British Commonwealth Occupation Forces in Japan

Participation in the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) marked the first time that Australians were involved in the military occupation of a sovereign nation which it had defeated in war. BCOF participation in the allied occupation force was announced on 31 January 1946, though planning and negotiations had been in progress since the end of the war. The main body of Australian troops arrived in Japan on 21 February.

Up to 45,000 Australians served in BCOF, including an infantry contingent of 4,700, base units consisting of 5,300, an air force wing of 2,200 and 130 from the Australian General Hospital. The Australian Navy also had a presence in the region as part of the British Pacific Fleet. For two thirds of the period of occupation the Commonwealth was represented solely by Australians and throughout its existence BCOF was always commanded by an Australian officer.

The BCOF area of responsibility was the western prefectures of Shimani, Yamaguchi, Tottori, Okayama, Hiroshima and Shikoku Island. BCOF headquarters were located at Kure, the army was encamped at Hiro, the RAAF at Iwakuni, and the naval shore establishment at the former Japanese naval base at Kure. At the peak of its involvement the Australian component of BCOF was responsible for over 20 million Japanese citizens and 57,000 sq. kilometres of country. Adjacent to the area of Australian responsibility were prefectures occupied by the 2 New Zealand EF (Japan), the British and Indian Division (Brindiv) and, further away, the US 8th Army. 

The main Australian occupation component was the 34th Infantry Brigade, which arrived in early 1946, and was made up of the 65th, 66th and 67th Battalions. The RAN ships that served were: HMAS Australia, HMAS Hobart, HMAS Shropshire and the destroyers: HMAS Arunta, Bataan, Culgoa, Murchison, Shoalhaven, Quadrant, Quiberon. Landing Ships Infantry: Manoora, Westralia and Kanimbla were used for transport. 

The Australian air force component was stationed at Bofu, in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The RAAF Squadrons which served were No. 76, No. 77 and No. 82, all flying Mustangs. The air force component of BCOF was known as BCAIR. By 1950 only one Australian squadron, No 77, remained in Japan.

By early 1947, BCOF had begun to decline from its peak of over 40,000 service personnel from the UK, New Zealand, India and Australia and, by the end of 1948, BCOF was composed entirely of Australians. The force was dismantled during 1951 as responsibilities in Japan were handed over to the British Commonwealth Forces Korea. Some personnel stayed on to serve in the Korean War. Members of No 77 Squadron, for example, had their ‘going home’ celebrations interrupted by the news that they were to be sent immediately to Korea. BCOF ceased to exist on 28 April 1951 when the Japanese Peace Treaty came into effect.

The primary objective of BCOF was to enforce the terms of the unconditional surrender that had ended the war the previous September. The task of exercising military government over Japan was the responsibility of the United States forces. BCOF was required to maintain military control and to supervise the demilitarization and disposal of the remnants of Japan’s war making capacity. To this end, Australian army and air force personnel were involved in the location and securing of military stores and installations.

The Intelligence Sections of the Australian battalions were given targets to investigate by BCOF Headquarters, in the form of grid references for dumps of Japanese military equipment. Warlike materials were destroyed and other equipment was kept for use by BCOF or returned to the Japanese. The destruction or conversion to civilian use of military equipment was carried out by Japanese civilians under Australian supervision. Regular patrols and road reconnaissance’s were initiated and carried out in the Australian area of responsibility as part of BCOF’s general surveillance duties.

The RAN component of BCOF was responsible for patrolling the Inland Sea to prevent both smuggling and the illegal immigration of Koreans to Japan. In this task they were assisted by the RAAF whose aircraft were also involved in tracking vessels suspected of smuggling or transporting illegal immigrants. RAAF squadrons also flew surveillance patrols over each of the prefectures in the BCOF zone in order to help locate left over weapons and ordnance.

During 1947, the BCOF began to wind down its presence in Japan. However, BCOF bases provided staging posts for Commonwealth forces deployed to the Korean War from 1950 onwards. The BCOF was effectively wound-up in 1951, as control of Commonwealth forces in Japan was transferred to British Commonwealth Forces Korea.

