REF ID:A56880 

/ - / , r ""', J , 

1. ' _.., __,-l~~ <.. r> '·-t'·) ' - - ' !eP S:l6RI! 

R!CCJICPIDATIC*S P'OR TH! HANDLDIG OF PLACEN.lUS .l!fD PLACEJiAlCE P'IL&S 

FOR SIQIUL DHLLIGJllCI PUBP~ES 

I. llP!aIDCK Cl JJ.TA PLACI!lfJJOS UHIT 

II. RJCCIQf1!'WDATI~S 

I. rw t.h• pa•t ~ .. ,..a• \be wrlter ha.a bMD oono .. nied cl&ilf 111\h 

nrS.- problw int'OlTing th• ideaUtiution and looa\ion ot pla'""U'•• in 

the Paoitic Th•t.er. hoa \h• a:pvimoe •o gai.Ded, it 1a felt t.hat •n.n.l 

ftlubl.e le••ona b&T• "-1 learned and that t.MiJ' pna•\&\ion in the tona 

•XJM91\1on Cl&l1 ~at. be ~11 1n -.,_ ol th• hinorT ot th• J&p&DM• Anq 

Trattie !nal.Tai• &PJrO&Clb \o \Ile p!"Obl.ma. I\ .-.\ 'be elllpA&aised. \ha\ t.be•• 

~--.. are~ a oomid.en.bl• ext.en\ g1qM MeauM ot th• lanpa• 

prH1a inrolnd and \he pecul.1az Jl&t.uft ot Japanea• AntT \rattio. 'rh. priM 

illpori&noe ot t.h• id•nt.i.Aoation ot apeo:1.fi• plaormu and \heir .uneciU.on 

_. umocia\1.oa wi \ll •ipal ac\irt\iu u an ,_..,1.w •GllU"M at in\elllae ... 

ia r w1i 17 apparmt.. Tka\ \h• rouUng •18'- ua ed. on Jap&nea• AntT tra.ttio 

inwl'nd a aiapl.• •CMI.• enoiphertUnt. ot \h• anul. pl.aoe et orilln and plu• 

flt d•tination ot •9h ... ..,. in a rel&tiTell' low and• 11,18\ea pw.\J..7 increu-1 UM eoope ot pl&Mn&M 1d.nt.1t1oa\1.on a.Urtv. 

In t.he la t.t..- halt or l 9U, when d,?j tinm prosreu in th• reoonatncUon 

et t.he•• rout.inc 979tw.,. filost. .. c:te, Tn.ttia ~d.a bM•• 1.n\ereaW in 

speed,T id9rl'Ut1oat1on ot all pluauzu. Untort.uiawl.7 no ocapreheu1T• .-tud;r 

o! th• phonet.aa ot Jap&•• apelHng11 of tonlp pl&CMOaea wen aftilabl• nor 

"ftJ'9 gauit.Mra or Uat.inga in En&U•b, 1n ~., or 9"n in lam., ot 

Japanese apelling• o! placai .... in the Pa41.tio Th-.N'r anllabl.e. h iniU&l 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 05-23-2014 pursuantto E_Q_ 1352a 
!EIP S&SS! 

WMU• in th• aolutioll ot rout.in« 97at.u:. began \o 71.•ld a ateedU;r inoreuina 

'f'Olw of plaoenPMa tor 1dent1t1oat.ian, th• U&O\ loo&tion ot noh pl&o•naae 

b.oam prw~iaite. Such aape aa were anllabl• at. the ti.Be and auoh guett.eG"8 

u oould be found wre ooneult.d and foun1 tc b9 inadequat.e. (Th• ohie! reteren•• ..,rka aT&il&ble were ,,.._veial World UJ.u {Rand Mol•lly, London Tia• 

au.\tffJ") and. !&TT ff7drogl"apbic ottie• "~ • tor • pMitio areaa). A.a 

inquil7 renal.•d that neither J.m:r ~ SC"Tio• nor lrf7 lf7drograpb.1o 01'tio• 

~ to iuue a llMJ"al gue\t.MJ" o! the Pam.tic ~ in th• th.ea near 

tutu.re (such a psett.ea hu lltA appeared \.o d&\•) or wen aoon \o aa.k• anllable 

