WWII Japanese head-scratcher battlefield relic

[jsandin]

My father found this, on Peleliu (I think) just after the battle in 1944. He was a surveyor with the Seabees in the U.S. Navy.

It is a pouch made of waterproofed fabric, now very brittle, containing what sounds like a powder when the pouch is shaken. My dad told me he thought it could be some kind of Japanese suicide powder. My gut tells me it's not that dramatic...perhaps some anti-malaria concoction or even a dried-up condom.

Help, you guys.

 

[intimer]

agree with the idea it is for use under wrap for dressing

 

[Discrimination Dave]

That Japanese character looks a lot like iwa (岩).
It shows yama above (山) mountain.
And ishi below (石) stone.
Put them both together and it is iwa : 岩 (big huge rock).
It is a common NAME here in japan but I dont know of any application to medicine.
I can show it to some of my friends tomorrow, but I do think that the kanji (chinese character) on your artifact is
IWA (岩).
dave

 

[Discrimination Dave]

And,
My little student just told me it is WAY too medium sized to be a Japanese condom so scratch that.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

That Japanese character looks a lot like iwa (岩).
It shows yama above (山) mountain.
And ishi below (石) stone.
Put them both together and it is iwa : 岩 (big huge rock).
It is a common NAME here in japan but I dont know of any application to medicine.
I can show it to some of my friends tomorrow, but I do think that the kanji (chinese character) on your artifact is
IWA (岩).
dave

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Peleliu

 

[jsandin]

My new theory is that it was invented by the Japanese military to confuse Americans.

 

[Discrimination Dave]

Maybe you're working for THEM Sonny!
That's right!
It's taken you guys 65 years but you've finally done it!
Confused the heck out of all of us....
Too late Sonny!
Wars been over for a long long while!

 

[lostcauses]

Looks like a padding for some thing else.

Think for example as ear phone padding, a crude example yet most here should understand that.

 

[Discrimination Dave]

Looks like a padding for some thing else.

Think for example as ear phone padding, a crude example yet most here should understand that.

No, I don't understand.
What do you mean lost cause?

 

[lostcauses]

Padding as in helmet padding, earphone (think the old style that covered your ears) padding, Sling padding or any similar padding.

Used to cushion between you and whatever. It has deteriorated the inside material, and the outside has became hard.

Exactly what it is for, Your wag would be as good as mine.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Padding as in helmet padding, earphone (think the old style that covered your ears) padding, Sling padding or any similar padding.

Used to cushion between you and whatever. It has deteriorated the inside material, and the outside has became hard.

Exactly what it is for, Your wag would be as good as mine.

I understand and I think its a good possibility.. Maybe the rock hard character is to symbolize the cushion? Or it could be just a company logo.

Im waiting to find out if its waterproof and airtight.

 

[taz42o]

Does a drop of water soak in or repel off? water proof or absorbent ? Dressing would absorb.

 

[Discrimination Dave]

Does a drop of water soak in or repel off? water proof or absorbent ? Dressing would absorb.

Perhaps the most prevalent of recent questions.
Looks impermeable to me!

 

[Discrimination Dave]

Padding as in helmet padding, earphone (think the old style that covered your ears) padding, Sling padding or any similar padding.

Used to cushion between you and whatever. It has deteriorated the inside material, and the outside has became hard.

Exactly what it is for, Your wag would be as good as mine.

I understand and I think its a good possibility.. Maybe the rock hard character is to symbolize the cushion? Or it could be just a company logo.

Im waiting to find out if its waterproof and airtight.

im so so slow and old,
Big Ole Cypress gave me a real belly shake here...

NEVER MIND all that!
let's get down to the business of protecting the artifacts!
In the Sea and Above the sea!
Us fellers in blue, (or blue jeans),
Will, (well you know the drill)!
just do are darn best to try and put some kind of ink
to paper.
thats all
God Bless the (ole) U.S.A. !

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Thanks for IDing the Iwa, David, but Im just making wild guesses as to the connection.

When we find out if its water permeable, we can go forward.

David can you search ( .39) 17.4?

 

[Blacksheep]

Not sure how accurate this is, picture is a bit grainy.


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Japanese_World_War_II_first_aid_kit.jpg

Also found this. (condom)

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=110980&start=0

 

[jsandin]

Not sure how accurate this is, picture is a bit grainy.


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Japanese_World_War_II_first_aid_kit.jpg

Also found this. (condom)

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=110980&start=0

"Condom used by Japanese soldiers against Comfort Women"

The Japanese soldier's reputation for fierceness was well-deserved, I guess.

I don't know if the orange pouch is literally waterproof. I am not going to test it. It's fragile and I don't want to damage it.

Could be a hamster's life jacket...just a guess, though.

 

[MilitaryCollector]

it's dated APRIL 1942 (17.4)

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

maybe. Sowa 17 is the year Japanese 1942. http://www.meijigakuin.ac.jp/~watson/ref/mtsh.html


http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:xNDyK-mtPZgJ:www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp%3FItem%3D130572309+dated+APRIL+1942+(17.4)&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Now we need to find out what .39 stands for?

 

[mickk]

Its precisely made, its not some general stuffing item. Its also not a dressing, we had the real deals availabe in the surplus shops until the early 80s of all shapes and sizes from ww2. Japensese characters are read in context so can be hard as it has changed since ww2. "Big rock mountain" could be "made in big rock mountain". 39 could be a size, not a date.

It has to be a filter or absorber of some sort. I bet the family jewels on it!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Its precisely made, its not some general stuffing item. Its also not a dressing, we had the real deals availabe in the surplus shops until the early 80s of all shapes and sizes from ww2. Japensese characters are read in context so can be hard as it has changed since ww2. "Big rock mountain" could be "made in big rock mountain". 39 could be a size, not a date.

It has to be a filter or absorber of some sort. I bet the family jewels on it!

.39 is not a date. The date of April, 1942 should be correct. This clue may be helpful. The battle was in 1944.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Peleliu


I think we need to find out if its permeable, Sonny. Would it damage it that much to put a drop of water to see if it beads up? I think it would be a big help in solving this.

It seems to me a little odd that your Dad would save this one item when other more interesting items were available at the time. I guess he really felt it was suicide powder. Is any powder coming out of the bag?