Thursday, January 11, 2007 2:58 PM
Subject: Okinawa_Library
Sir. Mr. Stephen "Mick" McClary. My name is Jay Chickering. I live in Winchester Bay, Oregon. Somewhat warmer here than in your area in Montana I feel certain.
I apologize that this contact is not about Okinawa, although I did spend several years there and other Ryukyu Islands beginning in 1959. I did enjoy hunting wild boar on Hama Higa Shima (sp), just off Okinawa. Oh, the Memories.
This contact with you is an attempt to gain information from you, to assist me in my long search for honest reputable entities or persons that can help better identify and sell a Japanese publication of the occupation of the Philippine Islands when the Japanese dislodged McArther and his forces from there. This book was captured by my father in late 1943 or early 1944 when my father in a small force of engineers landed on Luzon to map Japanese installations prior to McArthers return.
My father and two other engineers on this mission came across a large warehouse printing installation where these books were being printed. They each took a book and destroyed the warehouse and the thousands of books stored therein. The other two did not survive, so I must assume that neither did their copys of this book. Of course I must also assume that The His Majesty, Prince Takamatsu, Higashi-Kune-No-Miya, Takeda, Tanaka, and Commander Homma and others of the Japanese high command all had copies of the book as they are prominently pictured in the book.
I have researched this book on many sites and search engines over the last years, without success. Of course Sotherbys' and many of the entities and individuals that I have contacted show great interest and wish me to ship the book and flags to them for hands-on perusal. Of course I would not do this as I feel that this book is very rare and may have great value to the correct individual or entity. I have an English translation of this book that my father had done while in the military. The front cover of the book (actually the back as it is Japanese), is translated as follows: Philippine Expeditionary Force, by GASEI, Watari Group Information Dept. Publication. I attach a photo of this cover, And a couple other pictures. The book has 179 photos with captions in Japanese, all translated in my translation document.
Many years ago my father gave me this book, two personal Japanese battle flags, two nambu pistols and a samurai sword. I have sold the nambu pistols and the samurai sword, but have retained the book and flags until now, and have decided to sell them but desire to have expert honest assistance, as I hope you will understand.
You, as an individual with such an extensive collection of Japanese collectable's, I felt must have knowledge that would be of assistance to me. Thus this letter.
[personal comments withheld]
I may be contacted at jchick2005@charter.net, or snail-mail: P.O. Box 1692, Winchester Bay, Oregon, 97467-0817, (541)271-9297.
Regards, Jay Chickering.
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