g&H'\'"2-• ot •ped.tic anu wit.bin th• ~\er, C&pt&in Ho-Ard. Kart.in and t.h• 

writer decided to prepare, u a '9.por&J7 expediaJ:lt, a gaM\t..er ot th• entire 

am baaed. an whatwer aap• RN &-.ail.able. t'b• "Guet.t.eer ot Pacilio 'nleat.er 

Pl&MN-•, CiJooular JX-J" -. 1.aaued 8th Deoul>eza, l ~). .U\bau&h \hi.a 

pisbllcaUco bad reoopi.Mcl l.1ai\.&t.1ona du• to \he Mt.bod or prep.ra\ion, it bu 

&tt.n.ot.d wideapread an! gn\1!1'inc popW.arltJ' - w•r tC'llU hundred and ruv 

isopa• han been di•tributed. thl"wghou.t. t.h• 1l'Ol"ld.. SlK>•equent.l.T th• plaoenae 

unit nll•ct.ed all psett.een, apt1 1 plaoenue llitinp, e\ •et.era 11hioh could 

be toun4 and a conaidenbl• tile 1• aTailable in addition t.o the ohiet index 

et pl.a.a.,.... by Ja:rane •• apelllng. 

The priaar;r p-oblc taoed bT l'rattio .tn&l.Tai• in oonnMtion with proc .. 1ing 

tra!tic ... ideati!1c:a\1on or \h• pl.&o• of oria1n and dat.inat.ion ot ... a •• , 

the t.•ra1w: at o11'0Uiu, et.o. ltdah oould be d.et.eai.Ded ohiet~ troa ~ 

ope-at.on ' ohat. tar a.nd l'OUt.ing .,. tua. Th• .PJ"Obl.- innlT•d. \b. nri<M• ae&n8 

•Tail.able t.o t.h• Ja?&DU"" tar writing their J.&naul•, th. phonetiAI• ot \heir 

-aTOP S!CUT 
l.anpace, plu. the nat.i•• nme ot th• place oonowned '*doh wuld at. bat ~ 

known to us b;r an En«lllh Pbonet.1.o awroxia&Uon of t.h• natin aou.nda. ilthCN,&h 

nriou u...ti.11&9 o! oor11NpOnding &t&H•h and Japan••• phonm.• were &ftilable, 

it wu found that pl&CC1911 1pellina- clid not st.rlot.17 oontol'll to t.h .. • rul• 

and aub99Cptnt experience ol.u.rl.J" 1ndioat.a, 1n \h• belie! o! th• Wl"iter, that. 

pl&oenae 1dent1!1..o.a\1on 11 a ••parate probl• troa that or general tran1lat1on 

and 1hould be handled aa euoh. 

[nowledge of t.zoa!t1o .11ove1Mnt, oil"cuit infar•ti~, aend.ing and r•e•irl.ng 

relationahips, all gai.Md from handling a oon.iderable Tolwae of aeaaap., aaaia'\ 

in the selsction of a probabJ., 1dentif'1eatJ.on. An e:xaapl• ot a trattio &na.lJ'wi• 

pl.acen&11111 1dentit1cat.ion and that made by a translator ...,- be .. c in the following exu.ple: A aesng• trOll an air unit, carried b1 Order of Battle in Sout.han 

Kore&, cont&inad \extu.al. re!erme• to the preHnoe of el..-nt1 ot it.a o~ at 

Ta.id.en Airfield. In \be ... sage the Gharaot.en can be rM.d TAI DD ar OU TA. 

The translator arbitl'arll)r took the r•di.ng OUTA and it ._, publilhed in th• 

bullet.in. The rooting line ot the ....... ,. CJ&rried a n\mber oorreotl.7 ident.i!1ed 

u Tai.den !rca cirouit eTidenc. rrailable through Trattio Anal.Tai•· Th• di!ticult..7 

aroa• !roe. th• tact that \he same oharaotera, read Ol11'A, Npl"fttl'lt an iapori.ant 

