**The Liberty Campaign Order signed by Lt. Gen. Richard C. Zilmer on September 29th 2008 applies to all service members and civilian personnel assigned to Marine Corps Bases Japan, III
Marine Expeditionary Force in Japan, as well as their dependents. The Marine Corps says no service members, civilian personnel assignedto Marine Corps Bases Japan, III MEF in Japan, or their dependents, will enter any burial site or tomb except as a member of a funeral cortege or as a family member at appropriate ceremonies.**
Recollections of a Relic Hunter (Okinawa) 
During my last deployment to Okinawa Japan, Saturday mornings were a very special time for me. Short years ago,
I was able to experience such enjoyable experiences with my comrades in Relic Hunting Dwayne and Major B as
we traveled the World War 2 Battlefields of Okinawa.
I knew that I had to write down the feelings and stories of our adventures exploring such historic places as Wana Ridge,
Kunishi Ridge and the final assault at Cape Kiyan.
This E-book describes those adventures and includes many never before seen photographs I've collected over the years, I offer this to you to enjoy and learn about this small aspect of the War and Okinawa in particular.
 You are sure to enjoy Peter Flahavin's excellent historical "then and now" comparison's and diary entries from his regular trips to Guadalcanal to uncover history! 
Writer Mr. Jon Mitchell on a battlefield strong point Jon Mitchell's superbly written account of Dave Davenport's lifelong love of saving history and healing families torn apart by the conflict. | 
Click on 6th MarDiv To read the "Hero and the Villain" The Combat history of PFC James Chaisson who earned the Navy Cross on Sugar Loaf Hill during the battle of Okinawa ____________________________  Contact via email |  
click on pic to load (Microsoft Word) "My War" by Sergeant Glenn Searles 77th Infantry Division. BAR & Pointman during combat on Tokashiki, Ie Shima and the Shuri line. Permission for use granted by Warner Searles 10 Dec 2011 | 
Corporal James S. White, Tsingtao, China Nov. 1945 & with wife Verna L. White at reunion of 6th Marine Divison. "On the Point of the Spear" (click) - Loads in Mircosoft Word Experiences of a Marine Rifleman during the battles for the island of Okinawa in April, May,and June 1945 by Corporal James S. White G.Co. 3rd Battalion 29th Marines 6th Marine Division Permission granted for use by: Mr. James S. White 10 Feb 2011
Letters and Photographs of Pvt. Elvin Kehres Co "C" 1stBn 29th Mar. 6th MarDiv 
(click on pic) |
15 Jan 2012 I just finished reading the Glenn Searles letter. That is another excellent first-hand account of the actions that were fought on and around Okinawa, and I'm glad that it made it into the records on your website. The website is no doubt becoming a resource for historians to refer to, in part because up-close histories of the battle and the battlefield are available from 1945 through to the present day, from people who saw it from all different aspects and times. I wish more WW2 vets had recorded their experiences like Glenn Searles did.
Keep on keeping on!
--- Dennis Moran Bob...what I could see brought me to tears. I so appreciate what you are doing. I watched the video and just cried at what our men went through for us. No wonder dad never spoke of it. B.J. |
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Salyer's Article from: The Coalfield Progress 10 Nov 2011
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This victorian era locket was found in 1971, inside a cave on Okinawa. There are four different locks of hair which some are light brown or blond. I presume the locket was lost by a U.S. servicemember during the battle. 
|  XXIV Corps Surrender Certificate Japanese Rifle, Sabre, Bayonet (click pic to enlarge) | 6th Marine Tank Battalion Profile of Corperal Robert W. Koehler Sr. USMC 1943-1946 Okinawa - Chinese Occupation 
(click on pic) |
| EYEBALLS!!!!!!! NUMNUTS!!!! Old Corps China Dolls of the Peking Legation circa 1900!  
(click on pics to enlarge) 
(Pictures courtesy of: Joe Mitrovich)  
| Profile of CWO 2 Edward Hassig USMC 1927 - 1954 China Marine - Wake Island - POW -click on pic - 
Thank you Hassig family for your efforts in sharing Edward's military career with everyone. |
 | I recently was fortunate to purchase signed items from Medal of Honor recipient Desmond Doss U.S. Navy. Due to his religious convictions he refused to carry a weapon into battle while on the front lines of Hacksaw ridge during the battle of Okinawa. The article scanned on the link is from Southern Tidings magazine and is dated March 1971. Click here for Desmond Doss information |
Japanese Navy Mission Board! Captured by the Sixth Marine Division at Yontan Airfield Okinawa 1945 Click here for Yontan board translation page! | 
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NEW BOOK!
My adventures in the United States Marine Corps and the
Marine Raiders during WW II. Compiled from my diary entries,
memories and letters written to Helen in tents, mess halls, galleys, foxholes and behind trees, by candlelight, flashlight and lantern.
