Imperial Japan, Trophy Flag of the 18th U.S. Navy Construction Battalion, with honors, WWII
This silk Japanese national flag is a war trophy from the Second World War. Surviving Japanese flags from WWII are plentiful since almost every Japanese soldier or sailor had one. These "hinomaru yosegaki "or "Good Luck Flags" were carried by individual soldiers and were a prized trophy for US soldiers, sailors and marines. What makes this particular flag significant is the "sailor art" painted over the field of the flag detailing the wartime services of Louis Mauriello during his time with the 18th Naval Construction Battalion.
Painted over the red Japanese sun or "meatball" is a large cigar-smoking Seabee holding a machine gun in his front arms, a poker hand in its middle arm, and bottle of alcohol in the rear arm; this is a variation on the official insignia where the Seabee is grasping construction tools.
In each corner of the flag American insignias have been painted: clockwise from the upper hoist are those of the US Navy, the US Marine Corps, the 2nd Marine Division, and the 5th Marine Amphibious Corps representing the various command echelons to which the 18th N.C.B. was attached during WWII.
The text reads "18th N.C.B. - Louis Mauriello" and also features multi colored stenciled locations relating to the unit's areas of deployment: Saipan & Panama are Brown; Tinian & Hawaii are Golden Yellow; the Marshalls & New Caledonia are Red; New Zealand & Guadalcanal are Green; the New Hebrides & Pearl Harbor are Dark Blue; the Gilberts & Eniwetok are Brown; Cuba & Tulagi are Golden Yellow.
American service personnel often defaced captured Japanese trophy flags with artwork or inscriptions; please see ZFC2549 and ZFC1356 for examples.
Provenance:
• Imperial Japanese flag acquired by U.S. Navy Sea-Bee Louis Mauriello in Pacific Theater, 1943-1945.
• Retained by Louis Mauriello as a memento of service.
• Acquired by James Mountain, Ashburnham, MA.
• James Mountain Collection, until 2009.
• Sold via Alderfer Auction, to the Zaricor Flag Collection, 2009.
Deaccessed at auction via Bonham's 21 November 2023, Auction #BOK23110NY, - 28447 - Lot #219
ZFC Significant Flag
Sources:
War trophy, Wikipedia, 11 October 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_trophy
Good Luck Flags (Hinomaru Yosegaki), Nambu World, 8 October 2011, from: http://members.shaw.ca/ursacki/flags2.htm
Naval mobile Construction Battalion 18 (NMCB 18), The Fighting Seabees, 11 October 2011, from: http://www.fightingseabees.com/seabee-units/naval-mobile-construction-battalion-nmcb/naval-mobile-construction-battalion-18-nmcb-18/
Naval mobile Construction Battalion 18 (NMCB 18), The Fighting Seabees, 11 October 2011, from: http://www.fightingseabees.com/seabee-units/naval-mobile-construction-battalion-nmcb/naval-mobile-construction-battalion-18-nmcb-18/
De Vries, Larry, Navy Seabees on Guadalcanal, Seabee History, 11 October 2011, from: http://www.seabeecook.com/history/canal/cactus.htm
