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LT. BYRON F. DOENGES : 1945 SUPER, ORIGINAL SIGNIFICANT PAIR [2] OF MANUSCRIPT DIARIES HANDWRITTEN BY A DOGGED AND DETERMINED FORT WAYNE INDIANA NAVAL LIEUTENANT WHO WILL GO ON TO FAME AND RENOWN BUT NOT UNTIL HE SURVIVES IWO JIMA AND OKINAWA

8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. On offer is a rare first-hand record of a naval officer's presence at two significant WWII battles. Labelled "War Diary I and II, these volumes are official United States Navy War Diaries from WWII. They are in excellent condition. They each measure 8 inches by 5 inches and contain 196 pages. The covers, bindings and pages are all in good condition. The first diary is 100% complete and the second diary is about 11% complete. They also contain wartime Japanese currency and other ephemera. A war diary is a regularly updated, official record kept by military units of their activities during wartime. The purpose of these diaries is to both record information which can later be used by the military to improve its training and tactics as well as to generate a detailed record of units' activities for future use by historians. The author of the diaries is Byron F Doenges. Doenges was born in 1922 in Fort Wayne, IN. In WWII, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the US Navy Reserve. He was assigned to USS LST 1033. Landing Ship, Tank (LST), or tank landing ship, were ocean-going ships built during World War II to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto shore. LST-1033 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theatre and participated in the assault and occupation of Iwo Jima in February 1945 and the assault and occupation of Okinawa from April through June 1945. Following the war, she performed occupation duty in the Far East and saw service in China until mid-July. She was re-designated LSTH-1033 on 15 September 1945. The ship was decommissioned on 1 August 1946 and struck from the Navy list on 28 August that same year. LST- 1033 earned two battle stars for World War II service. After his war service, Doenges remained in the USNR, rising to the rank of Lt Commander before retiring in 1946. Following his war service, he earned an MBA and a PhD. He taught and worked in several universities before entering public service in 1965. He served as economic adviser to the Governor of Oregon before moving to Washington to join the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. He served in the agency as Deputy Assistant Director, chief of economics and special studies division and finally as senior economic adviser. Doenges passed away in 2006 at the age of 83. His War Diaries documents the ship's journey and participation in the assault on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. And damage assessment of Nagasaki after the atomic bomb had been dropped, the repatriation of Japanese soldiers and the transport of Chinese Nationalist troops. The diaries end with his orders to return to the United States. At 0837 underway from Pearl Harbor Hawaii to Eniwetok, Marshall Islands operating in Task Unit S1.42.2 via Route Mary. 1300 formed sixty ship convoy with Commander Phil Neikum riding DD LITTLE in command. This ship is in third column from right, second ship in column. This convoy is one of 3 similar convoys which is to merge with similar convoys which are to merge at Saipan Marianas to form Task Force 51 for the eventual capture of Iwo Jima ... [Jan 23, 1945] At 0300 sighted salvo flashes and star shells originated by navy fleet units which were bombarding and shelling Iwo Jima volcanoes. 0500 formed cruising disposition # 5 made of 28 LST'S of tractor groups Able and Baker; this ship 14th ship in left hand column. All ships steaming in preparation to line up in single column 5500 yards to seaward of southern beaches of Iwo Jima. 0620 Suribaichi Yama came into view ; the weather was perfect with clear atmosphere At 0741 formed Task Unit 53.3.3 as we came into position before Green Beach #1 ...All marines and amphitracks left ship by 0754. ... At 0825 aft port pontoon launched to be used as casualty evacuation barge At 0930 this vessel reached its station as casualty ship 4300 yards to seaward Green Beach # 1 Iwo Jima. All while heavy shelling and bombardments by flash units continued while dive-bombers continued strafing and bombing attacks on enemy positions. At 0937 first casualties transported to ship via LCVP's and LCM's from beaches. ... [Feb 19, 1945] Manoeuvring in casualty wound station position 4300 yards to seaward of Green Beach, Iwo Jima volcanoes. Casualties close to come aboard after sundown; during daylight hours, however when boats can get into beach many casualties were transported to ship. During the night of the 20th approximately ninety Marines remained on tank deck because no boats available or because the APA's would not take them. This is a sad condition because this ship does not have the real hospital facilities an APA has, and hence many wounds may have been infected due to delay. The terrific fighting and heavy casualties were in evidence continually. Fleet units and carrier-based aircraft continued to bombard island. 