Edit: I'd also like to say that if this is the wrong subreddit to ask all of this in, please let me know and I'll remove this thread and repost in the correct one. I found this subreddit through another commentor within another subreddit.
First off I'd like to say that my grandfather passed some years ago and never really told me much about his service in his teen years. What little I did learn was about his boat rides from California to the Pacific islands and Japan. He never told me what he did there, how long he was there, or any other details. It wasn't until we cleaned out his bedroom and dresser that I found a box with hundreds of photographs inside. The ones that I will post here are ones that I had questions about.
Before I go any further I'd also like to apologize for the possible poor quality of these photos as they were maybe the size of a baseball card (or smaller) and I scanned them into my PC. So without any more yammering here are my questions ::
QUESTIONS
What sort of camera would take photos during WW2 era that would develop into photographs no larger than a baseball card (or smaller)?
What sort of boat is this and what would it have been used for
What is being shown here and can anyone tell me what the Japanese carved into the wood may say
Soldiers poised on a statue. Where would a statue like this be generally located within a city?
Another long-shot I'm sure. But any idea where this street may have been within Japan?
Building in the same city. What sort of building is this, and what can you tell me about it
Those are really the only photos I have that I had questions about. I have a ton of other photos but they are mainly just of friends of his within his company/squad/camp and the rest are photos of just life around the camps. I will leave a few bonus photos here that are of my grandfather both in uniform and in civilian clothes (more for my own remembrance of him and less for "askhistorians") and one of his brother in Navy garb with his wife. Grandfather and his brother in uniform and civilian clothing
I appreciate any insight into any of this that you all are able to provide and if you have any questions for me or want me to specify on anything that seems vague just ask. I just wanted to try and get an idea of what he was doing and where he was since he didn't really talk to me about his service ever. Thanks again all.
#1 is probably an 63-foot AVR. These small craft would have been used by the USAAF to pick up downed aircrews (here's an image of one underway http://i.imgur.com/iD2Uz7o.jpg).
#2 is a Japanese supply barge. These wooden vessels would have been used to supply supply island outposts and as floating storage space at shore facilities (as can be seen in the picture).
#4 is difficult to make out. The men in the photo appear to be middle-aged and are wearing parts of cast-off Japanese army uniforms. This is probably a post-war photograph of Japanese veterans. But that's a very rough guess on my part.
#8 Here's you answer for the "115." That's the number on the warehouses in the background. So 115 on the back of the other shots probably corresponds to this location.
#11 Those are canal locks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_(water_transport)).
#12 Probably a Shinto/Buddhist shrine of some sort.
#13 B Company, 35th Infantry Regiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/35th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)#World_War_II). The signs are probably pointing to the company's barracks/tent area.
#14 They're wearing the period's "U.S. Army Service Uniform." Think of it as business causal wear for a serviceman of the period.
#15 They're Japanese bombs. They're probably being disposed of. It's hard to tell without a scale reference, but I'd guess they're 550lb bombs.
