- H-Gram 001
- H-Gram 002
- H-Gram 003
- H-Gram 004
- H-Gram 005
- H-Gram 006
- H-Gram 007
- H-Gram 008
- H-Gram 009
- H-Gram 010
- H-Gram 011
- H-Gram 012
- H-Gram 013
- H-Gram 014
- H-Gram 015
- H-Gram 016
- H-Gram 017
- H-Gram 018
- H-Gram 019
- H-Gram 020
- H-Gram 021
- H-Gram 022
- H-Gram 023
- H-Gram 024
- H-Gram 025
- H-Gram 026
- H-Gram 027
- H-Gram 028
- H-Gram 029
- H-Gram 030
- H-Gram 031
- H-Gram 032
- H-Gram 033
- H-Gram Special Edition: Passing of Supreme Court Justice Stevens
- H-Gram 034
- H-Gram 035
- H-Gram 036
- H-Gram 037
- H-Gram 038
- H-Gram 039
- H-Gram 040
- H-Gram 041
- H-Gram 042
- H-Gram 043
- H-Gram 044
- H-Gram 045
- H-Gram 046
- H-Gram 047
- H-Gram 048
- H-Gram 049
- H-Gram 050
- H-Gram 051
- H-Gram 052
- H-Gram 053
- H-Gram 054
- H-Gram 055
- H-Gram 056
- H-Gram 057
- H-Gram 058
- H-Gram 059
- H-Gram 060
- H-Gram 061
- H-Gram 062
- H-Gram 063
- H-Gram 064
- H-Gram 066
- H-Gram 067
- H-Gram 068
- H-Gram 069
- H-Gram 070
- H-Gram 071
- H-Gram 072
- H-Gram 073
- H-Gram 074
- H-Gram 075
- H-Gram 076
- H-Gram 077
- H-Gram 078
- Artifact
- Historical Summary
- World War II 1939-1945
- Image (gif, jpg, tiff)
- NHHC
H-002-4: Wake Island Sword
H-Gram 002, Attachment 4
Samuel J. Cox, Director NHHC
29 December 2016
This 500-year old katana (Samurai sword) was recently donated to the National Museum of the United States Navy by the family of Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy. The Leahy family generously donated not only FADM Leahy's collection of historic swords, but also all of his military and diplomatic awards, honors, tributes and medals, plus other artifacts that define his remarkable career as a Naval officer, territorial Governor, Ambassador and Presidential advisor to Presidents Roosevelt and Truman. This sword was surrendered by Company Commander Tetsu Matsudaira on Wake Island at the end of WWII on 4 September 1945 and was subsequently presented to FADM Leahy by RADM W.K. Harrill. We do not know the exact history of the sword, but it represents a very dark period in history. The commander of the Japanese invasion force (first and second assault), RADM Sadamichi Kajioka, impressed by the bravery and effectiveness of the resistance, ordered a halt to the execution of the approximately 1600 Marines, Navy and civilian personnel who surrendered at Wake Island. During the next years, some prisoners were beheaded for various infractions or died of other causes, but most were eventually shipped to prison camps and forced labor in Japan and China. However, in October 1943, in anticipation of an imminent U.S. assault (which didn't happen) the Japanese garrison commander, Rear Admiral Shigematsu Sakaibara, ordered the execution of the 98 U.S. civilian workers who had been kept on the island for forced labor. The execution was carried out by machine gun. However one prisoner (whose identity was never known) escaped and carved into a rock "98 US PW 5-10-43" before being recaptured three weeks later and personally beheaded by RADM Sakaibara with a sword such as this. Although the Japanese attempted to blame the U.S. deaths on U.S. bombing, RADM Sakaibara was subsequently tried, convicted, and hanged for war crimes. The rock and inscription still exist as a monument on Wake Island.
Footnotes
- Accessibility/Section 508 |
- Employee Login |
- FOIA |
- NHHC IG |
- Privacy |
- Webmaster |
- Navy.mil |
- Navy Recruiting |
- Careers |
- USA.gov |
- USA Jobs
- No Fear Act |
- Site Map |
- This is an official U.S. Navy web site