Just for your info, DURR, a great deal of the Japanese mainland was “destroyed” in WWII. Most of the major cities were bombed beyond recognition, not to mention the two cities completely wiped out by atomic bombs.
To this day, they still find unexploded bombs in my neighborhood. Actually, they found two 500-pounders this past summer about 500 meters from my apartment. Scary.
The point is, a lot of Japanese records were indeed lost to bombing during the war.
The Japanese Army was still basically a foot army during WW2 with very little mechanization. Their entire armor production during the entire span of the war probably produced fewer tanks than the US produced just M4 (excluding other variants like the M4A1, M4A2, M4A3…). Markings for the vehicles fielded were probably semi-standardized, but there aren’t great propaganda photos of huge columns of IJA tanks rumbling through the countryside. Most of those armored vehicles saw service abroad and I doubt a lot of them redeployed back to the mainland.
i could understand if they found those bombs after all this time on one of the tiny island areas or a sparsly populated mountain area but isn’t they city you live in a fairly large city with major population
with all the urban development in thehigher population areas one would think that all the bombs be long gone
that is amazing
ps i had sent you a few jokes did you get them and if you don’t want them let me know
well i learned something here also about japan and in this case i will have to add them to the german side of my statement because they
General useless info:
They are still finding UEB in the Aleutian islands some US some Japanese.
While walking around Adak Island in the mid 90’s several GP Japanese bombs were found by guys on my crew.
Another thing you have to remember is the fact that the people who lost the war started destroying records as soon as that fact became clear to them (and in some cases because if those records were found, they would most likely be executed because of them)
My grandfather was a Marine during WWII in the Pacific & assigned to a MC Squadron as he specialized in Aviation Electonics. I can’t find his records since there was a fire at the Military Personnel Records Center in St. Louis,Mo. All I could get was a basic reference of dates in & out. Just for you youngins, The US Mainland was attacked on at least 2 occasions in (I believe) 1942 A Jap sub fired torpedoes at the oilfields in Goleta,Calif. and, a sub-launched aircraft lit the Oregon Forest ablaze with firebombs.
Also an IJN I-Boat lobbed a few shells at the oil refinery at Santa Cruz Ca.
Speaking of the bombing of Japan. It’s surprising that there were any records at all. Tokyo and most of the major cities underwent some of the most intense firebombings in history. There were also a few firebombings in Europe, can’t forget Dresden.
Really? I didn’t know that. Learned something new today.
Going back to earlier comments, isn’t it true that they’re still finding ordinance from WWI & WWII in Europe? I imagine that some of those unexploded artillery shells and bombs can bury themselves deep into the ground with force with which they hit the ground.
After wars are fought, I don’t think either side focuses much on “cleaning” up the area once it’s over, or do they? Whatever was done after Operation Desert Storm and all the Iraqi military equipment was destroyed? Does anyone ever go clear out all of that stuff or is it still sitting there?
They were a Menace to Society… LoL… The IJN sub may well have been the same one that hit the west coast. I also watched “California’s Gold” on PBS awhile back & they did something on this subject.
“To this day, they still find unexploded bombs in my neighborhood. Actually, they found two 500-pounders this past summer about 500 meters from my apartment.”
Speaking of unexploded bombs - anyone here remember that dramatic series “Danger UXB”? from about … 30 years ago? It was set in England during The Blitz and revolved around a Royal Engineers unit whose job was to try and defuse unexploded bombs; while some of the plots - and acting- were cheesy, it was still pretty close to what the engineers who had to learn their trade on the job went through. A very Darwinian process that sends shivers down my spine just thinking about it.
I’m wondering, how does a torpedo hit a lighthouse?
Back to the original point, yes, I find it very impressive how detailed some information we can access from the German side is, considering the state of the country, and particularly its capital, at the end of the war. It’s not like the USSR spent the next 40 years digging up material to help the Western model builder!
Answer is…it doesn’t! Probably why they moved on. They were probably upset with Canada interning the Japanese.
The Germans were (and are) sticklers for lists. They documented everything and managed to keep most of it intact. To their dismay during the Nuremburg trials.
My Dad’s best friend was a missionary kid in Africa during WWII. He and some family members boarded a freighter to the US during the U-boat’s “happy time”.
They were sunk west of Africa and survived on a square wooden raft with about 19 others for 3 weeks until being picked up by the HMS Vimy.
In the '70s my Dad’s best friend researched it all with Kriegsmarine records and he was able to pinpoint which U-boat sunk his ship based on date and general location.
In the early '80s he contacted surviving members of the U-66, having no war animosities or vindictive motives. He hit it off quite well and was made an honorary member of the crew and stays in touch with several of them to this day.
Now that is interesting to hear. I’ve heard there were Pearl harbor survivors who actually met the attackers some 50 yrs. later. I guess it was “just doin’ a job” and, many did not hold a grudge.