US Army Military Government Repatriation Report
1 July 1946 to 31 Dec 1946
Page 2 of 2

Prior to the war many Ryukyuans lived and worked in Japan and other countries occupied or controlled by the Japanese. It was determined by the US military that for security and economic reasons that these people should be returned to the Ryukyu Islands. Repatriation actually started in Feb 1946 with the return of about 20,000 Ryukyuans from the Mariana Islands. The strain on Okinawa to accommodate them brought a halt to the program at that point. On 1 July 1946 the US Army took over control of the Military Government from the Navy and restarted the repatriation program with the first returnees due to arrive in August 1946 and all Ryukyuans to be repatriated by 26 Dec 1946.

This report details the repatriation program between 1 July 1946 and 31 Dec 1946.

The report itself was handmade and probably of limited quantity. The cover was a 14 inch by 19 inch photograph. The inside was the photograph, a map of the Ryukyu Islands and a group of returnees. The report itself was mounted on the right side of the photo which was then folded over the report to become the cover of the report. The title was then printed on the outside cover. Each page of the report was a mimeographed text with 1 or 2 photos mounted on each page with regular photo album corner mounts. I have scanned only the photos and text portion to make it easier to see the photo and read the text. The last part of the report details the preparations, logistics, and materials needed to carry out the repatriation program.

This is one of 3 different reports from the estate of Lieutenant Colonel Ernest F Power Sr. Retired. He joined the Army as a private at the age of 34, rose to Capt in WWII. Received four bronze stars from the European Theater, was in the 8th Army Air Corps, on Okinawa 1947 - 1949 and retired in the 1960s. It is believed that he was involved in the production of the 3 Army reports from his estate.