{"id":"ddr-densho-563","model":"collection","collection_id":"ddr-densho-563","links":{"html":"https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-563/","json":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/ddr-densho-563/","img":"https://ddr.densho.org/media/ddr-densho-563/ddr-densho-563-1-mezzanine-c2e157d543-a.jpg","thumb":"http://ddrmedia.local/media/ddr-densho-563/ddr-densho-563-1-mezzanine-c2e157d543-a.jpg","parent":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/ddr-densho/","children":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/ddr-densho-563/children/"},"parent_id":"ddr-densho","organization_id":"ddr-densho","signature_id":"ddr-densho-563-1-mezzanine-c2e157d543","title":"Ben Mayewaki Collection","description":"The collection contains materials from and related to Ben Mayewaki time serving the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) at Fort Snelling in Minnesota, with the 5th Air Force Headquarters in Brisbane, Australia, and in the New Guinea campaign. In 1944 Ben was reassigned to Military Intelligence in Washington DC and attached to the Pentagon.  While in D.C. he was stationed at Fort Myer in Virginia. Ben was at the Pentagon when the original signed Japanese Instrument of Surrender document arrived for processing, where he was involved in authenticating the document's translations. In 1945 Ben was assigned to be part of the US Army's team to prepare a report on the US Strategic Bombing Survey of Japan. He was sent to Japan in October 1945 and returned to the US in January 1946. During his assignment in Japan, he was able to take a furlough to visit Mayewaki relatives in Hiroshima. Ben visited several cities in Japan to assess the damage that resulted from the strategic bombing of cities during the war. He was discharged on February 22, 1946.","breadcrumbs":[{"id":"ddr-densho-563","model":"collection","idpart":"cid","label":"563","api_url":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/ddr-densho-563/","url":"https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-563/"}],"_fields":["id","record_created","record_lastmod","status","public","title","unitdateinclusive","unitdatebulk","creators","extent","language","contributor","description","physloc","rights","accessrestrict","userrestrict","prefercite","bioghist","scopecontent","relatedmaterial","separatedmaterial","signature_id"],"record_created":"2025-12-05T16:01:40","record_lastmod":"2026-01-14T10:10:11","status":"completed","public":"1","unitdateinclusive":"1941-1946","unitdatebulk":"19461-1946","language":["eng","jpn"],"contributor":"Densho","acqinfo":"shared digital images only \r\nRoss Harano\r\n1349 W. Winnemac Ave\r\nChicago, IL 60640\r\n312-339-1886\r\nrmharano@sbcglobal.net","processinfo":"digital files provided by lender. Collection processed by Dina Moreno in November and December of 2025.","rights":"cc","prefercite":"Courtesy of Ben Mayewaki Collection, Densho","bioghist":"Ben Mayewaki enlisted in the Army on September 25, 1941, likely drafted.  After basic training, Ben was assigned to the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) at Fort Snelling in Minnesota. He was in the December 1942 - Section 7 class.\r\nBen was assigned to the 5th Air Force Headquarters in Brisbane, Australia, and participated in the New Guinea campaign.\r\nIn 1944 Ben was reassigned to Military Intelligence in Washington DC and attached to the Pentagon.  While in D.C. he was stationed at Fort Myer in Virginia.\r\nBen was at the Pentagon when the original signed Japanese Instrument of Surrender document arrived for processing, where he was involved in authenticating the document's translations. There were twenty copies of the document that were reproduced and bound in leather albums for distribution to certain VIP's. Somehow Ben was able to get a copy of the signed document along with several smaller copies which look like today's xerox copies. \r\nBen was assigned to be part of the US Army's team to prepare a report on the US Strategic Bombing Survey of Japan. He was sent to Japan in October 1945 and returned to the US in January 1946. During his assignment in Japan, he was able to take a furlough to visit the Mayewaki relatives in Hiroshima. Ben visited several cities in Japan to assess the damage that resulted from the strategic bombing of cities during the war.\r\nDuring the 1945 Christmas holidays, he was able to travel to Hiroshima where he met with other Mayewaki relatives.\r\nAfter completing the survey, Ben was issued travel orders on January 2, 1946, and returned by a transport ship and landed in Vancouver, Canada, on January 21, 1946. He traveled by train to Washington DC.\r\nHe was discharged on February 22, 1946.","search_hidden":"","download_large":"ddr-densho-563-1-mezzanine-c2e157d543-a.jpg"}