The Japanese signed their surrender onboard the USS Missouri and WWII officially ended.

Several weeks later my Dad landed on the shores of Japan (with the 27th ID) as part of the occupation force. He was there for a few months then came home. If Japan had not surrendered, he would have been part of the invasion force and there is a good possibility me and many others would not be here today.

I've been to the surrender display in Pearl Harbor aboard the Missouri.

A day to remember the sacrifices our soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen made to end that horrible war Japan started.

I remember the celebrations. I was 8 1/2 years old at the time.

We waited anxiously for my uncle, who spent the final part of the war as a POW in the Pacific, to come home.

The Japanese got off way too easy from their war crimes during WWII. 2 atomic bombs wasn’t enough.

My dad was in the northern Philippines too and also scheduled headed to the invasion, had the war not ended (32nd Army division).

They also went to Japan, first the southern island, then the northern and passed around the outside of both Nagasaki and Hiroshima while collecting weaponry from Japanese troops before heading home in January 1946.
I also question whether I’d be here if not for the bombs and the surrender.
I don’t think any more bombs and civilian deaths were needed but more prosecutions of war crimes would have been justified.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
I don’t think any more bombs and civilian deaths were needed but more prosecutions of war crimes would have been justified.

The more appropriate punishment would’ve been to let the rest of Asia determine the fate of Japan after WWII.

My father graduated from Signal School in January of 1943.

My Dad was the veterinary officer on board ship hauling mules to China afterwards. I have a copy of the commanders report here. I will post it later. It's in a lot of old things Mother has from way back. Mom is 99 this coming week.
There are also hand written letters from Germany from family seeking help after the war.

My grandfather was still recovering from being nearly killed by artillery from September 25, 1944 during the fighting on Peleliu. The mental healing was never complete.