Central Hon.bu llif ield. Any JWlli:>•r or a Wl&r 9XMlpl .. can be addu.ced. A 

a&ptured up o! th• Philippin.s showing radio 1tat1ona b)" i1lmd -. :reoeiTed 

ahortly &tter the inn.aion or Leyt.e. Traulator J*"IOMel attempted. to identifT 

t.he placee with approxiat.e titt.7 perc.ent. wco•••· 'The wrl ter, 11.Jlply b7 

consulting uallabl• gazetteers and o~ing the captured •P to a atand.ard U.S. 

map o! similar 9C&l.•, identified better than ninfl..r-!1T• percent of th• DUl81 in 

-3-

1'JP sm;aR 
REF ID:A56860 e 

Japam•• apelling with the a9'...:L plao• ud tvailllecl th• eoerdin&tu. 'Dae 

translator• a version ha4 dona little aona thall oonwn \h• Jeana •111'1)$ t.o 

Bepborn roaaj1. 

Aa uperienoe .. acquired frOll th• 4a1lT inoreaaina DDllb•r ot apell•a, \he 

volume ot 1dentJ.t!oatione at•cH 17 in&ruaecl and a eoulclerabl• tile •• R.U\ 

up. 87 Februa17, 191.3 it •• po1•ibl• t.o publialh a liat.S..ng et !dent.it.led 

sptll.l.• comb:l.na\10111 deriTed troa the Oak alld Pim DD S7llaltaria wld.eh ran w 

•aae t~-odd papa. BJ Jlgymv, 191.31 Cireul.ar JB-2 "Pao1tS.• 1\leate 

Placen••• (Kana)" 1'18 i•aued,, followd 1n Jaq, 19'14 1'7 JB-4, 78 papa, 111\h 

a 32 page 81lpplament in l&mJa'1'11 19451 aa• JS-5 ot Z2 pac•• in lugut tat this 

J'Gl'. A tirW. h1aur1-1 liat.q et all. pl&c.... ident.1t1•\S.aa arul •terlal.• 

1s being pre;pared and will ~· a._,.ra\ed. ia \he l an4 L Oeecraphi• File. 

In add!. tJDn to the replar llninp ot Wen\itioationa .... in the abon 

gasat.teera, uriou• other publiaa\iena wen aacl•. In 'Ul• tlr8' MD.th• et 194J~ 

a apecial 11sting wu prepared for B-i2. Branch throl&&h ~- •••iatano• of IBll. 

This waa a syllable sort.,, on all qllablea, of all f].uwa in kua •p91.U"I 

then available. Varioua llating• of' kana •i-1J1qa ef a!rfieldll 1 pl.aoenwa 

occurring as u111gned DD nUllb•n (pl&oee uaipad a aJ ngle oode n\lllb• in azw 

code syatea), u..t.a ot poc:raphical. terms 1n A.SAU.. 41alen•, equUona ot 

kana and Cbinue reading• ot c:b&Z"actel"s, e\o. wre wo prepared. 

Considerable difticul'\y _. encount.ere4 tr.a t.h• at.art in Nkt.ng 

~YAlLAtl&.2 

1dentit1c.i.tiom. s..- r\ll.•• ftrr the pbaMtie• ot Japan••• Tia a via '&a&li.•11 

word• were inadequate. As "the ~•rial iartal.T .. w plac•n1ww, tw 11tl1•11 a 

native pronunciation •• int.vpH\M 1a ID&lllll'l, or Dll\ch, er hmlh, el' Chiu••• 
REF ID:A5688. 

!8P SIU1tBf 

ha4 to be trued from the Japui••• Jlll••\i• speller befwe ti. lnlJ 5•h equ1Tal.-* 

oould. be 4•twm1Dld1 it becaae mceaaar7 \o clenlop t:roa upe1anc• ._ •• ral.e• 

and p:rooedUrea. Otten coneidtNlll• T&l'la\illl tor \ha •aa DaM would. be tound, 

apparenU7 at the discretion (•r, u 1\ ••-d1 1.dioQ'llcraar) of th• inll!:dA-1. 

Japaneae opmrator 111'1ting the aame. As the &Terage Jap •• onea iprant of 

th• llnguiat.1c problem irrrolnd •uch disorepanoiea were oom1c:lerable. Rappil.T 

excellent cooparat10D between all oenters working on the Japan••• _.,. probl.ea 

bu alwq's existed and Tien and 1dent1t1cat1ons wen readily a.abange•. 

