Featuring 6 Identified U.S. Marines & Named Allied Chinese Liaison (Wong Chung Yu)
- Artifact: Captured Yosegaki Hinomaru (Japanese Good Luck Flag) repurposed as a unit souvenir canvas.
- Dimensions: Exceptional large display size, approximately 3 feet by 5 feet.
- Condition: In good vintage condition for its age (see photos for fabric texture and ink clarity).
- Provenance: Fully researched and attributed to a tightly knit Marine squad/communications unit serving in the immediate aftermath of the atomic bomb drop and Japanese surrender.
THE HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
In September 1945, the elite U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Marine Division arrived in the devastation of Nagasaki, Japan, tasked with securing the region, dismantling military infrastructure, and overseeing the massive repatriation of foreign forced laborers.
This magnificent, large-scale artifact serves as a literal "cross-country yearbook" of a specific Marine squad—likely a pioneer or communications unit. Before rotating back home to the United States in late 1945 or early 1946, these young men used this captured flag to immortalize their shared survival and service.
Most remarkably, alongside the six American servicemen is the ink signature of Wong Chung Yu, an Allied Chinese Liaison or repatriation coordinator who worked hand-in-hand with this Marine unit to process liberated citizens. Flags bearing verified connections to multinational Allied operations in occupied Japan are exceptionally rare on the open market.
THE IDENTIFIED SQUAD ROSTER
Every single American name on this flag has been cross-referenced with WWII Marine Corps muster rolls, pinning down a spectacular cross-section of the "Greatest Generation":
- Bob Winter (Xenia, Ohio): The legendary three-sport captain of the historic 1942 Xenia Central High School State Championship basketball team. He put his Ohio State University athletic scholarship on hold to join the U.S. Marines in Japan. Officially inducted into the Xenia Athletics Hall of Fame.
- William E. "Bill" Orr (Dunkirk, Indiana): Small-town Indiana Marine. Archival military muster rolls show him being processed on the exact same day as fellow squad mate Vincent Freiberger.
- Vincent H. Freiberger (Floyds Knobs, Indiana): Devoted WWII Marine who returned home to become a prominent community leader and President of the Floyd County Board of Commissioners (1970s–1980s).
- Thomas M. Thomas (Marlinton, West Virginia): Served within the 2nd Pioneer Battalion / 18th Marine Regiment, the construction and combat engineering backbone of the division.
- Lloyd E. "Pardner" Welch (Hysham, Montana): Staff Sergeant and highly trained Marine Corps telephone/communications wire specialist. His presence strongly indicates this flag belonged to a localized communications hub.
- James H. Espy (San Bernardino, California): The West Coast anchor of this tight-knit squad.
- Wong Chung Yu (China): Hand-signed in English letters, representing the crucial cooperation between U.S. Marines and Republic of China (ROC) authorities during the massive 1945 logistical repatriations.
COLLECTOR & HEIR NOTE
This is a museum-grade piece of militaria with impeccable provenance. Due to the high-profile nature of several squad members (such as Bob Winter in Ohio sports history and Vincent Freiberger in Indiana politics), this item holds profound regional and genealogical significance.
Pickup: Thursday, December 10th
Personal Property: A 15% Buyer’s Premium will be added to each successful bid. Everything is sold AS-IS. No refunds, no exceptions.
NO CHECKS ACCEPTED UNLESS YOU ARE KNOWN BY US, and checks must be drawn from a local bank. If you plan to pay by check or cash, you must notify us before 5:00 PM on the day the auction ends. Cash is always accepted, but prior notice is required. Otherwise, payment must be made by the credit card on file used to register for the auction.
Payment must be made in full BEFORE items are removed from the premises.
This auction uses an auto-extend feature. Bidding on a lot will automatically extend by 5 minutes if a bid is placed within the final 5 minutes of that lot’s scheduled closing time. This process will continue until no additional bids are placed during the final 5 minutes, at which point the lot will close. This closely mimics a live sale.
There is also a staggered closing on personal property items.
If you don’t understand the terms of the auction, call us at 865-681-7797 and we can explain them to you. If you don’t agree with the terms or don’t trust the system, THEN DON’T BID! It’s that simple.
Items not picked up from the auction after the scheduled pickup times are subject to forfeiture unless prior arrangements are made.
Thank you, and Happy Bidding!!