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British Military Humor –

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Farewell Salutes – 

Anthony D. Benedetto (Tony Bennett) – Long Island City, NY; US Army, WWII, ETO, Pvt.,  G Co/255/63rd Infantry Division/7th Army/  Beloved singer/entertainer

Arthur Beren – Regina, CAN; RC Navy, WWII

Larry E, Cooper – Newark, OH; US Army, airborne, Colonel (Ret. 35 y.)

Kenneth L. Dann – Rock Island, IA; US Army, 11th Airborne Division

Merax C. Dockery – Seminole, OK; USMC, Lance Cpl., Logistics 2/Combat Logistics Reg. 2/ 2nd Marine Logistics Group

Ivan R. Garcia – Naples, FL. USMC, Lance Cpl., Logistics 2/ Combat Logistics Reg. 2/2nd Marine Logistics Group

Kenneth H. Hurrelbrink – Willow Run, MI; US Navy, Lt. Comdr. (Ret. 21 y.), pilot

Tanner J. Kaltenberg – Verona, WI; USMC, Lance Cpl., Logistics 2/Combat Logistics Reg. 2/2nd Marine Logistics Group

John Luvara – Greenwich, CT; US Army, Japanese Occupation, 11th Airborne Division

Joel Sanchez – Vallejo, CA; US Army, Sgt., scout, 1st Armored Division

Moon S. Wallace – brn: Seoul, SK; Civilian, Korean War, US Army

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Going Home – soon

Christmas card

This was the Christmas card sent from Japan to Broad Channel, New York in December 1945. Anna Smith had been waiting to hear this news from her son Everett (Smitty) for over three years. On the back, it reads:

“Dear Mom:
This is the best Xmas card I’ve sent to you since getting in the army. I figured this would be what you have always been waiting to see, here it goes.

“I’m finally on my way, so don’t send any more mail.
Love, Everett
“P.S. I’ll keep you posted on my various stops.

Everett Smith, aka “Smitty” or “Pops”

CLICKAdvertisement from the era. At the bottom is an ad for George Burns & Gracie Allen 

 

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Much can be said about General Joseph May Swing that I am very surprised no one had written his biography. He stood tall and lean with prematurely white hair and arresting blue eyes. The man had an instinct for command and left an impressive and formidable impression on all he met.

Swing was born on 28 February 1894 and graduated in the star-studded West Point class of 1915. His fellow classmates included Dwight D. Eisenhower and Generals Bradley, Beukema, Ryder, Irwin, McNarney and Van Fleet. Van Fleet had relieved General Ridgeway as commander of the Eighth Army, which included the 187th RCT during the Korean War.

Major General Joseph Swing

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If anyone happens to recognize these girls and women from Cavite, P.I., I would appreciate hearing from you.

woman from Cavite

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE.

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Military Humor –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Farewell Salutes – 

Tony Bersito – Stratford, NJ; US Army, Korea, 11th Airborne Division

James O. Brazee – Litchfield, MI; US Army, 11th Airborne Division

Jesse D. Brown – Hyrum, UT; US Army, 187th RCT, parachute rigger

Timothy Donovan Sr. – Wethersfield, CT; US Army, 11th Airborne Division

John T. Halpin – Chatham TWP, NJ; US Army, 11th Airborne Division

Everett D. LaFollette – Ogden, UT; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Co D/511/11th Airborne

George E. Mattor – Oxford, ME; US Army, 11th Airborne Division

Pascal R. Politano – Boonville, NY; US Army, 503/11th Airborne Division, Major (Ret. 20 y.)

Charles O. Spoor – Shieldsville, MN; US Army, Co C/503/11th Airborne Division

Oren R. Vess – Flat Rock, NC, US Army, Spec. 4, Co B/11th Airborne Division

Jimmy T. Whitt – Duncan, OK; US Army, 11th Airborne Division, 1957-60

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Gen. Swing’s sword

Gen. Swing accepting the sword w/ Gen. Eichelberger

Even though Smitty had earned his points to go home, he was still an NCO on General Swing’s staff and was required to finish out his duties as such. After going through combat in the South Pacific, it would be in peaceful occupational Japan where Smitty’s temper would get the better of him.

