WWII Imperial Japanese Navy Battleship Mutsu Photo Album Admiral Yoshida 1938

Description

View WWII Imperial Japanese Navy Battleship Mutsu Photo Album Admiral Yoshida 1938 with current marketplace pricing, condition, product images and item details. This is an original 1938 commemorative photo album of the Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Mutsu. The title page reads: “1938 Battleship Mutsu Commemorative Photo Album” At the beginning of the album is a portrait of Vice Admiral Zengo Yoshida, shown as the fleet commander. .main1 { border: 1px solid #000; border-radius: 5px; margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0 20px 10px; background: #fff; box-sizing: border-box; word-break: break-word;}.main1 p,.main1 span { line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px;}.main1 h2 { margin: 0 0 10px 0; font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.2; text-align: left; font-weight: bold; background-color: #3565f2; color: #fff; padding: 10px 20px;}.main1 p,.main1 .product_dec div { margin: 0; padding: 0 0 20px 0; color: #333; text-align: left;} Description This is an original 1938 commemorative photo album of the Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Mutsu. The title page reads: “1938 Battleship Mutsu Commemorative Photo Album” At the beginning of the album is a portrait of Vice Admiral Zengo Yoshida, shown as the fleet commander. Yoshida later became Minister of the Navy and was one of the senior figures of the Imperial Japanese Navy. This is not a later commercial photo book. It is a period album produced while Mutsu was still an active front-line battleship. The album contains a wide range of original period images, including: * Vice Admiral Zengo Yoshida * ship officers and command staff * crew group photographs * crew roster * gunnery and underway scenes * training aboard ship * everyday life on deck * sailors bathing on deck in hot weather One of the most interesting features is the crew roster. It gives names and positions, making it possible to see the men in the photographs not simply as anonymous sailors, but as real individuals who served aboard Mutsu. Battleship Mutsu Mutsu was the second ship of the Nagato class, completed in 1921. Together with her sister ship Nagato, she was one of Japan’s most prestigious battleships and was armed with powerful 41 cm main guns. She underwent a major modernization in the 1930s, and this 1938 album records her during the period after that reconstruction, when she was still considered one of the principal battleships of the Japanese Navy. Before the Pacific War, Mutsu also took part in operations connected with the war in China and later participated in major naval events including the 1940 Imperial Fleet Review. After Japan entered the Pacific War, Mutsu served with the battleship force supporting major fleet operations. She took part in the Midway operation in 1942 and later deployed toward the South Pacific during the Guadalcanal campaign period. Like many battleships of the era, however, she rarely had the opportunity to engage enemy battleships directly, as naval warfare had increasingly shifted toward aircraft carriers and air power. The Loss of Mutsu On June 8, 1943, while anchored at Hashirajima in Hiroshima Bay, Mutsu suffered a catastrophic internal explosion near the No. 3 turret magazine. The ship broke apart and sank. More than 1,000 men were killed. The exact cause of the explosion has never been conclusively established, making the loss of Mutsu one of the enduring mysteries of Imperial Japanese Navy history. That later history gives the peaceful crew scenes in this 1938 album a very different emotional weight. The sailors standing in formation, training on deck, and relaxing together were photographed years before the ship’s destruction. Of course, this does not mean that every man shown here was still aboard Mutsu in 1943. But this album unquestionably preserves the world of Mutsu while she was still alive as a ship — her commanders, her crew, and daily life aboard one of Japan’s most famous battleships. The album is more than 80 years old and shows age-related toning, staining, rubbing, and general wear. Please examine the photographs carefully for the exact condition. This is not simply a collection of battleship photographs. It is a surviving record of one warship, its senior officers, and the men who lived and worked aboard her. Own a Piece of History. Shipping FedEx or Japan Post International Buyers - Please Note: Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost.These charges are the buyer's responsibility.Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding or buying. Provided by HARU Condition: Used. Category: Collectibles › Militaria › WW II (1939-45) › Original Period Items › Japan › Photographs. Brand: Unbranded.

Brand

Unbranded

Country of Origin

Japan

Original/Reproduction

Original

Theme

Militaria

Conflict

WW II (1939-45)

Region of Origin

Japan