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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: Need to Identify this Artifact
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I was very lucky to have received the artifacts of Robert Campbell S1/C who served on PT-377, Ron 27. This was in his collection of artifacts. Need help in identifying this beautiful piece . . . .

Frank

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/navy-chit-China.jpg[/image]

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Oct 25, 2011 - 8:12am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

This is called "blood chit" first used by the Flying Tigers ( without the US flag), because US
was not at war with Japan at that time. It was sewed on the back of the flight jacket. This one
shown was used by the US Navy later. Translation: US Navy join China in
war. They shall be helped and protected by all military personnels and civilians.
Victor

Victor K Chun

Posted By: victorkchun | Posted on: Oct 25, 2011 - 8:53am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Victor

Thanks very much for your reply. This is the first one I have seen that was issued to a PT BOAT MAN. As you can tell, it does not appear to have been used or sewn in any jacket. As this Vet was in the Pacific on PT-377, I am curious as to any other Rons that might have been issued this leather Chit. I have never seen a photo of this type in any PT BOATERS jacket, and I wonder if he was given this while at BASE 17...............

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Oct 25, 2011 - 12:40pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Frank;
That is very possible,in anticipation for the proposed Invasion of Japan. In late 1945 early 1946. I googled it and a few came up. They were issued mainly to USN/USMC flyers in late 1944 early 1945, as Task Force 38 flew carrier strikes ranging from French Indo China to the South China Sea in January 1945 and later PB4Y-1 Liberator and PB4Y-2 Privateer raids. As you have stated,
I have never seen one supplied to a PT Boat man. here are a two other samples:

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Ted%20Walther/USNBLOODCHITONFLIGHTSUIT.jpg[/image]

a hand painted one sown onto a flight suit.

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Ted%20Walther/BloodChit133.jpg[/image]

a later version.

take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Oct 25, 2011 - 2:08pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Correction: The one on the flight suit is PAINTED onto the flight suit!!!!
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Oct 25, 2011 - 2:10pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Ted

This would make sense as Mr. Campbell was on Base 17 in 1945. It is possible that these were handed to Ron 27 and others, in anticipation of the invasion of Japan. I sent the same photo over to my friend, who has been a collector for some 40 years, and he told me pretty much the same thing. He is sending me a book he has on these Chits of WWII. Maybe I will learn something about this. He also said there was no doubt in his mind that the piece was authentic in every way.

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Oct 25, 2011 - 4:54pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Don't forget there was a large Sino-Chinese group organized with U.S. Navy personnel and chinese Nationalist troops. It was mainly Navy intelligence and Weather Observation personnel involved. They ran weather stations along the cost from Indo-china to northern China. The navy guys not only performed weather forecasting and tracking but also trained Chinese troops, spied and tracked Japanese troops and ship movements. They also might have worn these chits.

There was a movie Destination Gobi - it was sort of related, this movie led me to briefly research such operations. If I recall the group was SAOC or maybe SACO.

Dick . . .

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Oct 25, 2011 - 5:36pm
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

For your information the chit painted on must be done by an American crewman for the
Chinese writing like it was done by a three year old.
Victor
PS Those chits were mostly given to flyers.

Victor K Chun

Posted By: victorkchun | Posted on: Oct 25, 2011 - 6:13pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Frank,
I was looking through the Navsource website about Amphibious ships called LCI's and I know the US Navy had about 50 or so LCI ships and also several LCM ships sent with their US Crews to China around the end of 1945, They were turned over there to the Chinese Navy. I believe we also turned over a few Higgins PT Boats to them as well. I have a photo that BG "Chip" Marshall took that shows a Chinese Higgins PT Boat underway. I will try to post a few photos here of those. Maybe they were setting up our PT Boat sailors to be in China for a short time as well? Jerry PT 658 Portland, OR

Higgins PT lend to China 1950's (BG Chip Marshall Photo

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/ChinaPT516.jpg[/image]

LCI981 loaded with China troops in Shanghai May Jun 1946

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/LCI981loadedwithChinesetroops.jpg[/image]

LCI969 returns China troops to Shanghai homeport May1946

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/LCI969returnsChinesesoldierstotheirhomesafterthewarsconclusion.jpg[/image]

Several LCI nested in Shanghai 1945 LCI 614,448,611,607 and 688

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/LCI6071945ShanghaiChinaLCIslefttorightarethe614448611607and688.jpg[/image]

LCI611 moored in Whang-Poo River 1945 Notice the large LST in the background appears to be one of ours.

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/LCI6111945LadderonthebowoftheLCIL-611Whang-Pooriver.jpg[/image]

LCI611 moored in Wang-Poo River side view 1945

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/LCI6111945LCIL-611Whang-PooRiverShanghaiChina.jpg[/image]

This is interesting, I wonder why we had so many people there between Sept 1945 and August 1946?
Jerry PT658 Portland OR

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Oct 25, 2011 - 9:26pm
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

Interesting point Jerry, thanks for the information GUYS. It is all very helpful indeed..............

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Oct 25, 2011 - 10:17pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Jerry,
I believe the US presence during that time periiod was to support the Nationalist Chinese who were being over-run by Mao's forces. I don't have the date at hand, but those forces were finally pulled out by Truman .
Jonathan

Posted By: Jonathan Eno | Posted on: Oct 26, 2011 - 5:11am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

The Navy Chit which I posted says:

THE AMERICAN ALLY'S FORCES HAVE COME TO CHINA TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WAR EFFORT. MY COUNTRY;S SOLDIERS AND CIVILIANS ONE AND ALL SHOULD LOVE AND TREASURE THEM. The left hand column reads "34th YEAR OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA MEANING 1945.

It seems these patches were for sale, along with many others to US NAVY personnel , apparently when the fleet sailed into Shanghai in 1945.

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Oct 27, 2011 - 12:00pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am