Non-nonchalantly going about his business at the headquarters of Camp Schimmelpfennig, Smitty just happened to glance through the glass partition that sealed off Gen. Swing’s office. Inside was an officer holding and admiring the Japanese sword that his commander intended to keep and bring home as a souvenir. Smitty didn’t think much of it at the time; he was busy and many people commented on the weapon. so he continued down the hallway. A short while later, the entire office could hear the general demanding to know what had become of his sword. It was gone.

Cpl. Smith is standing far right

My father didn’t think twice, this was his general. He went into the room and told Swing what he had witnessed. Without a second thought, the two men went to the other man’s office, but neither the man or sword was there. The officer in question showed a few moments later. When the general explained why they were waiting for him, the officer became indignant and professed his innocence (just a tad too much). My father said the air of tension in the room became thick enough to use a machete on. This was when Smitty’s temper went out of control and with one right cross – sent the officer through his own glass partition.

Of course, this action made it necessary to bust Smitty back down to private, but he didn’t care about that. He was still furious that the sword was never returned. It all could have gone worse if the general had not been there or if he did not believe Smitty’s word. Smitty said it was worth being busted just to wipe the smirky grin off the officer’s face. The officer, I believe, was a replacement and had not seen much (if any) combat, just a blow-heart. Smitty later offered his two Japanese swords to General Swing, but he refused. My father didn’t believe the general would have taken the Emperor’s own sword as a replacement. I can clearly see my father’s face contort when he thought of the thief and he would say, “That know-nothing mattress salesman from Texas!” I’m sure it was for the best that the two men never met again stateside as civilians.

Smitty, in Japan
“The guy snapped the picture just as a flock of geese flew by.”

Unfortunately, a similar incident occurred to my father. As he happily began packing to go home, Smitty noticed that an expensive set of carved ivory chop sticks he had purchased somehow had disappeared. They also were never recovered. (I had often wondered if the two incidents had been related, but I suppose we’ll never know.)

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Military Humor – 

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Farewell Salutes – 

Norbert Antor – Comstock Park, MI; US Army, WWII, ETO, Purple Heart

Milton T. Bauer – Newton, KS; US Air Force, Korea, pilot, Distinguished Flying Cross

Traditions of Honor & Respect

Wiiliam A. Gardner – Allentown, PA; US Army, Korea  /  asst. chief scientist for NASA projects

Wing O. Hom – Boston, MA; US Army, WWII, ETO, Co B/7/3rd Infantry Division, KIA (Cisterna di Latina, ITA)

John L. McGraw – Summit, NJ; US Navy, Jacksonville Naval Air Station

Bobby Osborne – KY & OH; USMC, Korea, Purple Heart  /  Grand Ole Opry singer, “Rocky Top”

Anthony J. Palmer – Grove City, PA; US Army, Korea

Paul D. Rooney – Somerville, MA; US Coast Guard

Donald D. Shorr – Forest Hills, NY; US Navy, WWII

Ricky Z. Simon – Delray Beach, FL; US Army, WWII

Garrett A. Sullivan – Cambridge, MA; US Air Force, Korea

James W. Thompson – Wheeling, WV; US Navy, WWII, PTO, Corpsman w/ USMC

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AM I TOO LATE FOR MONDAY?

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Japan’s Underground

Ammunition is removed from storage cave at Takatsuki Dump, Osaka.

General Swing made General Pierson commander of the 187th and 188th joint group which became known as the Miyagi Task Force. They set up their headquarters in an insurance company building in Sendai. The principle responsibility of the Miyagi Task Force was to collect and destroy all arms, munitions and armament factories. They were also charged with seeing that General MacArthur’s edicts were all carried out. Many of the military installations had underground tunnels filled with drill presses and machine tools of all types. The entire zone needed to be demilitarized and equipment destroyed. Colonel Tipton discovered a submarine base for the two-man subs and a small group of men still guarding them. They told the colonel that they just wanted to go home.

The Japanese mainland was still potentially a colossal armed camp, and there was an obvious military gamble in landing with only two and a half divisions, then confronted by fifty-nine Japanese divisions, thirty-six brigades, and forty-five-odd regiments plus naval and air forces.

