First Message Sent By Allied Powers to Japan After Surrender.

[syscom3]

Its a picture of the telegraph message. Might be of interest to a few of you.

[Gnomey]

Interesting.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yes cool post but I find it a bit hard to read.

[R Leonard]

This is a flimsy of the message, in my possession, as delivered in flag plot of TF-38 off the coast of Japan.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Very cool, how did you come upon such a nice piece of history?

[R Leonard]

The notice that Japan had accepted Allied surrender demands message, a two pager

[syscom3]

Thats interesting too.

[R Leonard]

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

Very cool, how did you come upon such a nice piece of history?

I've about 15 or so original messages flimsies from the period 15 July through 30 September 1945 covering various things . . . strike results . . . strike planes . . . intel analysis . . . the surrender . . . aftermath . . . that sort of stuff. All from Flag Plot 2d Fast Carrier Task Force (TF-3 and which my father preserved from the end of the war. He was the assistant ops officer working for Jimmy Thach on VAdm McCain's staff.

Don't handle them a whole lot as they are just a little fragile. These shots I took a couple of years ago when I doing the preservation thing with them.

Rich

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Do you have any shots of the others esecially the intel analysis, surrendure and aftermath?

[R Leonard]

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

Do you have any shots of the others esecially the intel analysis, surrendure and aftermath?

Sorry for the delayed response. Friend of mine with a place in the OBX called on Thursday, last, and asked “What are you guys doing this weekend?” To wit I replied, “I hope we’re going to the beach, right?” And so we were and so we did. Anyway, got back late Sunday night and have been playing catch-up ever since.

No, I don’t have any other photos. I did, though, transcribe each of the messages at hand, in their all CAPS glory with added an English translation and explanatory notes. The one I found to be most interesting was a post surrender TAIC report on what was found lying about at Yokosuka and it’s follow ups on what should be preserved and shipped stateside. What is interesting is that this report is mentioned, and neatly dovetails with, the German Technical Aid to Japan report published by USAFFE G-2 in August 1945.

This report, for those interested is available at Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library : Compound Object Viewer

A summary of the messages I have:

110213JULY - From CTF 38 action COM3RDFLT
2 pages
Synopsis/Description:
Discusses previous day's strike results in general terms and thoughts on air suppression of Kamikaze threat for coming invasion.

140850JULY - From CTG 38.4 action CTF 38 INFO YORKTOWN SHANGRI-LA
1 page - two (2) copies of this message
Synopsis/Description:
Informs CTF 38 of missing VF-88 CO and VB-85 SB2C crew (2 copies).

141001JULY - From CTG 38.4 action CTF 38 / INFO COM3RDFLT / YORKTOWN / SHANGRI LA
1 page
Synopsis/Description:
Partial Flash message. Short strike report on Muroran Harbor, search for VF-88 CO negative

151021JULY - From CTF 38 action COM3RDFLT
1 page
Synopsis/Description:
Alludes to displeasure over upcoming strikes on immobile IJN and coverage of shore bombardment groups as opposed to strikes on Japanese air power

060342AUG - From CTF 39 action CTG 38.1/CTG 38.3/CTG 38.4 / INFO COM3RDFLT / CTG 37.1 / CTF 37
1 copy 2 pages, 1 copy 3 pages, text same
Synopsis/Description:
Strike assignment and schedule for strikes scheduled for 8-9 August 1945

150000AUG - From COMINCH AND CNO action CINCPAC-POA ADV, INFO COMTHIRDFLEET
2 pages
Synopsis/Description:
Informs of Japanese acceptance of surrender and MacArthur's appointment as SCAP

No DTG, message noted as transmitted at 1233 hrs 15 August 1945
From SUPREME COMMANDER FOR THE ALLIED POWERS to JAPANESE EMPEROR / JAPANESE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT / JAPANESE IMPERIAL GENERAL HEADQUARTERS
2 pages
Synopsis/Description:
Announcement of MacArthur's appointment as SCAP and establishes procedures for radio communication between Japanese authorities and SCAP

