Japanese Surrender

[talkinghead]

My father-in-law, a WWII buff, just sent me this video link. Some of you may have already seen it at some point, but I found it fascinating. It was 65 years ago last week that this occurred. Alot of pens were used but the quality of the video is such that identification of pens is probably impossible. It does appear that MacArthur uses desk pens of some type (doesn't appear that he caps the pens) to sign and then hands the pens over to his admirals...

 

Anybody have any links to higher quality stills that may show better close ups of the pens?

 

Japanese Surrender WWII

 

 

Rick

 

 

Wasn't sure where to post this topic but this sub forum seemed appropriate. Mods, please feel free to move if it should go somewhere alse

[nxn96]

I know that Parker marketed a LE Duofold that was supposed to be based on MacArthur's personal pen that he was supposed to have used to sign the surrender. I also remember reading somewhere that MacArthur also took his wife's Vacumatic to use as well, but I couldn't tell you where I read it.

 

In the Parker "51" book, there is also a picture of a "51" that Admiral Nimitz used that day as well.

 

Hope this helps.

[Woody]

My father-in-law, a WWII buff, just sent me this video link. Some of you may have already seen it at some point, but I found it fascinating. It was 65 years ago last week that this occurred.

 

65 years ago last week? What are you referring to, the date of the signing? If so, you'd better go back and watch the video again, as it clearly states that it is Sunday, September 2nd, 1945.

[talkinghead]

My father-in-law, a WWII buff, just sent me this video link. Some of you may have already seen it at some point, but I found it fascinating. It was 65 years ago last week that this occurred.

 

65 years ago last week? What are you referring to, the date of the signing? If so, you'd better go back and watch the video again, as it clearly states that it is Sunday, September 2nd, 1945.

 

I stand corrected in my haste to post..thanks! Lets just say 65 years ago.

 

Rick

[argonavis]

One might think that there were many Sailors and Pilots on hand...

[dcwaites]

There have been a few threads on this topic on the FPN. This is one I started nearly 3 years ago.

 

The vision in that document was in colour, and higher resolution than the linked newsreel. From my memory, it seems that the newsreel footage is a black and white print of the original colour film.

[talkinghead]

David,

 

Thanks for the link!

 

 

Rick

[Woody]

My father-in-law, a WWII buff, just sent me this video link. Some of you may have already seen it at some point, but I found it fascinating. It was 65 years ago last week that this occurred.

 

65 years ago last week? What are you referring to, the date of the signing? If so, you'd better go back and watch the video again, as it clearly states that it is Sunday, September 2nd, 1945.

 

I stand corrected in my haste to post..thanks! Lets just say 65 years ago.

 

Rick

 

No problem. 60 years later (in 2005), I purchased a US flag that was flown on the Missouri on Sept 2nd, 2005, to commemorate the day.

[Robert Alan]

I know that Parker marketed a LE Duofold that was supposed to be based on MacArthur's personal pen that he was supposed to have used to sign the surrender. I also remember reading somewhere that MacArthur also took his wife's Vacumatic to use as well, but I couldn't tell you where I read it.

 

In the Parker "51" book, there is also a picture of a "51" that Admiral Nimitz used that day as well.

 

Hope this helps.

 

I seem to recall a Parker magazine ad, back in the 80s--or possibly earlier, about the Japanese Surrender and it showed a 1940's Duofold and not a 1920's "Big Red" Duofold. Watching the film, I could not make out a "Big Red" profile on any of the pens (I did see a P51). I think someone at Parker UK heard something about "Duofold" and MacArthur and assumed that it was a "Big Red" Duofold. Hence, the commemorative version was a "Big Red-style" Duofold (possibly faulty research). The Duofold name was used for slim button-fillers of the 1940s that were about the same shape as the Vacumatics.

 

/Robert

[rhr]

Robert, did you watch the video in the link Rick posted above? It mentions that MacArthur used 6 pens in all to sign the Japanese surrender instruments. Here it is again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=vcnH_kF1zXc&feature=player_embedded

 

Here are some of the photos of the signing.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/japansur/js-8g.htm

Here is MacArthur using a taper pen that ended up at the West Point Museum.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/s200000/s211872.jpg

Now, does this look like a red 1920's Duofold? Apparently he used a Duofold Jr.--not a "Big Red", but a "Little Red".

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/ac00001/ac04627.jpg

George Kovalenko.