November 1942 until December 1945.
From joining the Marines until coming home.
San Diego three months, South Pacific 33 months.
Invasions of Bougainville, Emirau, Guam, Okinawa
and Occupation of Japan.
Each book autographed! $15.00 each or 2 for $25.00
(includes postage to one address in the USA.)
lrhem6491@yahoo.com
Ray Merrell
827 Dixie
Liberty, Mo. 64068
  Sword of Masutaro Katsumata Imperial Japanese Army who surrendered one year and thirty days after the start of the battle. Check out Dennis Moran's Japanese Army Lieutenant's Non-Surrender story below 
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Japanese Army Lieutenant's Non-Surrender
Dennis Moran recalls:
"The individual I refer to is someone I met in the village of Henoko, Okinawa, in 1963. He was tending a small store in an area of the village not frequented by Americans. I attempted to communicate my wants in my best broken Japanese, while he patiently listened. Then, he responded to me in perfect English. I asked where he had learned that English, and he said he had gone to college in the U.S. in the late 1930's. I asked what he was doing running a small store in Henoko when his language skills were surely of corporate value and, obviously, he was college-educated. He said he preferred a nondescript and low-key life. He peaked my curiosity, and he told me what had happened. He said he was drafted into the Japanese Infantry and commissioned a Lieutenant in WW2. He ended up on Okinawa, and near the end of the battle he surrendered what was left of his unit, recognizing the battle as totally lost. He said he then put on civilian clothes and simply mixed himself into the population. He said his family probably thought he was dead and that he and they were probably better off for it. He said he knew others who had done the same thing. He struck me as being very Westernized in some of his thinking. I didn't ask for any real particulars, as the war had been over for 18 years and I believed he was entitled to the life he had made. I don't think he was kidding. His English articulation was better than mine, and he was completely out of place. The U.S. military had long since lost interest in any Japanese military remnants on Okinawa who had become a part of the population, and they were no doubt aware of a substantial number who had assimilated. It was just a sleeping dog that was just as well to left lie. These guys are all in their 80's now - those that are still alive - but they may still want to protect the feelings and cultural values of siblings, and perhaps even of descendants. So at the time, and still, I reported nothing to the Japanese liason searching for the (for the most part, remains of) Japanese MIA's. | 
While we gathered up my personal belongings, Chief said: “I pity the Marine who gets to ride on our stretcher. He’ll have to lie right on Jap sabers or Mauser pistols or Arisaka rifles.” He turned to Murph. “You ‘member that guy who had to ride in on the Nambu machine gun?” According to Chief, he and Murph always loaded their stretcher with battle souvenirs and then carried their wounded in on top on them. Officers who used to commend Murph and Chief for struggling in with wounded under heavy fire, little realized that under the wounded were enough battle souvenirs to keep the store open for months. Just as they didn’t worry about insults, they didn’t worry much about danger. They would go anywhere and endure any kind of fire if the pickings were good, and since they were fairly strong and had good endurance they brought in a lot of wounded Marines along with their hero gear. Excerpt from “Marine at War” pg 173-174 – Russell Davis 1961 
Corporal Rudolf thinks this is from B.C. Street but it was a place to cool your heels and have a "Amusing Time" in Shanghai for the China Marines. |
Battle of Okinawa Historical Society - Camp Kinser Okinawa Japan
Veterans, Would you like to donate a battle relic to the Museum? Return a cultural item to the people of Okinawa? Contact: Mr. Chris Majewski Director of the Non-Profit Battle of Okinawa Historical Society and former Marine for information. iceberg0445@aol.com 
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*** I'm looking for general pictures of Okinawa
- people and Marines- Equipment from the 50's - 90's.
Use the contact me tab on top of page if you'd like to share your photographs.
*** Semper Fi, Bob Wilke
June 16 1945 : Life Magazine: Battle of Okinawa Link
All photos in the gallery are free for copy (except for a select few), check back from time to time as I will be scanning in more photos from veterans albums I have on hand as time and equipment permits. Feel free to send me any of your photographs
that you wish to be posted, I’d be happy to add them for everyone’s enjoyment!
RECENT ADDITIONS click for hyperlink:
New Websites!
Remembering Okinawa -
Postwar History of Okinawa as seen thru the eyes and photographs of those who lived the memories.
www.PixPast.com -
A community of friends dedicated to the preservation of Military photographs. - Saipan Banzai Charge Sword - Mar 2010
Ever wonder what it was like to be a Bomb Disposal Man on Guadalcanal during the War?
Now you don't have to! Click below to read Lt Chewing's account courtesy of the Disposaleer Magazine!
Picture submitted by Mr. Joe Gilman 1/26/2011
Charles F. Bostwick EOD tech - Guadalcanal
Read about his service in Part 1 & 2 Bomb Disposal History Log