1945 Pictorial Map / Christmas Card of Southeastern Samar Island, Philippines

This is a pictorial map and holiday card of southeastern Samar Island, Philippines dating from Christmas 1945. Pictorial vignettes illustrate landing craft heading across Leyte Gulf to land on Leyte Island, a Liberty ship in San Pedro Bay, a large ship in Leyte Gulf that is likely a cruiser or destroyer, an aircraft carrier near Guiuan, and a submarine to the right of Samar in the Pacific Ocean. Palm trees dot the coastlines of both Samar and Leyte and a fantastic vignette of a jungle covered mountain dominates Samar. Tubabao Island, Manicani Island, Camcoan Island, and Homonhon Island are labeled, along with Guiuan. A PT Base and Fleet Hospital 114 are identified in print, while the army base, air base, and 'many supply depot' are labeled in manuscript pencil.

Christmas 1945

Christmas 1945 was a Christmas unlike the previous four. World War II ended in Europe in May and in the Pacific in September and American personnel were heading home. Millions of soldiers, sailors, and airmen deployed around the world were going home for Christmas. Hundreds of thousands of these men and women made it home to celebrate the holiday with their families. Stories abound of civilians giving their train tickets to returning soldiers, driving veterans across the country when they could not fit on a train, or simply hosting them in their own homes when they were unable to make it home by Christmas. Nonetheless, the millions remaining deployed were treated to extravagant Christmas dinners by the Army and Navy.

Fleet Hospital 114 and Dating the Map

The map is undated, but the presence of Fleet Hospital 114 provides a clue. The 32nd Naval Construction Regiment built Fleet Hospital 114 between March and July 1945, with 1500 beds ready when the hospital opened on July 2, 1945.

Publication History and Census

This map was likely created for American servicemen and women to send home to their families as a Christmas card. Its creator is known only by their initials, J.F.S. This is the only known surviving example.