I am on my way home! (Signed)
San Francisco: Taylor & Taylor, 1945.
Limited Edition. Wrappers. Limited fine press commemorative edition published by Francis P. Farquhar and Edward DeWitt Taylor (Taylor & Taylor Printers of San Francisco) of a letter written by Major Frederick Langwith Berry to his parents Mr. and Mrs. Fred L. Berry, of Palo Alto, California. Major Berry entered the Army March 1941, at the age of 26, and was under General MacArthur in the Philippines, and with General Wainwright at the surrender of Bataan in 1942, where he was taken prisoner by the Japanese.
From the publisher’s note: This letter "is undated, but the post-office stamp on the envelope reads: 'Nagasaki, September 23, 1945'. This is the first letter the Berry's had received from their son in three years and seven months, with the exception of two or three printed post cards provided by the Japanese.” He is writing to let his parents know that he is coming home! The letter was written aboard the hospital ship "Haven."
Berry's letter also shares some of the horrors he endured in captivity. Having been interned in the Philippines, he was moved to Bilibid prison in Manila in October of 1944, where he stayed for two months through intense American bombing. He was one of a group of 1600 US soldiers evacuated by the Japanese on December 15, 1944. Most died of suffocation, others of starvation, dehydration, drowning, and injuries incurred in bombings and strafings. Of the original group, only 200 survived. Major Berry returned home and lived until 2007.
The book was produced by Taylor & Taylor and distributed at a Taylor & Taylor retirement luncheon honoring Daniel Buckley. The luncheon was held at Monk Young’s Restaurant in San Francisco on October 30, 1945. Commemorative menu, also finely printed, signed by participants including Edward DeWitt Taylor has been laid in.
Item #9005317-1/4 x 10", salmon wrappers, 16pp, printed on recto only, signed menu laid in.
Clean, a few tiny tears to deckled edge of wrappers, a beautiful copy of a very fragile, very rare item.
Price: $150.00