Japanese souvenir of Korean War

Too pretty to mash cigarettes in, this colorful metal ashtray was made in Japan during the Korean war. Below an idyllic scene are the Korean peninsula and the Japanese islands. The English rendition of selected place names suggests it was marketed to U.S. servicemen stationed in those areas during the 1950-53 conflict. The line through Korea denotes the “38th parallel,” where the country was initially divided in 1945. The ashtray is a memento that belonged to reporter Gregory Ripps’ father. Readers are invited to share memories of the past. Send to elaine@wcn-online. com or mail to 1012 C St., Floresville,...

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