Please help with translation and ID of this item.

[Harry R. Cairns]

This item was found along with other Japanese items that were picked up as souvenirs by a member of the 77th Infantry Division during WW2. This item measures 3 9/16 inches tall X 2 3/8 inches wide X 1/16 inch thick and is made of brass (note the hole at the top). Both sides have Kanji inscriptions which I have not been able to decipher. If someone who can read Japanese would help with translation I would be grateful. Thanks in advance for your help...........Harry C

[Papa Nambu]

The back looks like it might be "26th Infantry Division"
The front I don't understand. It may be because it's abbreviations, names, or just beyond my skill level. Looks like:

営内參觀
許叮え證
オ(?)二号

But aside from "Number 2" the rest doesn't make sense to me.

[Rommel1933]

This is what I got from the wife... She said the back says something about Unit 26... Sounds like what Papa said about the 26th Infantry Division...

The front she believes says something like, "permission to enter Shrine."

Basically this was a permission or hall pass for members of the 26th Infantry to enter a certain Shrine?

Does this make sense?

Thank you, Scott

[chen]

1.camp
2.inside
3.visit to see
4.permission
5.'s
6.permit
7.The
8.2
9.no.

[chen]

1.walking
2.soldier ( 1 and 2 means infantry)
3.the
4.26
5.combined
6.column ( 5 and 6 means division)

[GeorgeP]

I think that the unit designation on the tag is: 26th Infantry Regiment. To me it is a little bit of a mystery in that there were a few units within the 26th Division with "26" -- Engineer, Transport, Recon, but the 26th inf. regiment itself was with the 7th Div with elements of this regiment in the Ichiki detachment on Guadalcanal. (The Div. ultimately ended up in the Kuriles/Hokkaido by 1944) The 77th saw combat in the Philippines, and specifically Leyte, where the 26th IJA was located as well. Neat tag!


Tom

[Alex AU]

visit permit

[Papa Nambu]

visit permit

I agree. That makes sense. In fact when I visited a JGSDF base I was issued the modern version of this. You can see it pinned to my jacket here.



You sign in at the gate, they give you the pass, and when you leave you return it at the gate. It allows them to keep track of who is on base and allows the wearer to show they have permission to be there.

[Harry R. Cairns]

Inscribed Japanese brass tag

I think that the unit designation on the tag is: 26th Infantry Regiment. To me it is a little bit of a mystery in that there were a few units within the 26th Division with "26" -- Engineer, Transport, Recon, but the 26th inf. regiment itself was with the 7th Div with elements of this regiment in the Ichiki detachment on Guadalcanal. (The Div. ultimately ended up in the Kuriles/Hokkaido by 1944) The 77th saw combat in the Philippines, and specifically Leyte, where the 26th IJA was located as well. Neat tag!


Tom

Among the other items belonging to the 77th Inf. Div. veteran is a U.S. canteen cup inscribed with all the places he had been during the war and Hokkaido Island is one of them. Maybe he picked this tag up there. Thanks Tom..........Harry C

[Papa Nambu]

Among the other items belonging to the 77th Inf. Div. veteran is a U.S. canteen cup inscribed with all the places he had been during the war and Hokkaido Island is one of them. Maybe he picked this tag up there. Thanks Tom..........Harry C

The Japanese 26th and the US 77th were both in Leyte.

[Harry R. Cairns]

Inscribed Japanese brass tag

The Japanese 26th and the US 77th were both in Leyte.

His canteen cup is also inscribed Leyte (see image below). So would Leyte be the most likely place he would have picked up this item?

[Papa Nambu]

Most likely.

[GeorgeP]

With the cup having Hokkaido Island scratched into it, there is a very real possibility that the tag was picked up there during occupation time. Along with what I have posted about the 7th Division above, the 26th Infantry Regiment's home depot was Asahigawa, Hokkaido. As I stated before, although the 26th Division did have a couple "26th .... Regiments" the infantry element scratched into the tag was never a part of the 26th Division (the 11th, 12th, and 13th Independent Inf. Reg. composed the infantry element of the 26th Div.) As to the poss. of other 26th...regiments being represented on the tag, it seems that the Japanese were very specific about their unit designations on such things as tags, booklets, etc., so if they were intending this tag to be for the (for example) engineer component of the division, I would think that such kanji like 工 would be included in the designation on the tag.


Tom