us-005578-irn60841-irn84827
history: James (Jim) Edward Kirkebo was born on April 22, 1921, in Tacoma, Washington. He was the second of three children born to Gerhard and Irene Kirkebo. His parents were both born in Norway and immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s. Gerhard was a building contractor. In spring 1939, James graduated from high school and took a job as a shipping clerk. On September 14, 1940, he enlisted in the US Army. Following the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States entered World War II. James was deployed for four and a half months with the Asia Pacific Technical Operations (APTO) unit, through December 1941. James rose to the rank of Sergeant, with a specialty in reconnaissance. On December 7, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor,a, and a few days later the US entered World War II. On May 11, 1942, James was selected to attend the Army’s newly formed Officer Candidate Course at Fort Benning in Georgia. In early August, Staff Sergeant Kirkebo, 2nd Training Regiment, 16th Co., graduated from the Officer’s Candidate Course and was reenlisted as a Second Lieutenant with a specialty in automotive maintenance and repair. In mid-August, the 11th Armored Division, the Thunderbolt Division, was activated, as part of the Third Army. James was made commanding officer of C Company, 21st Armored Infantry Battalion. The unit was deployed in September to Great Britain. In early December, his unit landed in Normandy, France, and moved north into Belgium. They entered combat on December 30, defending the road to Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. In January 1945, the Division spearheaded the Allied advance into Germany. On February 1, James received a field promotion to Captain. In February and March, the 11th Armored overran several cities, then crossed the Rhine River. In April, the unit turned south towards the Danube River and Austria. James was wounded by shrapnel on April 25, but continued fighting. On May 5 and 6, the Division liberated Gusen and Mauthausen con…
history: The currency was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2013 by Jamie Kirkebo, on behalf of the Estate of his father, James Edward Kirkebo.
has or had holder: us-005578
has record set type: Item
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
scope and content: Japanese 10 yen note acquired by Captain James (Jim) Edward Kirkebo,who served in the US Army from 1940-1945, and fought in Europe with the Thunderbolt Division from December 1944-May 1945. This currency was first issued in 1930 by the Bank of Japan but then used, with variants, as a military banknote as Japan expanded their occupation of China in 1938. This variant has 2 red seals on the front. Kirkebo, 19, enlisted in the US Army in 1940 and, in August 1942, 2nd Lt. Kirkebo became commanding officer, C Company, 21st Armored Infantry Battalion, 11th Armored Division. In December 1944, Kirkebo's unit landed in Normandy, defended Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, and spearheaded the Allied advance into Germany. Kirkebo received a battlefield promotion to captain on February 1, 1945. On May 5 and 6, soldiers from the 11th Armored liberated Gusen and Mauthausen concentration camps. At Mauthausen, the unit was tasked with caring for 19,000 starving inmates. On May 7, 1945, Germany surrendered. Kirkebo was awarded a Silver Star and 3 Bronze Stars for his leadership and heroism in action.
physical characterisitics and technical requirements: Rectangular paper currency in black and brown ink with a pale red and blue floral background. The face has an interlocked border pattern with the denomination 10 in each corner and the side border, and a chrysanthemum symbol at the top. Across the center is a medallion with the denomination 10 shaded ired in the center, Japanese text, and a medallion with a realistic portrait of a bearded man, Wake no Kiyomaro. The serial number is in the top left and bottom right corners, with a 3 digit number in the opposite corners. There are 2 red Imperial Treasury signature seals in the center. The reverse has an orange floral rectangle underprint, with 3 superimposed black oval medallions: the denomination 10 is on the left and right; in the center is the Gooh Shinto shrine surrounded by trees, with the sun symbol above and Japanese characters below. It is creased with discoloration.
has or had some members with language: jpn
is or was included in: us-005578-irn60841
results or resulted from: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn60841-irn84827/acquisitions/1
identifier: irn84827
has or had identifier: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn60841-irn84827/alternateIDs/1
record resource extent: overall: Height: 3.250 inches (8.255 cm) | Width: 5.500 inches (13.97 cm)
title: Imperial Japan, 10 yen note, issued for use in occupied China acquired by a US soldier
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
date: approximately 1944-1945
type: RecordSet