Description:

'The Lost Battalion' of the Pacific was the 2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery, 36th Infantry Div. (Texas National Guard). 534 members of the battalion, the only American ground force on the island, were captured by the Japanese on Java in March 1942. It is called the 'Lost Battalion' because the fate of the men was unknown to the United States until September 1944. Most of the men were sent to Thailand to work on the Burma Railway, the building of which is portrayed in the film 'The Bridge on the River Kwai'. Of the total of 902 soldiers and sailors surviving the sinking of the USS Houston taken captive, 163 died in captivity. Offered here are three very rare Japanese P.O.W. camp newspapers once belonging to Col. ALBERT C. SEARLE, one named to Searle at the top. Searle was the senior regular Army officer commanding the battalion and he refused to leave the men of the 131st behind, despite initial orders to the contrary. The papers are all named 'No. 4 CAMP SPECIAL' and are each 2pp. legal folio, issued at Batavia on August 4, 15, and 18, '2602', or 1942. These papers offer strictly world news from such places as China, Tokyo, Berlin, etc., all slanted for propaganda purposes and including news on military victories by Japan and her Axis allies, diplomatic advances, etc. Overall a very good set of rare P.O.W. camp newspapers with an important association.

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November 30, 2023 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
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$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000