In this, June 23, 2015 photo, journalists walk underground tunnels that Japan’s Imperial Navy once used as secret headquarters underneath of Hiyoshi Campus. (Eugene Hoshiko)

On a hillside overlooking a field where students play volleyball, an inconspicuous entrance leads down a slope—and seemingly back in time—to Japan’s secret Imperial Navy headquarters in the final months of World War II. Here, Japan’s navy leaders made plans for the fiercest battles from late 1944 to the war’s end in August 1945. The navy commanders went rushing to the underground command center whenever US B-29 bombers flew over. The tunnel had ventilation ducts, a battery room, food storage with ample stock of sake, and deciphering and communications departments.

Considerable stocks of war equipment were dispersed amid the tangled masses of fire blackened girders, in thousands of caches located deep in the hills, in carefully constructed tunnels and warehouses, and over miles of Japanese landscape. Along the shores near the great ports, there remained many permanent fortresses. Japan’s frantic preparations for a last ditch stand against invasion resulted in numerous hastily built coastal defenses. (Plate No. 41) The majority of these coastal defenses were manned by brigades. The larger and more permanent installations were equipped with heavy artillery and were concentrated in strategic locations such as the peninsula which forms Tokyo Bay, the northern entrance to the Inland Sea, the southern tip of Kyushu, and the coastline around Fukuoka. Almost three hundred airfields, ranging from bomber and supply strips to “Kamikaze” strips, sheltered some 6,000 Japanese combat aircraft capable of providing air cover and close support for the ground and naval forces. (Plate No. 42) Japanese arsenals, munitions factories, steel plants, aircraft factories, and ordnance depots were widely scattered throughout the country.   Japanese naval vessels consisting of carriers, battleships, destroyers, submarines, and auxiliary and maintenance craft were anchored in all of the major ports.

June 23, 2015 photo, staff members of Keio University walk underground tunnels that Japan’s Imperial Navy once used as secret headquarters underneath of Hiyoshi Campus in Yokohama. (Eugene Hoshiko)

In the Sixth Army zone during the month of November 1945, at least ten ports were in operation, and approximately 4,500 tons of ammunition were disposed of daily.

Records later indicated that actually some 2,468,665 rifles and carbines were received by the Occupation forces and later disposed of. The Japanese reported more artillery ammunition than small arms ammunition. Ammunition for the grenade launcher, often known as the “knee mortar,” was also more plentiful; some 51,000,000 rounds were reported, or an average of 1,794 rounds for each weapon.

This Japanese underground bunker consists of many rooms and was built by Korean and Chinese forced laborers during the Second World War.

A check on the police stations in Aomori, Hirosaki, and Sambongi (all towns in Aomori Prefecture) produced some 1,880 rifles, 1,881 bayonets, 18 light machine guns, 505,260 rounds of rifle and machine gun ammunition, 46,980 rounds of blank ammunition, one case of TNT, and 150 military swords. Daily G-2 and CIC reports revealed many instances of smaller caches, sometimes in school compounds.

The Matsushiro Underground Imperial Headquarters (松代大本営跡, Matsushiro Daihon’ei Ato, “Matsushiro Imperial Headquarters Site”) was a large underground bunker complex built during WWII in the town of Matsushiro which is now a suburb of Nagano, Japan.  The facility was constructed so that the central organs of government of Imperial Japan could be transferred there. In its construction, three mountains that were symbolic of the Matsushiro municipality were damaged

Entrance to the Matsushiro Zouzan underground shelter

Approximately seven million armed men, including those in the outlying theaters, had  laid down their weapons. In the accomplishment of the extraordinarily difficult and dangerous surrender of Japan, unique in the annals of history, not a shot was necessary, not even a drop of Allied blood was shed. 

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Military Humor – 

WELL, I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNY.

FUTURE WAR STORIES.

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Farewell Salutes – 

Howard Alexander – Salt Lake City, UT; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 868th Bomb Squadron

Robert E. Becker Sr. – Denver, CO; USMC, WWII, PTO

Leon F. Chambers (100) – Wylam, AL; US Navy, WWII, Lt. Comdr., Flight Instructor / US Army, Captain, (Ret. 34 y.)

