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A RARE AND IMPORTANT ORIGINAL TELETYPE MESSAGE FROM GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR TO THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ENDING WORLD WAR II. Late on the night of August 15, 1945, Radioman First Class Quentin G. Woolard, transmitted the offered Teletyped message signed by Gen, Douglas MacArthur to Tokyo, Japan from his forward base on the island of Guam. Lot consists of the actual Teletyped instructions sent by Gen MacArthur, together with additional surrender instructions for the Japanese Imperial Navy. Additionally lot includes a 1957 newspaper article depicting Woolard holding the actual Teletype message. In the enclosed article Woolard indicates that his copy (the offered lot) is one of only three ever to exist stating Admiral Nimitz received a copy, as did Headquarters at Guam. The Teletype begins:

"TRANSMIT FOLLOWING TO JAPANESE GOVERNMENT BY ANY MEANS AVAILABLE TO THE JAPANESE EMPEROR THE JAPANESE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT THE JAPANESE IMPERIAL GENERAL HEADQUARTERS FROM SUPREME COMMANDER FOR THE ALLIED POWERS

PURSUANT TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE TERMS OF SURRENDER OF THE ALLIED POWERS BY THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN, THE JAPANESE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT, AND THE JAPANESE IMPERIAL HEADQUARTERS, THE SUPREME COMMANDER FOR THE ALLIED POWERS HERBY DIRECTS THE IMMEDIATE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES BY JAPANESE FORCES85"

On the reverse of Teletype Woolard inscribed the following; "Message sent by me to Japan from Guam announcing end of World War II. I contacted Tokyo on code then after 5 hours calling, I contacted them. Then for 12 more hours I sent surrender traffic to Tokyo on teletype."

After sending the message to Tokyo, Woolard sent another Teletype to the Imperial Navy, which gave instructions on surrender procedures. A copy of these orders is also included in this lot. A rare and historically important, truly one-of-a-kind item of the type never offered for public consumption.

PROVENANCE: Mrs. Quentin G. Woolard