FFL03 pays off again - this time for family **PIC HEAVY**

[Seagrave1963]

During WWII, my Grandfather served on LCS(L)(3)-8 (http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/05/050008.htm) in the Pacific theater. Prior to leaving Louisville, he made a list of letter salutations that corresponded with many of the islands in the Pacific so that my Grandmother would know where he was when the letter arrived. Thus, she knew his whereabouts despite the efforts of the folks censoring to ensure mission secrecy. Recently, my Mother and her brother (the Uncle), scanned all of the letters and sent them to all of the grandkids - incredibly moving and powerful of the times.

Anyway, my uncle called several weeks ago and said he wanted to give me his Dad's battle rifle to keep it in the family. He's not dying, he's just very organized and wanted to ensure that it stayed in the family as he is going to be 75 soon. My Mother believes that PaPaw picked up the rifle at Okinawa when they were sent there after that particular battle (hence, not on their campaign list) as well as several Japanese battle flags, one of which I have safely stored. Anyway, found an FFL01 near my Uncle's house and called and sent the license via eMail and everything was finalized.


Skip to today - Mailman gets here and pulls out a long box from his jeep! Took it in and found this Type 38 and bayonet:

 

[smdub]

That w/ the story is just too cool.

 

[AntiGun]

I've said it once tonight already, but you guys are kiling me with the C&R stuff.
I need to send my application and then my wife can divorce me...

Awesome family heirloom.

 

[smoothebore]

Very nice heirloom gun, and I'm sure the letters are very cool. My Dad was stationed at the Navy Dept throughout the war, but his brother, my uncle Bob was in the army in Europe. They are all gone now. I have two letters, one written by my Dad, and the other written by their Mother, addressed to Uncle Bob and dated "June 6th, 1944". Little did they know he was landing on Omaha Beach. It's difficult to read those letters and not get teary eyed.

 

[kazan182]

Very Nice! Great story too.

 

[Machodoc]

It doesn't get any better than that! It's a beautiful original rifle, and the family history makes it even better.

BTW - as a long gun, your uncle could have shipped it directly to you, with your C&R, via USPS--if he's not in MD.

My dad was also in WWII in the Pacific. He was a medical officer on Halsey's flagship, and he didn't go ashore much at all. They brought all the "business" to him, instead. I recall him telling me that some of the Marines who were wounded, but not all that badly, brought a lot of souvenirs with them that their buddies sent off with them as they were being evacuated. Many were sent for them to try to get home to family members, but some were sent to be sold for cash ... and sailors willingly bought them. The idea was that the Marine would get patched up and cleaned up, sleep in a soft bed for a few days, then be sent back into combat with cash, cigarettes, candy, or whatever could be bartered or scrounged.

As for my own father, he bought a Nambu from a Marine, and it was promptly taken from him when they got back to Pearl Harbor. (It was supposed to be returned, but that didn't happen.) The two souvenirs that he did bring home were a card with Japanese writing on it and an opium spoon. Both came from Japanese prisoners from Saipan (and there were almost NO Japanese prisoners from Saipan). It turned out that the card was part of one guy's service record, but it didn't have his name on that part. The opium spoon was used by a poor fellow who had a cancerous tumor in one of his eyes. He'd been using opium directly on it to ease the pain (his eye was removed by Navy surgeons). Unfortunately, that item disappeared, and none of the family will own up to knowing what happened to it.

 

[Boom Boom]

I've said it once tonight already, but you guys are kiling me with the C&R stuff.
I need to send my applicaton and then my wife can divorce me...

Be careful. If you see ever in person what some of us have bought by C&R, you might have a heart attack.

OP, awesome story and beautiful rifle.

 

[Alphabrew]

I'd kill to have that. I'm curious why the mum is defaced? I guess the war was basically over after the battle of Okinawa?

 

[MACVSOGShoebox]

The Japanese would try to remove the chrysanthemum (the sign of the Japanese Emperor) before turning their arms over to the enemy forces (that'd be US).

 

[Alphabrew]

The Japanese would try to remove the chrysanthemum (the sign of the Japanese Emperor) before turning their arms over to the enemy forces (that'd be US).

I know that, my question was more about the timing of the war's end and when this rifle was obtained by the OP's grandfather. I wouldn't think bring backs collected before war's end would have defaced mums.

 

[yellowsled]

Awesome story! Treasure it....

 

[SmokingGun]

That is awesome - congrats!

 

[Squaregrouper]

I know that, my question was more about the timing of the war's end and when this rifle was obtained by the OP's grandfather. I wouldn't think bring backs collected before war's end would have defaced mums.

I question this as well. Embellished story from some older relatives perhaps?

 

[boss66tcode]

A nice piece of history. There's an arisaka bring back in my family as well.

There is no substitute for a gun with history that is made personal through family.

 

[Seagrave1963]

I know that, my question was more about the timing of the war's end and when this rifle was obtained by the OP's grandfather. I wouldn't think bring backs collected before war's end would have defaced mums.

I question this as well. Embellished story from some older relatives perhaps?

Probably not, knowing the integrity of my Grandfather and the respect of his peers. The other caveat of the Japanese "Bring-backs" was that General MacArthur ordered that the "mum" be removed/defaced to deny the deity of the Emperor of Japan as a means to pacify the population prior to the planned invasion of Japan.

The other known fact of the "mum", was that prior to being involved with a battle of probable loss, the Japanese soldiers "removed" the mum as it was a sign/emblem of the Emperor and did not want the "enemy" to have possession of the "Emperor".

It appears by the marks on this "mum", that is was removed by a controlled means (e.g. grinder after collected) versus a knife/bayonette in a rat hole before being over-run.

 

[MilsurpDan]

Very nice story and I'm glad you got to own a piece of family history. As for the rifle, it appears to be a Japanese school rifle according to the lightly struck X above the Japanese Kanji denoting the Model (type 38). Also the Mum was struck out with circular markings denoting the japanese took it out of service. And the stamping on the stock and on the tang are indicative of this as well. It appears that somebody grinded down on the mum also to deface it after/when it was surrendered.

With that said, I would be leery of shooting it since many, if not most school rifles were not meant to be fired with anything other than blanks

 

[Seagrave1963]

Very nice story and I'm glad you got to own a piece of family history. As for the rifle, it appears to be a Japanese school rifle according to the lightly struck X above the Japanese Kanji denoting the Model (type 38). Also the Mum was struck out with circular markings denoting the japanese took it out of service.

With that said, I would be leery of shooting it since many, if not most school rifles were not meant to be fired with anything other than blanks

I am not planning on shooting it. It will remain as a piece of history as it is. Thank you for the insight - if other folks on MDS have any insight on this rifle, I would appreciate your input.

 

[28Shooter]

Nice story and rifle - Congratulations!

 

[h2u]

Awesome family history! I have a Mauser brought back by my Grandfather from the ETO.
Be sure to keep it safe and in the family for generations to come.

 

[AC MkIII]

Very cool