John J. Gardner's Lens to History

Photo  Exhibition in  China

Chengdu (Sichuan province)

and

Kunming (Yunnan province)

July, 2005

Photo taken prior to the spring of 1944 somewhere in Burma.  My father is wearing Captain's insignia.  He was promoted to Major in May, 1944.  This was a black and white photo that has been colorized with special software that I used.  Each of these photos are linked to higher resolution photographs (click on them).

Photo of Major Gardner. Circa 1985.

This is an enlargement of a very small Kodachrome print (1.5" x 3"). It was taken in China most likely near Chihchiang in Central China.   Major Gardner is standing in the middle with Chinese Officers on either side of him.  His good friend Capt. Jefferson I. Davis, Jr. is standing at right.  If you look closely, you can see hundreds of Chinese Infantryman sitting on the hillside.   The Chihchiang Campaign took place in China 8 April - 7 June 1945 and was one of the last skirmishes before the war was ended with the dropping of an Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

This Japanese bomber was landing in Nanking on September 9, 1945.  On board was Lieut. Gen. Okamura Yasutsugu, Commander of the Japanese Forces in Central China, plus others in the Japanese delegation.

Caption written on back of photo, "Jap Brass being driven to Surrender Proceedings".  The "Brass" included  Lieut. Gen. Okamura Yasutsugu, Commander of the Japanese Forces in Central China.

The formal Japanese surrender in the China Theatre took place in a simple 20 minute ceremony in the auditorium of the Central Military Academy in Nanking at 09:00 on 9 September 1945. General Ho Ying-Chen, Commander-in-Chief of the Chinese Army (left) and Lieut. Gen. Okamura Yasutsugu, Commander of the Japanese Forces in Central China, represented their respective governments. Immediately following the signing of the Act of Surrender, General Ho handed Order No. 1 of Generalissimo Chiang to Lieut. Gen. Okamura as a supplement to the Act of Surrender.

Allied Forces signing a register of attendance at the Surrender Proceedings in Nanking, China (Sept 9, 1945).

A photograph of Major Gardner (left) wearing a Chinese robe sitting with two other Liaison Officers.

Literal Translation at top of photograph:
"Army newly reorganized 6th army officer's club opening ceremony keepsake (34 year of the Republic, 10th month, 6th day in Nanjing)"
 

Meaning:
"Keepsake photo from the opening ceremony of newly reorganized 6th Army Officer's club (34 year of the Republic, 10th month, 6th day in Nanjing)"   (Nanjing=Nanking)      Translation courtesy of Patrick Lucas.

This photograph was acquired by S. Neal Gardner through an auction.  It is "Real Photo - Not Modern Reproduction" This is a 1st generation photo manufactured around the time when the image was created. Most often from the original negative but not always. News Agency photos fall into this category.  The caption reads "Yank gives light to wounded Chinese". Northern Burma ... P.F.C.Ralph G. Smith of Morristown, N.J. lights a cigarette for a wounded Chinese comrade during the fighting in the Hukawng valley when General Stilwell's American and U.S.-Trained Chinese forces succeeded in driving the Japs out of North Burma, inflicting heavy losses upon the enemy.  

 (Personal collection of S. Neal Gardner)