WWII Imperial Japanese Navy 1935 Training Fleet Naval Cadet Photo Album
This is an original 1935 Imperial Japanese Navy photo album documenting a long-distance training cruise of the Japanese Navy Training Fleet. The cover is titled Memories of the Training Fleet Long-Distance Cruise. Inside are numerous original photographs showing Japanese naval personnel, warships, training activities, formations, ports of call, and scenes from the voyage. The album also contains a striking color route illustration depicting the training cruise. The Final Step Before Becoming a Naval Officer The Imperial Japanese Navy Training Fleet was not simply a unit for training ordinary sailors. Graduates of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy and other naval officer schools entered the fleet as officer candidates, receiving practical instruction aboard operational warships before becoming commissioned naval officers. In other words, these cruises represented one of the final stages in the transformation from naval academy student to Imperial Japanese Navy officer. This 1935 Training Fleet included graduates of the 62nd class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, together with graduates of the Naval Engineering and Paymaster schools. A Generation on the Eve of War What makes this album particularly fascinating is its date. These young men were photographed in 1935, only six years before Japan entered the Pacific War. The photographs therefore preserve something more personal than battles or famous warships: a generation of young naval officers at the beginning of their careers, before the war that would transform both their lives and the Japanese Navy. Some photographs also depict overseas locations and travel scenes that may relate to other voyages or visits. Not every photograph can be conclusively identified as having been taken during the same 1935 cruise. Complete original Navy albums with identifiable historical context are therefore much harder to encounter than ordinary Japanese military photographs. This is especially desirable because it is not a commercially produced photo book. It is a privately assembled period album containing actual photographs and handwritten captions. There is only one album exactly like this. Age-related wear, staining, deterioration to the album pages, binding wear, and other signs of age are present. Please examine the photographs carefully for condition and contents. Own a Piece of History. International Buyers – Please Note.