Title
Japanese Art Inspired Woodcarving
Description
Wooden plaque with Japanese motifs carved by U. S. Navy personnel during the occupation of Japan after World War II.
Context
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Marvin Veronee joined the Navy, graduated from UNC, and attended Midshipmen's School at The University of Notre Dame before shipping to the Pacific. Veronee served as an officer on the USS Doyen, then was transferred to train as a naval gunfire liaison officer, ultimately providing naval gunfire cover to the marines on Iwo Jima.
Veronee went ashore with 70,000 Marines at Iwo Jima as a Navy gunfire officer and served there for 36 days. The then 19-year-old called in fire from warships stationed off the coast. While on Iwo Jima, he escaped a Japanese banzai charge (suicide attack) and saw the original raising of the American flag on Mount Surabachi that created the iconic photograph.
Veronee went ashore with 70,000 Marines at Iwo Jima as a Navy gunfire officer and served there for 36 days. The then 19-year-old called in fire from warships stationed off the coast. While on Iwo Jima, he escaped a Japanese banzai charge (suicide attack) and saw the original raising of the American flag on Mount Surabachi that created the iconic photograph.
Accession #
2024.32
