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American Memorial Park Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands World War II Virtual Museum The Surrender Of Captain Oba's Company on Saipan, Dec. 1, 1945 On December 1, 1945, the last forty-seven or so remaining Japanese soldiers holding out on Saipan, under their leader Captain Oba, surrendered to U.S. forces on Saipan. Newspaper article from the Saipan newspaper The Daily Target, Dec. 2, 1945: "REMNANTS OF JAPANESE FORCES ON SAIPAN AS THEY SURRENDERED YESTERDAY. Signal Corps Photos by Sgt. Ralph Crowell (see photos below). Here, graphically, is the surrender yesterday of the remnants of holdout Japanese on Saipan - 90 days after V-J Day and 16 months after the battle ended here. At top, the Japanese 'garrison' lines up for formal surrender. At right, Capt. Oba, commander, bows over his sword to Lt. Col. Howard G. Kurgis, USMC, 18 AAA CO, who accepted surrender. Lower left, the Japs lay down their arms. And lower right is a closeup of Capt. Oba. SEVEN JAPANESE CIVILIANS GIVE UP: Seven Japanese civilians, four women and three men, surrendered to American authorities Friday as part of the final ceremony whereby enemy forces became PW's. All of the civilians except for one woman surrendered on Kagman." American Japanese sergeant and U.S. Command entering into truce with Captain Oba, at Saipan. Museum Donor's accompanying letter states: "...through my efforts and methods we made contact with Captain Oba and he finally agreed to surrender. The photos...show the peaceful way he came out of the hills and surrendered to our C.O., Col. Kergis." Photos and commentary from: Giuliani, Lawrence. Identification of Japanese soldiers by unknown Japanese donor. Newspaper photo of Captain Oba, from "The Daily Target", Dec. 2, 1945. Captain Oba surrenders to Colonel Kurgis, commanding officer of 18AAA Battalion. Source: Giuliani, Lawrence American Japanese Sergeant Okamoto in discussion with Oba's Lieutenant during surrender ceremony. Source: Giuliani, Lawrence Captain Oba's company surrender their colors. Source: Giuliani, Lawrence Surrendering arms. Source: Giuliani, Lawrence Surrendered Samurai swords. Source: Giuliani, Lawrence Captain Oba (sitting, front-middle, wearing white collar) and company posing for photograph before proceeding to POW camp. Source: Giuliani, Lawrence From left to right: Colonel Kurgis (commanding officer of 18AAA Battalion), Captain Oba, Japanese Navy Lt.Commander who assisted as translator and moderator, Captain Ben W. Ditto, Captain Lawrence Giuliani. Source: Giuliani, Lawrence American Japanese Sergeant Okamoto (standing) conversing with Captain Oba (in jeep, on right), and a Japanese Navy Lt. Commander who assisted as translator and moderator (in jeep, on left). Source: Giuliani, Lawrence Oba's soldiers boarding trucks, bound for POW camp. Source: Giuliani, Lawrence Surrendered rifles from Oba's Company. Source: Giuliani, Lawrence Off to POW camp. Source: Giuliani, Lawrence On arrival at POW camp, Oba's soldiers are searched for weapons. Source: Giuliani, Lawrence At POW camp, strip search for weapons. Source: Giuliani, Lawrence Oba's Lieutenant. Source: Giuliani, Lawrence