Original Item: One of a Kind. Between 1965 and 1972, Okinawa was a key staging point for the United States in its military operations directed towards North Vietnam. Along with Guam, it presented a geographically strategic launch pad for covert bombing missions over Cambodia and Laos.

Camp Sukiran/Zukeran is now known as Camp Foster. Camp Foster, formerly known as Camp Zukeran, is a United States Marine Corps camp located in Ginowan City with portions overlapping into Okinawa City, Chatan town and Kitanakagusuku village in the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa Island. It is part of the Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler complex.

This name plate was for a Marine who worked at the Camp Sukiran Post Office sometime during the Vietnam War, judging by the style. The wooden plate is in the shape of an isosceles triangle, which has two sides the same length. The approximate measurements are 15” in length and a base width of 2”.

The name on the plate is G. L. Wynne Jr. and is painted in a gothic style. We have not been able to locate any service information for this Marine, but fortunately we believe the number below his name to be his Service Number, 2006407. On both sides of the name is a lovely post office type insignia with an envelope over a gold and red circle. Above and below on each side is SUKIRAN / POST OFFICE, all paint on the front is retained quite nicely.

The back side of the plate features very lovely Japanese style artwork of a Torii. A torii is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred.

The presence of a torii at the entrance is usually the simplest way to identify Shinto shrines, and a small torii icon represents them on Japanese road maps.

Standing next to the Torii is what appears to be a traditional Shinto Priest. In the middle of the plate is a lovely green outline of Okinawa with the cities Nago, Sukiran Koza and Naha labeled in white. Lastly, on the right, you can find an incredible painting of Mount Fuji in front of Lake Kawaguchiko with a Sakura Tree off to the left.

All colors are still vibrant and easily distinguishable. There is some chipping on the edges of the wood, but nothing too major that takes away from the beauty of it!

Comes more than ready for research and display.