A traditional Japanese war memorial, or 'Chukon-hi' (Monument to Loyal Souls), stands overlooking a captured airfield on Ie Shima or Okinawa. Such monuments, common throughout prewar Japan, honored local soldiers who died in earlier conflicts. Photographed by American servicemen after the island's capture, this image reflects the cultural landscape U.S. forces encountered amid the transformation of the Ryukyu Islands into forward air bases. Project: 218239