Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

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gengeo
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Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#1

Post by gengeo » 29 Jan 2019, 15:16

Hi Folks,

I need to know what area in Japan men from the 67th IR would have come from during WWII.

The Japanese Wikipedia puts their HQ at either Hamamatsu or Tsuruga. Does anyone know which? And would it have been comprised of men from these two cities exclusively or from surrounding towns and villages as well?

I know this is very specific, but any information or suggested resources would be hugely appreciated!

If it helps, the 67th IR were part of the 15th Division, 15th Army.

Cheers!

Eugen Pinak
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Re: Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#2

Post by Eugen Pinak » 29 Jan 2019, 17:07

gengeo wrote:
29 Jan 2019, 15:16
Hi Folks,

I need to know what area in Japan men from the 67th IR would have come from during WWII.

The Japanese Wikipedia puts their HQ at either Hamamatsu or Tsuruga. Does anyone know which? And would it have been comprised of men from these two cities exclusively or from surrounding towns and villages as well?
First 67th regiment was based at Hamamatsu, second - at Tsuruga.
And no, in both cases it was filled with men from the whole regimental district. For example, Kyoto regimental district, were Tsuruga town was, comprised parts of three different prefectures.


gengeo
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Re: Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#3

Post by gengeo » 20 Feb 2019, 15:46

Thanks Eugen. Do you know which these three prefectures were?

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fontessa
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Re: Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#4

Post by fontessa » 21 Feb 2019, 07:29

Eugen Pinak wrote: Kyoto regimental district, were Tsuruga town was, comprised parts of three different prefectures.
京都師管区 Kyoto Divisional Distinct
-- 京都連隊区 Kyoto Regimental Distinct (京都府 Kyoto Prefecture)
-- 大津連隊区 Otsu Regimental Distinct (滋賀県 Shiga Prefecture)
-- 福井連隊区 Fukui Regimental Distinct (福井県 Fukui Prefecture)

fontessa

gengeo
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Re: Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#5

Post by gengeo » 21 Feb 2019, 13:26

Thanks Fontessa.

So just to be clear...does this mean that a solider from this regiment may have come from a town or city in any one of the Kyoto, Shiga or Fukui Prefectures?

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fontessa
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Re: Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#6

Post by fontessa » 21 Feb 2019, 13:48

Hello gengeo,

I think only men in 京都連隊区 Kyoto Regimental Distinct were mobilized to 67th Infantry Regiment.

fontessa

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Re: Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#7

Post by gengeo » 21 Feb 2019, 16:32

Hi Fontessa,

Thanks so much. I have a few more questions if you don't mind talking a little more about this.

Do you know which towns and cities were included in the Kyoto Regimental district that time?

The reason I'm asking is because I'm trying to find the relatives of solider who once owned a Yosegaki Hinomaru 'good luck flag' that I now have in my possession. He was a corporal in the 67th IR and was called 辰巳善次郎, Zenji or Zenjirou Tatsumi (I'm told there are different ways of reading it in English)

It would obviously be incredibly helpful to have a list of towns he could of come from which is what I'm trying to get hold of now.

Thanks again for the information so far.

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Re: Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#8

Post by Eugen Pinak » 22 Feb 2019, 12:54

gengeo wrote:
21 Feb 2019, 16:32
The reason I'm asking is because I'm trying to find the relatives of solider who once owned a Yosegaki Hinomaru 'good luck flag' that I now have in my possession. He was a corporal in the 67th IR and was called 辰巳善次郎, Zenji or Zenjirou Tatsumi (I'm told there are different ways of reading it in English)
You should warn people before asking unwise questions.
1. Even small Japanese prefecture during WW II had c. 1 million people. Usually more, than that.
2. Those people were living in many small towns and villages in mountains. Over time some of them were merged together.
3. People tend to move - especially if their country is devastated by war and then rebuild.
4. In combat replacements sometimes were made without regards to any district affiliations.

