These exceptionally rare, museum-grade WWII artifacts are original combat intelligence reports from Operation Iceberg, the Invasion of Okinawa. They originate from the personal collection of Captain B.O. Wells (USN), the intelligence officer for Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner (USN), who commanded the Fifth Amphibious Force and Amphibious Forces in the Pacific Theater. By the conclusion of the Battle of Okinawa, Turner’s Amphibious Forces encompassed an extraordinary 657,000 officers and men. On May 24, 1945, Turner was promoted to full admiral, and had the war continued, he was designated to lead the amphibious component of the planned invasion of Japan, commanding a staggering 2,700 ships and craft—surpassing the 1,213 deployed at Okinawa, 435 in the Marianas campaign, and 51 at Guadalcanal. These one-of-a-kind U.S. Naval combat intelligence reports played a vital role in the Battle of Okinawa, utilized by Captain Wells to provide strategic intelligence for Admiral Turner’s critical decision-making. Remarkable artifacts of military history, they stand as testaments to the intelligence operations that shaped the Allied victory in the Pacific and underscore the pivotal role of strategic planning in one of World War II’s most significant campaigns.
