The Snapshots in Time Collection

Close-Up Ground-Level View of Japanese Envoy Bomber and Crowd, Ie Shima, 19 August 1945

Close-Up Ground-Level View of Japanese Envoy Bomber and Crowd, Ie Shima, 19 August 1945

A close, ground-level view of the Japanese "Green Cross" envoy bomber's tail and engine at Ie Shima, 19 August 1945, with American servicemen crowded beneath the wing to catch a glimpse of the aircraft that carried representatives toward the surrender talks in Manila. The physical wear visible on this vintage print is itself a record of the photograph's long journey through decades of private keeping. Project: 218235