| Place | Asia: Japan |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | 132594 |
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white |
| Physical description | Black & white |
| Maker |
Queale, Alan |
| Place made | Japan: Okunoshima Island |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
OKUNOSHIMA, JAPAN. 1947-03-20. A JAPANESE WORKMAN WEARING A GAS-MASK DIRECTS JETS FROM A MOBILE ...
Description
OKUNOSHIMA, JAPAN. 1947-03-20. A JAPANESE WORKMAN WEARING A GAS-MASK DIRECTS JETS FROM A MOBILE FLAME-THROWER TOWARDS THE PILE OF GASOLINE-SOAKED DEBRIS INSIDE THE BUILDING AND WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS THE INTERIOR OF THE BUILDING WAS A RAGING INFERNO. THE MUSTARD GAS PLANT (FRENCH PATT) OF THE TOKYO 2ND ARMY ARSENAL, SITUATED ON OKUNOSHIMA, ISLAND OF THE INLAND SEA, WAS BEING DECONTAMINATED BY FIRE. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE POISON GAS ON THE ISLAND WAS COMPLETED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. PRIOR TO BURNING, THE INTERIOR OF THE LARGE CONCRET AND BRICK BUILDING WAS STACKED WITH PILES OF GASOLINE-SOAKED DEBRIS. THE WORK OF DECONTAMINATION WAS CARRIED OUT BY THE TEIKOKU RAYON COMPANY UNDER CONTRACT FROM THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT AND UNDER SUPERVISION OF THE DISPOSAL ENEMY EQUIPMENT SECTION, BCOF (DEE SEC).