Port;unatel.7, too, circuit erldlSlce ade possible a Um1tat1on ot \he area in 

1'hich any g1Ten 1dent1tication could b• ••&h\. Beaidu the probl• ot nat.1w 

phonetics conoernecl in Southnst. Ana aJll India Ana 1dmit1cat1om, Chin••, 

Jfanchurian and loraan placename1, being ••ad in t.h• Japaae•• reading (either cm 

or KOi) ot th• character also pn1mW .. Dd.4-'<l• ,.obi.. Bmellea\ 

relations were atead!J.T mam\aiMcl w1'1\ 1-sl. BruU and I and. L. Both L\. hU 

and Captain Hotson have been aoet k1m. 1a u.t.\1ag 1a oonalatinc 1ntaraU• 

a't'l.Uable to all. Similar exahanp ot 1nte1m\1oa w1 th both Spacial lzoaa.ala ot 

MIS and with Lt. Larson ~ MCA have alse anl•ted 1n identiticat1oa. At \he 

begimd.ng of 19z.4 \h8 pl'Obl• o~ Ch1Due thutu\er• and t.helr idea\ltS..t.ion 

becama •o great. that a apeoialiat wu d»U!M4 tor working witb t.hia •\vial 

and given charge ot placma• 1dentit1•t.1-e 1a general tar Tratti• Ana'l.1da. 

Thi• spec1allst1 Kr. lfeetJ.q Ill .. , laa• _.. aa important oontribu\1.m \o t.h• 

progress 1n plaomame !dent1tioat1Dna and ho h ... ,...,_.ibl• for t.h• U.itieatiom publi8hed •inc• that tim. In J&rm&l'J', 19'4 \It• •ite• Wl8 a,,.:la\ell w 

the SSA C:cmd.t.tee on Japanese Spelling by Col. BrOWD (ot !: lranela) -4 Col. 

Cooke. Th• crhiet probl.ea at \him C-S.''- wld.lh eoaoanaed. h1a •• tb&\ ot th• 

_,_ 

SP 8IBBm 
REF ID:A56889 

ipelling of Japaneee worda in Engl.1th alld the •tudartiu\ian ot plae.._ 

spel.15.nga tor id•Dt.ified •pell.era. The practice of 1n4lo&tJ.llfl unt.rant1la\tt_ 

Jeana in bulletins b7 umerJ.inin& •• adopted boa th• piN'f!.•• ue• of \Id.a 

llethod by Traftic Anal.Jrn• tOl' plao•nw 1peJler•. A War Depal'tment. cl1J'eot.1n 

required that the Hepburn BJ'Bt.. tor Rounized Japan••• b• ••· .All eonoemed 

agreed that there were aneral cliladTD~ t4 thia qa\81 bu it wa illpeaai'lll• 

t.o alter it. Howvar, 11hons•k1 o.U lt• ... tw t.ffbn1cal p.irpo•u &114 \ll9 

transcriptie \o Hepburn ll&d• onl.7 for ,.'bl.1.ealliD. .Sundard •P.:J.lin&9 te 

map names also created a cocW.d.cabl.e probl• ud. age..- •• re&Oh tor eeordinat1ng the tOl"Dl used in SSA publilatiOllll. The 2114 Japan••• Anq 1roltl9 

Conterence 1'BC0Jllll9Dded that all cmera aontoa \o t.ke ,..S.ncipl.ea PNJt••cl and 

their acceptanoe was secured. Aa~ to \he ...,__nt. reached. here• •b.S.a 

center ac\.ed aa coordinating acemv on plao..- apel.lings. By apre .. nt. 