William Cunningham (100) – Burgettstown, PA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO

Robert Echterling – Cedar Lake, IN; US Navy, WWII & Korea

Josephine Gutierrez – Albuquerque, NM; Civilian, WWII, Kirkland Air Force Base

John Luvara – Greenwich, CT; US Army, Korea, 187th RCT

Robert C. McGuire – San Jose, CA; US Army, 82nd Airborne Division, Chaplin  /  DEA (Ret. 20 y.)

Franklin Riffle – Temperance, MI; US Army, 173rd Airborne Brigade

James F. Waldrum Jr. – Nashville, TN; US Army, 1st LT., 85th Airborne Division

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THE LOOK I GET WHEN MONDAY SNEAKS UP ON ME

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4 JULY, AMERICA’S 247TH BIRTHDAY

SEEMS WE DON’T SAY IT ENOUGH – SO, I’M TRYING TO FIX THAT RIGHT HERE – GOD BLESS THE USA!!!

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!

Here we celebrate with a 1776 song…

HARK, hark the sound of war is heard,
And we must all attend;
Take up our arms and go with speed,
Our country to defend.

Our parent state has turned our foe,
Which fills our land with pain;
Her gallant ships, manned out for war,
Come thundering o’er the main.

There’s Charleton, Howe and Clinton too,
And many thousand more,
May cross the sea, but all in vain,
Our rights we’ll ne’er give o’er.

Our pleasant homes they do invade,
Our property devour;
And all because we won’t submit
To their despotic power.

Then let us go against our foe,
We’d better die than yield

We and our sons are all undone,
If Britain wins the field.

Tories may dream of future joys,
But I am bold to say,
They’ll find themselves bound fast in chains,
If Britain wins the day.

Husbands must leave their loving wives,
And sprightly youths attend,

Leave their sweethearts and risk their lives,
Their country to defend.

May they be heroes in the field,
Have heroes’ fame in store;
We pray the Lord to be their shield,
Where thundering cannons roar.

We can rant, we can complain and we can thank the troops for giving us the right to do so!  Today we celebrate our country’s birthday, traditional BBQ’s, fireworks, family and friends, we have a day off and have a ball!  – and to whom do we owe it all?  You guessed it_____

THE SOLDIER’S POEM

When this is over

And we come home again,

Forget the band

And cheers from the stand;

Just have the things

Well in hand –

The things we fought for.

UNDERSTAND?

    _____Pfc C.G. Tiggas

ONLY A SAILOR

He’s only a sailor on the boundless deep,

Under foreign skies and tropical heat.

Only a sailor on the rolling deep,

In summer rain and winter sleet.

TAKE A MOMENT TO LISTEN TO YOUR ANTHEM – IN FULL.

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FUN FACT:

Denmark is the only country outside of the United States that holds an official 4th July celebration.  Celebrated annually since 1911, thousands of people from across the country gather in Rebild National Park in Jutland for picnics, speeches and to sing some American classics.  Known as Rebildfesten, its organizers claim that it is is the biggest celebration of US independence outside of the USA.

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Fourth of July Humor –

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Farewell Salutes – 

Margaret Bailey – Eastview, KY; Civilian, WWII, Civil Air Patrol Squadron 3

John A. Connolly Sr. – Wilkes-Barre, PA; US Navy, WWII, PTO, Corpsman w/ 3rd Marine Division

Alfonzo Chavez Jr. – Mesa, AZ; US Army, Vietnam, 187th Rakkasans, Bronze Star, Purple Heart

Arthur F. Giles Jr. – Richardson, TX; US Merchant Marines, WWII / US Army, Korea

Robert Haas Sr. (100) – Beltsville, MD; US Army, WWII, Chief Warrant Officer

Richard Kaufmann – Chicago, IL; US Army, WWII, ETO

James J. Naughton – Youngstown, OH; US Army, Desert Shield/Storm & Iraq, 187th Rakkasans, Sgt.

John A. Popeo – Utica, NY; US Army Air Corps, WWII. PTO, 188th/11th Airborne Division

John I. Stacks – Cedar Lake, IN; US Army, Vietnam, 82nd Airborne Division

George, Walker Jr. – Holyoke, MA, US Air Force, Vietnam

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