting here, Hillary – always a welcome guest!
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How sad to receive the dreaded news of a son’s death on the last day of the war. Good post!
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Thank you, Linda. I debated with myself about including that newspaper item, but I wanted to show that there were different reactions to the news. I couldn’t find an appropriate one for the soldiers who knew this still meant a lot of work, so I included the 11th Airborne patch for the men that were the first ones in to Japan.
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The Japanese never got the ‘quit’ gene. They don’t know how to do that (some cultures don’t know how to do anything else. Go figure).
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I think it goes back to – how you were raised and the Japanese were trained in Bushido – the way of the warrior.
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Although Saburo Ienaga may maintain “. . . the Jushin, a group of former premiers, the senior statesmen of Japan, who worked behind the scenes and through the Emperor . . ” ended the war, I can only wonder how much their influence increased with the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Would they have been able to end the war had we invaded Japan? That is a question that cannot be answered.
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I do know that they started working on the Emperor before the bombs were dropped, but when the Emperor finally made his unprecedented ruling to surrender – no one but him knows if what he saw in Hiroshima had anything to do with it. (IMO – I would venture to say yes.)
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Check this out. . . Not sure if it would be of interest. I haven’t read past the About.
http://ashiakira.wordpress.com/
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Yes, I was one of the 550 people who clicked on the “Like” button, but I re-read it again just now. A very remarkable man whose life crossed paths in some way with 2 other remarkable men who gave their lives for what they believed in. It is for stories like this that I continually say – Remember. Thank you for taking the time to remind me of that page.
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I agree with previous comments–there are too many would-be history revisionists, history deniers out there.
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Very true, Adam. And I don’t understand why.
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In some cases, it’s a matter of selfish convenience. I believe in what, I believe, Aldous Huxley said–“Those that don’t learn from the mistakes of history are bound to repeat them.”
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You got it!
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Many thanks, friend ,for your gracious note. I am most happy to have you as a friend! Blessings. . . . .
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You more than deserved it – thank you!!
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Terrific pictures.
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Thanks. I wanted to make this different from the previous years and I DO love old photos!
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I love vintage photos and images. These were good ones, today.
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Thank you, Swabby. We share the same enjoyment of the old days, there were so many I wanted to use!
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Great post…and I agree with JF from above. You have so much documentation on this blog that somewhere sometime it will be a reference point for others. Outstanding life’s work and contribution on your part.
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Thank you very much, Mrs P. That is very kind of you to say. I certainly hope someone, at some point can use all this – and remember.
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I think that your blog deserves to be read by millions! There are too many people in our country and around the world who are ignorant and don’t know history. If they read all your posts and thought a bit they would change their perspective on life.
Thank you again for your so important work!
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Whoa! Thank you so much for that outstanding compliment. I can only hope to live up to it all.
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The invasion would have been like a different war altogether. For whatever the reason, I’m glad it didn’t come to that. I know we wanted to bring the war to an end before Russia was engaged. I wonder if the leaders in Japan thought about that. If they did, I have a sense that I’ll find out here. Staying tuned 🙂
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That operation would have made D-Day look like a day at the beach – just as you said, another war altogether. Russia did sneak in early, to avoid being left out of the spoils of war. (and then we had trouble getting them to adhere to the truce and surrender) – the rest I’ll look into the rest.
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Reblogged this on The ObamaCrat™.
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Thank you.
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Reblogged this on A Conservative Christian Man and commented:
My uncle Neal was released from a Japanese POW camp around this time. Weighing about 90-odd pounds (he was about 180 when his plane was shot down and he was captured). He never recovered from the diseases he caught as a prisoner and died in 1959. He was 100% disabled and my aunt still receives his pension, a small comfort for the loss of her husband, the love of her life. She raised their 3 children alone, never remarrying.
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Thank you for sharing tour uncle’s story along with the re-blog, Paul.
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Missed this one in my e-mail box
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It was only published a few minutes ago.
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I know… It looked strange.
No comments made.
No likes.
Coffee time!
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Now it does – thanks!!
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This one is for you GP…
http://raf238squadron.wordpress.com/
You will be the first reader and the first one to like it and comment on it.
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I hope I have given you the compliment you deserves for all your work.
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Senior moments… we’re August 14!
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Ah-ha!!
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