reached at this time, "U" rather than "OI" aid "Y" n.\-.r-,.tban n.Jrr •• to 'be 

ued in spelling Indon•ian D&1Ua. SubHquentq th• apell.iag ot Cid.a•• llaaU 

becaa an imreased problul. !he km7 Map 8•"1•• apeU :lnge, -~ t.ll• 

•di!ied Wade Giles Sys\em.1 WU at.&n4ard tar aU ottici.i publiod.i•• ba.t. 1\ 

•s found, a• had b89.D \h• case wi'Ul Ind.onm• ..... (moe th• JnT ll&p S9"1•• 

apellings again did not exactl.7 c orrapond. to th•• used by Tnffi• Analpia an4 

llIS) that th• spelling called tOI" b7 th• Anq Kap SC'Tic• ot~• 4iltend omnd•l'-

ably w1 Ul nam.es already well ••tablilh•d. •d. tn1J hr 1a rMP7 "-I' ue Sa Giii' 

pabllcations. Arter considerable di.-.1 •• it •a apeed w aemlnu• al.NM,J 

e.tabl.1shed pl.aceDU19 splll.l.ings where chua• 1a \he nam t.• •affJll& 'to AMS fta 

wu.ld have serioual.Jr disrupted .tiles and "...._· Tb1ll qN-m-, conoune• 1a 

-6-

IBP SBQRR 
·::. I ., REF ID:A56Bij 

...,.. 

by MIS• 1-l an4 I-a, wu aetual.17 a :reiwratio of \h• d .. Won ot the 2nd Jap 

J.191' Ccmterenee. It •knld. be pointed eat tJlat Lt. Lal'aon •t ICA eaoan'8Ncl 

uaetly 1Sallar cUttiC\11\1 .. 1a ~· 11•• ot Hepllvn. and. ill cUnrcencea wit.h Al'1flT 

Kap Senie• plaetn&llla apell~•· 

It h reaclilT apparent tha\ oona14C'abl• eoU&teral aater1&1. 1n \h• fOJIJI ef 

guettnrs, b,ydrographic af'tioe "Pilou", .. ,., bo\k Jaglln am eharae\_. in 

nrying •Ill•, captured docnua•Dt• wi\11 plaeenam intorution, and 11Jd.lar 1ovca•• 

ot reference waa irerequ181te. 'l'h• uriau.a oenters nre •oa' eoope~atiw in exchanging eopiea or •uch material J IEC, 1a. pa?"\ioular, •• aoa\ htal.pf'ul.. 

Caretul reeord thould be kept. ot th• leTel of aiv plae9nalll9 id•atiti1atioa u 

to th• ••UN• from which it aa aade. '1'hu "ThUllb" 1 "Secret." and "Ul\ra" J>la• ... 

name identiticattoa., while t.hq 1hRld H Dpt \._u..r in cme genenl tll•, 

ahould be dist1ngus..he4. An e.xaapl• ot th• aarl.ceabili\7 ot nch reeor4 is 

1een in the cue ot Ap11 the DaM ued by the Japan••• tor .J•••lton, Bomee. 

lqlat.ion of Ap1 w1th J .. Mlton wae .... at ~eul.7 \1M b7 Tratt1c ~la. 

A.t thJ till• ot the planned. allled inTuion ot IQr\ll lel'DM, Speed.al Brana 

inquiftd it 1 t 1RtN posaibl• to "c.t .... la•aifJ"' Ap:l \o a "Cant1dct1al" lnel 

in order that the theater eoulA be aupplied with 1ateraat1on abollt Api Wliu 

aa n."••H.11' in attuking Jeaaelton. Fvtll.nateq nr ftMrda could oit.• a 

capt.urecl •P• supplied by wn:, oa whisk t1d.a equ.ti• 'WOtlld b• sad• at ti. 

required •contid•nt.1al• level. 

Somewhat •"•UaP problems in identiticatien and f'•COl"d-keeping wr~ tewacl 

with aueh pl&c• u Shimen, speller SliXIllOB, which utually wu the aaa• u 

Shihchiachiang, speller SFXIKASO. SElDCQH~h'"'- wu the speller ~ 

-7-

'ft)f' SEftl!i! 
REF ID:A56880 

appearing in traffic, with tb.e aui•tue• ot Lt.. Col. Reiaehauer, this place 

waa equat.ed with Shihch1aeh1q, an4 th• lat.ter f Ql'll 11&8 \ha\ uaed b,J' 9'9ryone 

except the Japm••· Similarl.J 1 th• 9J19ller !OUZAI w- TOUS.AI _. ued for 

Tanlaban, no:rul apeller TAllZAB, aa TOUSAJI wu th• expected apell•r tor 

Tangshan,; an enti~ ditterent plae• trca Tamiban, oonaidva'bl• dS.ttioulty 

wu encowit•red in k•ping th• n••rd• atraigbt.. All ot th••• idtn\U'icatioae, 

howner 1 caoul.d b• aupport..ed b7 Tratfi• Az:lalpi• nidence and thu WM tacll.1-

taud. 