172313AUG - From CINCPOA ADV action COMTHIRDFLEET, INFO CINCBRITPACFLEET / CTF 37 / CTF 38
1 page
Synopsis/Description:
Well done message for addressed commands for combat efforts between 28 May and 15 August 1945

252110AUG - From CINCPOA ADV action ALL TF AND TG COMS / 3RD AND 5TH FLTS / ALL CARRIERS 3RD AND 5TH FLTS / USUALS, INFO CINCPAC PEARL / COMAIRPAC / USUALS
4 pages
Synopsis/Description:
Discusses information provided to the Japanese population as general terms of the surrender, and preliminary assessment of bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

260705AUG - From COM3RDFLEET action THIRD FLEET
1 page
Synopsis/Description:
General instructions for treatment of, and interaction with, the Japanese

010201SEPT - From CTF 38 action TF 38
1 page
Synopsis/Description:
Farewell message from VADM McCain to task force

012235SEPT - From COM3RDFLT action CTF 38 INFO CINCPOA PEARL / CINCPAC ADV / 3RDFLT
1 page
Synopsis/Description:
Farewell and well done from Adm Halsey to VAdm McCain

020145/ZSEPT - USS TETON (AGC) ORIGINATED FROM SCAP action COMPHIBSPAC / CINCPAC / CINCPOA ADVNED / COM THIRD FLEET / COM FIFTH FLEET
1 page
Synopsis/Description:
Announcement of completion of formal surrender of the Japanese 0908 Local

041144SEPT - From CTG 31.6 SENDS FOR LIEUT HALL TAREABLEITEM action CNO INFO CINCPAC BOTH / COM3RDFLT / CTF 38 / CTF 31 / CINCBPF
5 pages
Synopsis/Description:
Discussion/description of aircraft, equipment and parts found at Yokosuka Naval Air Station by USN Technical Aviation Intelligence team

071906SEPT - From TAIC action CTG 31.6 INFO CINCPAC POA ADV AND PEARL; CTF 38; CTF 31; COMCORTDIV 21; CINCBPF; WAR DEPT (note that this form uses semicolons as opposed to slashes in all others)
1 page
Synopsis/Description:
Concurring with 041144SEPT above recommending securing of certain aircraft types for shipment to US via CVE

111520SEPT - from BUAER action FORMER CTG 31.6 INFO COM3RDFLT / CINCPAC ADV / CTF 38 / CTF 31 / CINCBPF/ WAR DEPT / CNO - READDRESSED BY COM3RDFLT FOR ACTION CTG 39.6
1 page
Synopsis/Description:
Referencing 041144SEPT above requests securing additional aircraft types (including the now 1 surviving H8K Emily) and engines for shipment to US.

182331SEPT - From COM3RDFLT action CTF 38
1 page
Synopsis/Description:
Farewell message from Halsey to task force <<Always found the concept of a 31 September message to be interesting,>>

Rich

[syscom3]

Leonard, do you know if such routine messages were kept under regulations for placement into the USN archives, like what was done for the ships logs?

[R Leonard]

I presume that somewhere there is a great hall just chock full of boxes of messages.

Seriously, if one was the sender or the recipient of a message there should have been a copy retained at the unit, whatever it might be, level . . . now, whether or not they still exist is another story entirely.

I am aware that in the bibliographies of the better researched tomes you can find references to actual messages serials and their location in, say, the National Archives. What form these are in I couldn't say, but I suspect microfilm.

What I lament as lost is the chatter back and forth by signal lamp, semaphore, TBS, etc. All immediate stuff and, unless logged somewhere, not always done, and sometimes for good reason, they are lost forever.

I am aware of signals back and forth between CTF38 and COM3RDFLT via signal lamp in the vein of "heard anything, yet?" around the time of the Hiroshima mission, but nothing was written down, no more than anyone wrote down messages discussing the next race at Hialeah or other such nonsense.

Rich