Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely example of a GI decorated captured Japanese “Meatball” flag. According to a piece of paper that accompanied the flag, this flag was captured by T/Sgt Eugene C. Lemke of the 307th Infantry Regiment, 77th Infantry Division.

This is a lovely example of a captured WWII Japanese silk flag. The flag does show signs of wear and use with some tearing present. The flag measures approximately 24" x 36 ½” and is made of what appears to be early rayon silk or something similar, with the red "sun" dyed into the middle. Overall the flag is in good condition and is the real deal: a genuine USGI "bring back"!

The flag is personalized with the locations for Guam, Leyte, Le Shima, Kerama Retto and Okinawa. On the right side of the flag is a silhouette of the 77th Infantry Division Statue of Liberty insignia. Beneath it is writing in Japanese, with the first line in KATAKANA, the syllabic writing used for foreign words. The characters written areレムキー ユ ジ ン, read RE-MU-KI-I YU-JI-N, or Lemke Eugene (Surnames come First in Japanese). The second line has a character we do not recognize, followed by what looks to be 木ニテ, which we were not able to translate. The last two lines are a date: 昭 和 二 十 年 十 一 月 二 十 四 日, which would be read SHOWA (current reining emperor), 20th Year of reign (1945), 11th Month, 24th day, so November 24th, 1945. This is about 2 months after the end of the War in the Pacific on September 2nd, 1945.

A lovely example ready for further research and display.

The 77th Infantry Division landed in Hawaii, 31 March 1944, and continued training in amphibious landings and jungle warfare. Elements began to leave Hawaii, 1 July 1944, for the amphibious assault on Guam. Attached to III Amphibious Force, the 77th made an assault landing on Guam, 21 July 1944. After taking over defense of the beachhead, the division drove north to seize Mount Tenjo and effected junction with the 3d Marine Division, linking the northern and southern bridgeheads, 23–29 July. It continued to drive north, and dislodged the enemy from positions at Barrigada town and mountain, 4 August, resistance ending on 8 August. With Guam recaptured, the 77th sailed for New Caledonia, but plans were changed en route and it was directed to proceed to Leyte. The division landed on the east coast of Leyte, 23 November 1944, and was attached to XXIV Corps, Sixth Army. After a short period of training and combat patrolling in the Corps' rear, 23 November – 6 December, it landed at Ipil and fought up the east coast of Ormoc Bay to seize Ormoc on 10 December. Attacking north, astride Highway No. 2, the division secured Valencia and the Libungao-Palompon road junction. Mopping up operations continued through January 1945 to 5 February 1945.

The next combat assignment was Okinawa. In late March (26–29), the division made 15 landings, securing Kerama Retto and Keise Shima for the assault on Okinawa. Riding at sea, 1–15 April 1945, it suffered casualties from enemy suicide attacks, and prepared for the assault landing on Ie Shima. On 16 April 1945, the 77th landed on Ie Shima, captured the airfield, and engaged in a bitter fight for "Government House Hill" and "Bloody Ridge." It was in this operation that Ernie Pyle was killed. On April 25 it left Ie Shima for Okinawa, relieving the 96th Division on 1 May 1945. Fighting its way slowly against extremely heavy Japanese resistance, the division drove to Shuri in conjunction with the 1st Marine Division, occupying it 29–31 May. In June the division covered the right flank of XXIV Corps and "sealed" Japanese cave positions. In July the division moved to Cebu, Philippine Islands, and prepared for the anticipated invasion of Japan (Operation Downfall). On 6 and 9 August 1945, the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing the surrender of Japan and thereby canceling Operation Downfall. The division landed in Japan in October 1945 for occupation duty, and was inactivated a few months later on 15 March 1946.