n. Altbouah th• •:Jp81'1••• pined u dftailed abaft .. to a tQNl1derabl• 

extent. unique tbrgqgb the na\ure of the Japanese Anq probl•1 bo~,h as to aCOJ>9J 

i:Jp• of routing a7atu. uaec:l on t.rattia (troa which th• prepoa4erance of 

identifications WR• drawn), and. l.inpia\ie prebl•, certain techniq11ss and 

prinoiplu are noteable. ~ a4Tantap ot a &Cl\ral. repol1to17 or all pl.a.a~ 

ini'ormat.ion is a.U-ni.den\. (Such a Cst.ral. 1'11• haa exiet•d in I and L Branch 

but t.o a considerable extent onl.7 a• a reeerding unit). It ia \hougbt b7' the 

writer tbat. th• Geographic Seot1on ot I and L Brandl should llt."9 ihe 101• 

reaponsibili\7 tor jdentitfing all plaeenaaM. Pl&Q•Jll.a9 identi!ieaticnat all 

mad• in thia unit, are bued on the tol.J.mdng taatora: U.Cw\1•1 (equating 

the 1pell.ing tau.nd 111.th the a• .. pte4 Engliah .up apel11ag - not.• that tor arq 

giY•n na•, art/' nmnber ot ~· are poaslbl• and ehoWJ.d b• csreee-r•te.rene•d 

b7 occurrenoe to t.he lngli•b •t&ndard, u Japan .. , lu.uim, Fr9neb., ChinH•)1 

geograpb1o, (lalowl.edp ot th• gueral import~· or a pl.Ke, it• location, 

1•ograpbi• and eoonaio illpor\alln), trattic, (routinp u1oc1ated. wi\h a 

..... '1!01 l:HU'I 
I REF ID:A56880 

~· -. '4 

gtnn place an th• eing1.• 90\11'$• et intoraa\1.•n anil&Dl• \o signal int.•lll~•• 

in looat.ing a ginn plaee), collateral (tbil mq 99 looae11' interpreted to inellld.• 

any a•10siation u ot per1011e, tan.lea, -. .. nte1 ete., wldoh are aa1ocia\•d. 

with tbs ,i.eenaae. O'bvioualT apl07mnt. of tll•• Tarioa tools requin• a-. 

apec1alia\ on plaeena .. alone and. req'Uirea adequat.. raterence -.t.el"i.al in \lae 

fora ot gue\\eer•• mapa, etc. 

The eanntial taotor 1• to keep rec;ord •f all. na.ea which have oeCltrrad, 

with what.ftv. data _,. , .. peninent a1 \o UM ot occurrence, plaee, .to. 

Such a file 1Dul.d mt r•prod.uce 1n •nc- tu. form. all &Y&U.ahl• plaecaau 

froa th• Arlfl¥ Jrap Serrta• pset.'Her•. Th• anual card should inclllde 1 the 

•pelling 1n which t.h• n-. oeturred, with re.tereu• to th• etandara !agl.iah 

.,.il1IJg .if necaA17'. .l Ar4 l:9' a\udard !ngl.llh •pell.hf 1 gbing lati~wle 

&nt legi~d.e coozacU.nat.e1, pneral.. area, "3.&t.iT• •is• ot place and ind!eaticm 

ot iapeftuH u1 &ir.t.lel.d, pori, railroad ~u.n, 1ndicatian a.e to •thexit. ap,..,.. in the Top1eal Indu or ether tU•, n\h 1ndic:a.t1on at llhve to 

loelt; amtl t!.nalJ..y a raeord ot \he plaee ia DS.ak it. firat. appeared. (ball.wt.in 

mabtr, if poaeibl•) am an indicatioll ot the aluaifiea.\ion ot th• Weaation 

gl'"t'en. Changes in sueh elu11tila\18n •honld, et nvH, be intliaa\e4). 

_,_ 

Thomas A. tiller c.1.c. 1-4..c-' 

'Z7 Sapttaber 194$