1555 and 1907 enemy aircraft reported in vicinity however none were visible. [Feb 20, 1945] Anchored as before in Kerawa- Kaikyo, Kerawa Retto Okinawa Gunto. 0310 Flash Red alert yellow; heavy enemy air attacks reported at Okinawa Shiwa. 0312 to 0635 exercised at general quarters. No enemy planes or anti aircraft fire sighted in this area. Smoke coverage of this ship was very poor. 0836 to 0851 exercise at general quarters, 1047 first casualties arrived, wounded from USS Nevada. 1221 underway to shift berths. 1248 anchored in berth K-90, Kerawa- Kaikyo- Kreama Retto Okinawa Gunto. ... 1520 & at 1522 the Control became Yellow. Many enemy aircraft reported in vicinity.1630 USS LST 447 preceding from Okinawa to Kerawa Retto and just ready to enter channel was suicided upon by a low flying enemy fighter The ship was hit amidships and a terrific explosion was observed for we were just a little more than a mile north of the beleaguered ship. All ships in vicinity opened fire. At 1640 all hands were seen abandoning the 447. Also at 1640 tea more enemy fighters approached port beam from west side of Fukashi Shima. Again all batteries opened up on attackers one suiciding into SS Logon Victory an ammunition ship and the other demolished by five inch shell hit before it accomplished its mission of diving into another ship. Two friendly F4F's took off the Tulagi CVE 72 at 1645 one was shot down apparently dumping on the other side of the island.1715 first survivors and casualties arrived from LST 447 and the SS Logan Victory; this ships small boat aiding in the rescue work. [April 6, 1945] Anchored as before. During the mourning ship's officers and army officers aboard went ashore to inspect the Atomic bomb damage at Nagasaki. American troops in force have not yet landed in their area. Got underway for Sasebo, Kyushu, Japan at 1308 in accordance with CTG 55.7 dispatch dated 200150. ... [Sept 20, 1945] The first of March found LST 1033 skirting the coast of China enroute from Hong Kong to Chaingtao with a load of 832 Chinese troops of the new 1st Nationalist army, ship arrived in Chanigtao on March 6, and unloaded immediately. Trip was uneventful. Communist and Nationalist troops were fighting a pitched battle a few miles away while unloading was taking place. Learned that the Chinese first army was completely American equipped however the troops on the whole were very unsanitary. ...[March 1, 1946] ... The ship sailed to Shanghai in company with LST's 1046, 935, and 96. On 7 March and arrived at the Chinese metropolis on 10 March. However ship did not get into Whangpoo anchorage until 13 March on 15 March ship was notified that she was to load up with 2000 tons of UNRRA food supplies and sail for Hawkow. 1000 miles into the interior to deliver food to starving Chinese.The 1033 was the first LST ever ordered to make a run up the Yangtze River.... [March 1 to Mar 31, 1946] The ephemera includes a 50 Japanese Sen banknote (0.50 Yen). They are part of the withdrawn Japanese Yen banknotes series. The Bank of Japan started issuing these 0.5 Japanese Yen banknotes in 1938. They were withdrawn from circulation in 1945. Also included is a copy of the discharge request on an officer aboard LST 1033 and a draft of Doenges own request for release. This is a thoroughly outstanding documentary record of an American ship and officer in the chaotic last months of WWII and the early days of the Chinese revolution. For a historian is serves multiple purposes. It documents the activities of this ship; it cross-references the names and locations of other ships and officers, assisting in filling in the historical record and it speaks to the reach and range of the U.S. Navy and the foreign policy behind its actions. It is truly an eyewitness to history.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good+

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