Gas Mask Relic

[WW2PO]

This gas mask was located several years ago, quite by accident, by the grandfather of the individual who I acquired it from who, had served in WWII and somehow was drawn back to the Palau Islands, where he had once fought in one of the largest blood-baths of the WWII Pacific Campaign known as Bloody Nose Ridge on the Island of Peleliu (Beliliou). While scuba diving near Bloody Nose Ridge he discovered these items in a cave that was located on the side of a cliff.

The Japanese garrison on Peleliu under the command of Lt. Gen. Sadao Inoue was 10,500 strong prior to the U.S. invasion. After 74 days of fierce battle the island was considered secure by U.S. forces. The Japanese foreces had all but been iniliated with only 320 prisoners surviving -- 10,180 Japanese had died honorably for their Emperor.

[Chris Boonzaier]

I would have thought the pacific was totally wrong for gas warfare? Japanese gasmasks seem to have been issued widely, but I cannot remember reading much about US troops being issued with them?