Haggadah. Seder in the Pacific Forward Area. Passover 5705-1945. Hebrew and English

(HAGADAH)

949th Engr Avn Topo Co

(Pacific),

1945

Illustrated

Cf. Yudlov 3943 (Seder in the Marianas, pagination identical); Yaari 2319

The verso of the title reads: “Text and illustrations…reproduced by lithographic process...adapted for use at the Passover Seder for Soldiers, Sailors and Marines - Pacific Forward Area. Officiating Chaplains: David I. Cedarbaum, AUS; Philip Lipis, USNR; Elihu Rickle, USNR.” Thus, this historic Hagadah was a joint venture of an Australian Jewish chaplain, Cedarbaum, and Lipis and Rickle of the US Naval Reserve. See Philip S. Bernstein, “Jewish Chaplains in World War II,” American Jewish Year Book 5706, Vol. 47 (1945-6), pp. 190, 194. By April 1945, the war in Europe had ended with Allied victory, but the Pacific Theater, was yet to see its deadliest days. The final land battle of World War II took place a mere 350 miles from Japan, on the island of Okinawa. By the time Okinawa was finally secured in June of 1945, 12,000 US soldiers and Navy personnel lay dead, and more than 36,000 wounded. The Battle of Okinawa lasted for 82 brutal days. Immediately preceding was the famous Battle of Iwo Jima. On February 19, 1945 American forces invaded the tiny island of Iwo Jima. The battle finally ended on March 26, 1945, leaving 7,000 Americans dead and 24,000 wounded. Such is the historic backdrop to this Hagadah