DescriptionThis is an original 1942 WWII Imperial Japanese Navy gunnery training photo album, containing approximately 36 photographs.The cover is titled in gold lettering:“Memories of Gunnery Training”The Japanese abbreviation written on the cover, “Fuho-ren” (普砲練), is believed to refer to ordinary-course naval gunnery training. For those unfamiliar with the term, this was essentially a training program in which Japanese sailors learned practical combat skills such as gunnery and shooting.In that sense, this album can be viewed almost like a personal graduation album from a young sailor’s naval training days.Inside is a handwritten inscription dated:“October 1942”followed by “Maishi-sui 6.700” and an individual’s name.The precise meaning of this notation has not been confirmed. However, the first character “舞” may indicate Maizuru, one of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s major naval bases, suggesting that the original owner may have been a sailor associated with Maizuru.The approximately 36 photographs offer a fascinating look at actual Japanese naval training.Among them are a group photograph captioned “22nd Squad, Naval Gunnery School,” pistol shooting practice, and particularly striking photographs showing sailors landing from a boat during an exercise identified in the album as “Landing Before the Enemy.”Other photographs show groups of sailors, men in white naval uniforms, naval facilities, and everyday scenes from the period.These are not photographs assembled by a collector decades later.They are the personal memories of a Japanese sailor undergoing naval training in 1942.The men pictured here were not famous admirals. They were ordinary young sailors—training together, posing with friends, and recording a small part of their lives during the Pacific War.More than 80 years later, their faces and their world remain preserved in this album.The album and photographs show age-related toning, stains, wear, and other signs of their age. Some individuals, locations, and details remain unidentified. Please examine all photographs carefully for condition.Even if you are new to Japanese militaria, this album offers something immediately understandable:a personal photographic record left behind by a young sailor who lived and trained during World War II.Own a Piece of History.Shipping
FedEx or Japan Post
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Provided by HARU
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