And, as I already told you, over time Kyoto regimental district comprised parts of different prefectures. Also I'd like to add, that 67th infantry may've been staffed by Fukui regimental district - I'm still not sure about that. Also regimental districts' areas tended to change over time.

In short - you won't find anything by asking questions like this.

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Re: Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#9

Post by gengeo » 22 Feb 2019, 16:55

Here's your warning for more questions you might deem unwise, Eugen.

Do you mean to say that is particular line of investigation is void?
There must be a way to discern exactly which areas men from the 67th IR were recruited from in the build up to the Burma campaign. There must be a list that can be drawn up of all the towns, cities and villages that men would of been drawn from in a particular time frame.

I understand there are lots of factors that complicate things hugely (some of the ones you mentioned I had not considered) but if there is even a small chance of finding this man's hometown then surely this is worth pursuing.

If not perhaps you can suggest a better way to find this man's hometown. I get what I'm trying to do is extremely challenging but it's not impossible.

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fontessa
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Re: Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#10

Post by fontessa » 23 Feb 2019, 00:49

fontessa wrote: I think only men in 京都連隊区 Kyoto Regimental Distinct were mobilized to 67th Infantry Regiment.
fontessa
I have mistaken.
67th Infantry Regiment was organized at Fukui Regimental Distinct.

福井連隊区 Fukui Regimental Distinct:
福井市 Fukui City
敦賀市 Tsuruga City
大野郡 Ono County
坂井郡 Sakai County
吉田郡 Yoshida County
足羽郡 Asuwa Country
今立郡 Imadate Country
丹生郡 Nyu Country
南条郡 Nanjo Country

I think that it is extremely difficult to pinpoint the hometown only by the name called 辰巳善次郎.

fontessa

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Re: Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#11

Post by Eugen Pinak » 24 Feb 2019, 18:17

fontessa wrote:
23 Feb 2019, 00:49
fontessa wrote: I think only men in 京都連隊区 Kyoto Regimental Distinct were mobilized to 67th Infantry Regiment.
fontessa
I have mistaken.
67th Infantry Regiment was organized at Fukui Regimental Distinct.
Thank you for confirming this.

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Re: Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#12

Post by Eugen Pinak » 24 Feb 2019, 18:35

gengeo wrote:
22 Feb 2019, 16:55
I get what I'm trying to do is extremely challenging but it's not impossible.
If you're looking for a challenge, I am not to stop you. I heard, challenges make person stronger. But if you are, by chance, looking for an information of some killed Japanese soldier from WW II, the first place to ask are, obviously, state authorities, starting with the Japanese embassy in your country. Yasukuni shrine comes afterwards. There is also US group with the mission to return "good luck flags" to the families of fallen soldiers in Japan. But I'm afraid you will find those ways to easy for you...

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fontessa
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Re: Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#13

Post by fontessa » 24 Feb 2019, 20:42

In Japan 兵籍簿 'Heisekibo' Army military service records are kept in the prefectural government. (Fukui prefectural office in the case of 辰巳善次郎) Unfortunately for the protection of private information, only the viewing of records by family members is allowed.

fontessa

gengeo
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Re: Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#14

Post by gengeo » 25 Feb 2019, 15:00

Many thanks Fontessa for that information on the Fukui Regimental District, it's going to prove an invaluable piece of the puzzle. Can I ask what your source is for that info?

Eugen, thanks to you as well for your own special kind of input. I'm exploring all the possibilities you mentioned here. There's a film being made about this process which complicates things with 'Obon' the American charity. Luckily though, I have a friend in Japan who's helping us by visiting various museums and libraries to collect information, including the Yasukuni shrine.

Anyway thanks again.

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Re: Japanese Recruitment Areas (67th Infantry Regiment)

#15

Post by fontessa » 26 Feb 2019, 01:28

Hello gengeo,
gengeo wrote: Many thanks Fontessa for that information on the Fukui Regimental District, it's going to prove an invaluable piece of the puzzle. Can I ask what your source is for that info?
The source is Wiki.
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%A6%8F ... A%E5%8C%BA

fontessa

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