Japanese sailor photo

[StuGIII]

Hi I would like to know if someone could tell me this sailor's rank. Also, could someone translate the writing on the back and tell me if it mentions his name? Where was the Kimazumi photo studio? I assume that was the name of a local studio like in Tokyo.

John

[StuGIII]

Japanese sailor reverse of photo

Here's the back of the photo.

[StuGIII]

Translation please

Hi,

Can anyone translate the writing on the back of this sailor's photo? I'd really like to learn what he wrote. Oh and what rank was he?

John

[zachb]

Hi John,

Can't help with the translation but I believe the sailor's rank is Acting Leading Seaman. The use of this insignia also suggests that the picture was taken sometime between 1943-1945.

Zach

[StuGIII]

Japanese sailor translation

Hi Zach,

Thanks for helping me out with the rank. So, the style of his rank insignia suggests the middle to end of the war years? Was there a difference in the insignia from earlier in the war?

John

[zachb]

Hi John,

Here is a close up picture of the rank patch your sailor is wearing:

IMG_0697_edited.jpg

The shield type of insignia/ rate was instituted somewhere around November of 1942. However, the consensus seems to be that the new insignia did not show up in wear, with any frequency, until the following year. I should add that the rank we are talking about, Acting Leading Seaman or Hei-cho, was also a new rank/ level after 1942.

Prior to 1943 IJN personnel wore round ratings as sleeve insignia from 1931-1942. Here is a link to a picture of one on the forum. See post #10, the rate shown in post #10 would have been used on the IJN green uniform:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ght=naval+rate

[StuGIII]

Japanese sailor rank insignia

Hi Zach,

Thanks this is very interesting. Being able to narrow down the time frame when the photo was taken based on his rank insignia, is very helpful. Now, thanks to you, I know it's a war time photo and not pre war. Now if I could just get it translated, we might find out who the sailor is. What color would his uniform be in this photo? Was Acting Leading Seaman the lowest enlisted rank?

John

[zachb]

John,

Your welcome. Your sailor would be wearing a blue/black uniform not to dissimilar to the color of the insignia. Uniforms were pretty much standard among all the world's Navies, with some variations of course.

The rank of your sailor is the 4th enlisted rank in the IJN. Some Navy guys might be better at a comparison, but it would be akin to an E-4 or a corporal, I think .

The other rate I linked in (the older round rate) would be the lowest rank, Ordinary Seaman.

Zach

[StuGIII]

Acting Leading Seaman

Hi Zach,

I see, so my sailor's rank would be three above from the lowest rank. Too bad there's no one around who can translate the writing. It'd be so cool if we could find out his name and who knows, maybe even his ship.

John

[Budo45]

work in progress

i have asked a friend in Nippon to tralslate, stay tuned.

just in

The writing shows date, title, and name.



昭和二十年五月 – May 1945

海軍整備兵長 – Navy maintenance staff (I do not know its correct translation. The class may be equivalent to the Leading Rate of British Navy.)

小泉博志 – Koizumi Hiroshi

[StuGIII]

Sailor translation

Hi Stephen,

Thanks so much and thank your friend too. Do you know if it's possible to find out this sailors ship if we know his rank and name? I know it'd be a long shot as those records were probably destroyed at the end of the war. Still it would be interesting to find out.

John

[Budo45]

On a long shot



I asked if one could tell from the hat, heres what he sent

Stephen,



I think I can see “…日本…+something” on the ribbon of his sailor hat.



Based on a brief search, I found that the characters on every ribbons were enacted to be only “大日本帝國海軍 (Imperial Japanese Navy)” after 1942 in WWII era because of the secret protection. Before 1942, a name of each ship was written on it.



Regards,

Koichi

[StuGIII]

Koizumi Hiroshi

Hi Stephen,

Thank you and your friend Koichi. Now my sailor has a name. I believe in English his name would have been Hiroshi Koizumi, is that right? According to Zach, his rank would be Acting Leading Seaman, based upon his rank insignia. May of ' 45, that's pretty late in the war. I have a document that came with the photo I believe, but it's to big to really scan. If Koichi is right about the Navy maintenance staff, it would seem that Hiroshi worked in a Navy yard. I wonder where the photo was taken? In the lower right corner of the photo is the name Kimaizumi, I assume this was the name of the photographic studio where the portrait was taken.

John

[Torpedomaat]

Hello John,
I have deciphered the stamp of your picture, and identified the location of the photo studio "Kinjyo". ("KIMAIZUMI" is actually "K. IMAIZUMI".)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...704,137.496372

[Budo45]

great work

Haruki-sama

Great work!!