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September 2 2005 - 60th Anniversary of the Surrender of Japan at the end of World War II. . .

Three postage stamps and a mini-sheet were issued by Hawai'i Post on September 2nd 2005 to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War II.

World War II officially ended on September 2nd 1945 at 9:04am on board the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Japan. Signing the Act of Surrender on behalf of the Japanese Emperor Hirohito was the Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijiro Umezu, Chief of the Japanese Army General Staff. In charge of the ceremony was General Douglas MacArthur, the Allied Powers Supreme Commander. Admiral Nimitz signed the surrender document as the representative of the United States of America. Also signing were representatives of the Japanese military, and the Allied Powers from the United Kingdom, the U.S.S.R., Australia, Canada, China, France, Netherlands and New Zealand.

"It is my earnest hope, indeed the hope of all mankind, that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past, a world founded upon faith and understanding, a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance, and justice."
General Douglas MacArthur, representing the Allied Powers at the surrender ceremony.

A se-tenant pair of $8 stamps was issued (also called a diptych).
The $8 stamp (above left) prepays the Same Day rate and shows General Douglas MacArthur at the microphone on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2 1945, addressing those gathered on deck for the Surrender of Japan signing and ceremony. Behind the General were representatives of the Allied Powers.

The $8 stamp (above right) prepays the Same Day rate and shows the Japanese delegation on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2 1945, awaiting on deck for the Surrender of Japan signing and ceremony. Signing on behalf of the Japanese Emperor Hirohito was the Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijiro Umezu, Chief of the Japanese Army General Staff.

Note: The diptych is a combination of two actual color photographs that were taken on September 2 1945, but at different times of the Surrender ceremony. They have been creatively joined together to artistically represent the historic event that took place that day.

The $5 stamp (above) prepays the Overnight rate and shows the USS Missouri in port, with a peace dove in the top left corner. The surrender of Japan and the end of World War II occurred on this famous battleship in Tokyo Bay on September 2 1945. The "Mighty Mo" took part in three wars (WW II, Korea & Persian Gulf). Arriving at Pearl Harbor, Hawai'i on June 22nd 1998 she tied up next to Ford Island, her final berthing place (near the USS Arizona Memorial). On January 29th 1999, the "Battleship Missouri Memorial" was opened to the public and is a very popular tour for those visiting the islands.

The $8 mini-sheet prepays the same day rate and shows the same view as the diptych, but imperforate.

The postmark for this issue (above) shows a peace dove.

Hawai'i Connection:
Assigned to the press corps as a 24-year-old interpreter was Army Lieutenant Jiro Yukimura of Hawai'i, who had been among the first to arrive at the U.S.S. Missouri that day. One of only three AJA's (Americans of Japanese ancestry) on board that day, Yukimura was also present in Honolulu when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7th 1941.

Regarding the Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu, Yukimura stated "It was kind of a pitiful scene to watch him being carried up to the deck and limping along with a cane to his position at the table," said Yukimura, who now lives on Kaua'i.

Technical details of the stamps and mini-sheet:
Colors: $5and $8 stamps and $5 mini-sheet - multicolored.
Sizes: 32mm x 48mm ($5stamp). 102mm x 70mm (mini-sheet).
Stamps sheet size: $8 stamps - A diptych of 2 across. $5 stamp 30 (6 across, 5 down)
Perforation: Stamps 12. The mini-sheet is imperforate.
Design, Layout & Pre-press: Enelani.
Printer: Hawai'i Security Printers, Honolulu, Hawai'i.
Printing Method: 4-color (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black).
Sheet margin markings: HAWAI'I POST (top middle), "Traffic Light" showing 4 colors used in printing (lower right side), © 2005 Hawai'i Post (lower left side) & Hawai'i Security Printers, Honolulu, Hawai'i. (bottom middle)
Paper: GPA coated white stock with water-activated gum on the back.