Name/Title
USS Galveston (C 17) [Postcard]Description
From May through July 1909, USS Galveston participated in an Asiatic cruise with the Third Squadron, U.S. Pacific Fleet, during which a sailor purchased this Japanese postcard and mailed it on May 25, 1909 from the USS Galveston.Context
Kobe is the capital of Hyogo Prefecture and one of Japan's ten largest cities. Located between the sea and the Rokko mountain range, Kobe is also considered one of Japan's most attractive cities and has been an important port city for many centuries. Its port was among the first to be opened to foreign trade in the 19th century.
During World War II, Kobe was lightly bombed in the Doolittle Raid on April 18, 1942, along with Tokyo and a few other cities. Eventually, it was bombed again with incendiary bombs by B-29 Superfortress bombers on March 16 and 17, 1945, causing the death of 8,841 residents and the destruction of 21% of Kobe's urban area. This postcard shows a ’View of Kobe’ before the bombings.