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Posted by Len Provisor
on November 7, 2009, 1:34 pm
Stanford article – Japanese Surrender Document signing 2 Sept 1945
http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2001/novdec/features/war.html
IN THE WAKE OF WAR
A young newsman from the Class of '36 reflects on World War II while covering the Japanese surrender.
IT'S SUNDAY MORNING, September 2, 1945—three long years, eight months and 25 days since Japan sucker-punched us at Pearl Harbor on another Sunday morning. It seems like a lifetime since December 7, 1941. For millions of men, women and children, too, it was the end of a lifetime.
Now I'm perched on a forward gun turret on the battleship Missouri,my feet dangling over the edge. Dozens of other news correspondents share this space on the huge turret, which houses three of the Missouri’s largest weapons, as we wait to cover Japan’s formal surrender. We’re at anchor in Tokyo Bay, about 35 miles south of the devastated capital city and about six miles offshore from Yokosuka, the Japanese naval base where I landed with our Marines only three days ago. Surrounding us are scores of ships of the U.S. 3rd Fleet. Many of them, like the 45,000-ton Missouri, have been built in that comparatively brief time since the Japanese thought they had knocked us out at Pearl Harbor. The aircraft carriers are out of sight at sea, while their fighters patrol overhead, maintaining a careful watch even at this time of surrender.
See link above for balance of article
New Zealand History online
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/sound/japanese-surrender-1945
The Japanese surrender
John Allingham describes the signing of the Japanese surrender, 1945.
We were escorted up a deck to a deck that was set aside for the ceremony, and there, quite a large party had assembled and kept being added to as others arrived. Everybody was chatting there – seemed to be only admirals and generals – and the main theme of conversation was, this is the day we've been waiting for. At about a quarter to nine, the main signatories were lined up behind the table that had been set out for the actual signing, and the aides were lined behind the signatories. On the left were what seemed to be three or four rows of what seemed to be mainly generals and admirals and on the right were the press and cameramen on a specially built staging. Just in front of the table was left clear for the Japanese delegation.
In the line of the United Nations signatories were the following: Admiral Nimitz, for the United States, a Chinese general from China, Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser from the United Kingdom, the Russian general was next and then General Blamey from Australia. General Le Clerc from France was next with Colonel Cosgrave of Canada, Admiral Helfrich from the Netherlands and Air Vice-Marshal Isitt from New Zealand.
Just before nine o'clock the Japanese arrived, 11 altogether – four generals, three admirals and three governments, all headed by the government signatory. The uniforms were very shabby indeed, and the government ministers were in morning suits and top hats. They lined up in two rows with the government signatory, Shigemitsu, in front and stood there absolutely wooden without a flicker of an eyelid. Approximately at nine, General MacArthur came out of Admiral Halsey's cabin and spoke quietly into the microphone. It was just a short, simple speech, and one could see that it was a great moment for him. When he had finished, he called on the Japanese to sign the two copies that lay on the table. The foreign secretary then came to the table and produced the authority from the Emperor and from the government of Japan and spread these papers, which were covered with Japanese lettering, on the table. He then signed, using his own pen, and was followed by the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, who also signed with his own pen – obviously an American make. General MacArthur then called generals Percival and Wainwright to assist him, and he signed for the United Nations. He was followed by the United Nations representatives in turn, and each of them gave the two pens – they used a different pen to sign each copy – to their aides at the table with them. When New Zealand's turn came there were no pens left, so the Air Vice-Marshal had to use his own pen so I, as his aide, missed out. The proceedings then being declared closed by General MacArthur, he returned to Admiral Halsey's cabin and was followed by the signatories. The Japanese took their copy of the surrender document and departed, still as impassive as ever.
From auction catalog, lot with Wahl Eversharp Skyline pen used by UK Representative 2 Sept 1945
Sprink, "orders, decorations and campaign medals" London, 25 November 1998 lot number 1959 "The Nationally Important G.C.B., K.B.E, Group of twenty-four to Admiral of The Fleet Baron Fraser of North Cape, the Architect of the Destruction of the 'Scharnhorst' and Great Britain's Representative at the signing of the Japanese surrender."
The pen is one of a number of items in lot 1959 It is number (vi) in the catalog and listed as "The highly important fountain pen used by Fraser to sign the Japanese surrender on behalf of Great Britain in the official ceremony held aboard the U.S.S. Missouri on 2.9.1945, the screw-top privately engraved, “Japanese Surrender 1945” The photo of the pen is included in the catalog and shows an ordinary gold filled top Skyliner.
I will quote just a small amount of further information from this lot:
"Finally with the defeat of Japan in August 1945, it fell to Fraser, as one of the ten representatives of the Allies, to put his name to the Japanese surrender document on behalf of the United Kingdom at the ceremony held on the deck of the U.S.S. Missouri and 2 September. After the signing he was presented with one of the six copies of the surrender instrument and a treasured copy of the Mighty Missouri Deck Log for that historic morning, which was additionally autographed by his colleague and friend Admiral Nimitz. When the formalities were completed, General MacArthur apparently made 'attempts to retrieve all the pens used in the signing of the surrender for an all-American distribution, (but) Fraser managed to keep his. Apart from its obvious souvenir value there was a special letter he wanted to write with it, which earned a special reply:...From Mr. Churchill to Admiral Fraser...I am most grateful to you for your very kind letter...written...with the pen of the unconditional surrender of Japan. You work during the War has always commanded my highest respect and admiration."
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