Oblong Folio (ca. 35.5 x 26.5 cm or 14 x 10 ½ in). 25 cardstock leaves (one blank). 207 mounted gelatin silver photographs, nine large ones ca. 25 x 19.5 cm (9 ¾ x 7 ½ in), rest from ca. 13.5 x 10.5 cm (5 ¼ x 4 in) to 4.5 x 3 cm (1 ¾ x 1 in); one gelatin silver photograph loosely inserted ca. 20 x 14.5 cm (7 ¾ x 5 ¾ in). Most photos with period ink captions on mounts; two images captioned in negative; at least one image with period ink caption on verso. Period cream cloth album fastened with string, front cover with simple illustration of Mount Fuji and generic titles “Photographs” (in English) and “Photo Book” (in Japanese). Several mounts with minor foxing; a few photos mildly faded, two photos previously removed from album, but overall a very good album of interesting photos.

A lively collection of photographs, compiled by Muriel Louise McGuire, an accountant hailing from Washington, USA. McGuire likely worked as an accountant with the American-led Japanese occupation government (SCAP) shortly after the end of WWII. At the time, she appears to have been dating Clifford Williams Phillips (1915-2001), a doctor and major in the US Army Medical Corps. After leaving Japan, both McGuire and Phillips lived in Seattle, Washington. Phillips and McGuire likely got engaged in 1948, but no record of their marriage could be found.

“Clifford entered the US Army Medical Corps in WWII and was stationed in the Philippines and Japan. One of his most interesting experiences was acting as attending physician to General Tojo [Hideki Tojo (1884-1948)] after the attempted suicide. Clifford was also present at the signing of Japanese Surrender in Tokyo Bay” (see more).

Over 140 photographs show Japan between 1946 and 1947, a year after the end of WWII. 12 photographs feature Emperor Hirohito (1901-1989, r. 1926-1989) visiting Chiba Prefecture in summer 1946. Several people are identified in the captions of two photographs (“Capt. C[lifford]. W. Phillips,” “Maj. Goody,” “Lt. Col. Stevenson,” etc.). Other photographs show the officer billets of Shufu-no-Toma and Shiba Park Hotel, the 42nd General Hospital (St. Luke’s International Hospital, requisitioned for use by the US Army between 1945 and 1956), the American Embassy (also General Douglas MacArthur’s (1880-1964) place of residence), and Atsugi Air Base. A series of photographs shows a “Fisherman’s Festival” in September 1946. There are also snapshots of street scenes and local Japanese, including views of Mt. Fuji. Several photographs show the excursions taken by the compiler and her friends while in Japan, including trips to the beach and Kamakura.

The rest of the album shows McGuire’s return trip to the United States aboard the MS Sea Serpent, from Yokohama to San Francisco, and her life in Seattle. Several photographs show the housing development “Hemlock Acres,” Phillip’s clinic, and McGuire’s homes. Three photographs show the aftermath of a flash flood in February 1949 that inundated a new housing development in Kennewick, Washington.

Overall, an interesting collection of photographs showing US military activity in Japan just after WWII.