 

Edited December 23, 2010 by rhr

[PAKMAN]

The first Japanese signer used what looked like a Pelikan to me! I saw at least two Parker 51's used. It did look like MacArthur was using desk pens but I have a Parker duofold desk pen and it could have been one of those.

[Argee]

Here is MacArthur using a taper pen that ended up at the West Point Museum.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/s200000/s211872.jpg

 

here's a picture of the West Point pen. It's the one MacArthur gave to General Wainright. I've never been able to identify it.

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/Argee53/fountain%20pens/wainrightSurrenderPen.jpg

[PatientType]

My father-in-law, a WWII buff, just sent me this video link. Some of you may have already seen it at some point, but I found it fascinating. It was 65 years ago last week that this occurred.

 

65 years ago last week? What are you referring to, the date of the signing? If so, you'd better go back and watch the video again, as it clearly states that it is Sunday, September 2nd, 1945.

 

I stand corrected in my haste to post..thanks! Lets just say 65 years ago.

 

Rick

 

No problem. 60 years later (in 2005), I purchased a US flag that was flown on the Missouri on Sept 2nd, 2005, to commemorate the day.

 

You used a flag that was flown on the Missouri on September 2nd 2005 to commemorate the signing that took place in 1945? Probably the other way around?

[PatientType]

Isn't it weird that, in 1945, the United States had the technology to develop a nuclear bomb that could destroy an entire city in seconds and it wasn't until the same year that the first ball point pen went on sale?

[TickTock]

In the link above to photos of the signing, there is a Swivodex inkwell on the table in a few of the pictures. The Swivodex looks like a glass billiard ball on a little stand. I have a nice white one with red plastic parts to it, and I've seen black ones that are stamped "US NAVY" on them for sale on eBay. They're a cool little item, invented by the same person who invented the Rolodex.

[Woody]

 

No problem. 60 years later (in 2005), I purchased a US flag that was flown on the Missouri on Sept 2nd, 2005, to commemorate the day.

 

You used a flag that was flown on the Missouri on September 2nd 2005 to commemorate the signing that took place in 1945? Probably the other way around?

 

Read it again...I purchased a flag (not used a flag). Think of it this way...it is like purchasing a Parker Duofold MacArthur Limited Edition pen. Both were meant to commemorate the event.

[Robert Alan]

Robert, did you watch the video in the link Rick posted above? It mentions that MacArthur used 6 pens in all to sign the Japanese surrender instruments. Here it is again.

http://www.youtube.c...player_embedded

 

Here are some of the photos of the signing.

http://www.history.n...ansur/js-8g.htm

Here is MacArthur using a taper pen that ended up at the West Point Museum.

http://www.history.n...000/s211872.jpg

Now, does this look like a red 1920's Duofold? Apparently he used a Duofold Jr.--not a "Big Red", but a "Little Red".

http://www.history.n...001/ac04627.jpg

George Kovalenko.

 

 

Hello Goerge--Yes, I have watched the video several times and it is very difficult to identify the pens. I cannot see anything that appears to be a Duofold Junior in the video, and the still photograph seems to be a re-touched or Marshall photo-oiled photograph. However, in the video, when Admiral Nimitz signs, there appears to be a slender, 1940's Duofold laying on the desk.

Regards, Robert

[rhr]

Robert, why do you say the color photograph seems to be retouched with Marshall photo-oils? The examples of the process I've seen are quite crude, with areas of color bleeding into one another, and with a very limited palette of colors. They did have color photographs in 1945. Just from the range of tones and shades of skin color, it does not look like a touch-up job. I see no reason to question the photo's status as a color emulsion, and the issue could be easily resolved by correspondence with the Naval Historical Center, http://www.history.navy.mil/index.html, where the photo is housed.

 

George Kovalenko.

 

[robmorrison]

here's a picture of the West Point pen. It's the one MacArthur gave to General Wainright. I've never been able to identify it. http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac251/Argee53/fountain%20pens/wainrightSurrenderPen.jpg

That's a Waterman 100 Year desk pen.

[OcalaFlGuy]

The MacArthur Missouri pen was his wife's *Big Red Duofold* (actually a smaller size I think than the Sr.). The MacArthur Commemorative Duofold LE is a tribute to it. EDIT; I believe there was eye witness to her taking it out of her purse and giving it to him.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

Edited May 24, 2014 by OcalaFlGuy