Original U.S. WWII AAF Captured Japanese Crate Ship Home Box Full of Souvenirs with Travel Diary & Latch from Japanese Plane - 418th Night Fighter Squadron
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Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a tremendous ship-home box sent home by Technical Sergeant & Crew Chief Loring Francis Tuells, 418th Night Fighter Squadron. The box is carved with Tuell’s information along with a travel diary of the places he fought & visited. The top latch of the box has a carving below reading Catch is from a gas cap of a Jap plane, a really tremendous addition. The box is filled with war souvenirs including a pair of Japanese flight goggles, the badge off of a Japanese Naval visor cap, a small Japanese flag, and more.
The box retains both of the original side handles. The lid of the box is carved:
Souvenir of Japan
October 1945
418th Night Fighter Sq.
T/SGT Loring Tuells A.A.F. Crew Chief
31134419
ATSUGI AIR BASE
YOKAHAMA
On the right side, he also carved the names of the planes he flew with the squadron including the P70, B-25, P-61, P-40, and L-5. On the left side, he carved the locations he traveled in South-East Asia including Milne Bay, New Guinea, Dobo Dura, Finchaven, Port Moresby, Hollandia, Island of Owi, Morati, Leyte - Philippines, Mindoro, Okinawa, and Yokahama. On the front of the box, he carved TWO YEARS IN PACIFIC THEATER. The right side of the box has remnants of a Japanese label which we were unable to translate. As mentioned, the latch at the top of the lid was taken from the gas cap of a Japanese airplane. The crate itself measures 12 x 8½ x 7”.
The souvenir items in the box include:
- Pack of Japanese cigarettes which we have placed in a riker case due to the deterioration of the paper.
- A worn 6½ x 8” pamphlet that appears to be one US planes would have dropped out of the sky over Japanese civilians or soldiers to get them to end the war. It is signed at one end by Tuells and is wrapped in plastic to protect it.
- Boxed Order of the Rising Sun 8th Class, containing the planchet and the rosette but the ribbon and brooch are gone.
- Pair of Japanese WWII Type 5 Dust Goggles, these are rare to find in their own right! It still looks fine but the material has heavy wear. The strap is intact.
- Imperial Japanese Navy Junior Officer’s cap badge on felt backing. Great example that looks to have been cap-removed.
- Various paper moneys from Japan, the Philippines, Indo-China, Fiji, etc.
- Two Indo-China notes with names and addresses of fellow soldiers, great examples of “short snorters”.
- Aluminum Oil instruction plate off of a Japanese aircraft, 4 x 4½”. Has two small strips of metal on the back. Great bit of a Japanese plane!
- Order of the Rising Sun 8th Class complete, no box.
- Order of the Sacred Treasure, 7th Class.
- Small Japanese compass with cracked material on top.
- Small tube of Japanese confection, tiny ration.
- Small Japanese flag, 11 x 13”, heavily worn and folded up with staining.
- Large bundle of Japanese leg wrap with strings?
- Couple of Japanese medal planchets.
This is a fantastic send-home box with tons of great souvenirs and a travel diary to a battle-hardened crew chief of the 418th Night Fighter Squadron. Comes ready for further research and display!
- This product is not available for shipping in US state(s): Arizona
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