Shrapnel Damage Type 99 from Iwo Jima

[Dirt Detective]

About 15 years ago i was at work and a fellow worker found out I collected USMC militaria, so the next day he brought in the type 99 rifle and said his dad brought this rifle he picked up on Iwo Jima and asked if I was interested. Heck yea..at the time it was covered in a fine surface rust from its years in the rafters in the garage. A little WD40 and some fine steel wool cleaned it up.

His said his fathers name was Edward Byron Parker and was a radio operator on Iwo. I asked if he had any pics of his dad in uniform and he brought them in the next day and gave them to me. Here are some pics of Edward Parker with his battle damaged type 99. The damage is only wood damage and still shoots fine.

Hope you like.

 

[Dirt Detective]

Now the numbers matching type 99

[Dirt Detective]

more..

[Dirt Detective]

last

[Dirt Detective]

.............

[USdog]

Quite a bring back there!

[carrabassett]

Wow, great piece of history there! Still has the monopod which is rare and of course the mon as well. Thanks for sharing and nice back drop too!

[mcmike]

A little wood filler and some wood stain will fix it right up! Seriously, really nice bring-back just as it is. Probably a shrapnel hole, and the rifle may have just saved his life......or not. Hence, it became a souvenir. Unique!

 

Mike

[Sparty On]

And still has the mum present. Personally, I'd leave the damage just as it is.

[katieony]

A very interesting relic...thanks for posting!

[tarbridge]

I have had several and have several battle damaged weapons. People seek out these and they normally bring a premium when offered for sale.

[501stGeronimo]

And still has the mum present. Personally, I'd leave the damage just as it is.

I agree, the worst thing you could do is repair it! Nice type 99 btw!!

[Old Marine]

That's a great piece. The battle damage adds to the rifle. I have a nice Type 99 with the Mum but there is no story with it. It's nice that you have the photo of the Marine that bought it home and where he got it.

 

Very nice.

 

Dennis

[doyler]

Great rifle.

[Dirt Detective]

Thanks for all the nice replys guys. I feel very fortunate to have been able to care for it for a bit. I wish i had some sort of bring back document but you know how that goes.

[grovb]

Nice rifle with history I have one like that except the barrel appears to be bent on mine.

[BOLO]

that battle damage makes it more interesting knowing it was actually used in combat, much more interesting than a unissued rifle found in a crate at a supply depot that never got issued, still covered in cosmoline

 

this is the real deal, a combat war trophy

[Torch03]

Great rifle!

 

Matt

[TJM]

I very much like battle damaged relics myself. Many years ago one of my Dad's friends gave him a Type 99 that he had picked up after a Japanese night attack north of Agana, Guam, in early Aug 44. The rifle is riddled by machine gun fire. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line, the previous owner had pored wood glue into the splintered wood. Took a lot of effort to remove that junk. as a by the way, had the opportunity to visit the general site of that fight in 1993. It is entirely built over.

[BROBS]

that battle damage makes it more interesting knowing it was actually used in combat, much more interesting than a unissued rifle found in a crate at a supply depot that never got issued, still covered in cosmoline

 

this is the real deal, a combat war trophy

exactly..

 

not something that was bartered for on the back lines.

 

-Brian

[Ed Fedory]

Just need to find a battle damaged helmet to go along with it...pretty interesting that someone would choose a rifle that was damaged over one that was not...maybe it was a personal attachment and a lost story.

[terryusmc]

Just need to find a battle damaged helmet to go along with it...pretty interesting that someone would choose a rifle that was damaged over one that was not...maybe it was a personal attachment and a lost story.

 

My father a Marine in the 28th regiment 5th MAR.DIV. who fought on Iwo for 6 weeks brought back a type 99 short rifle with a damaged blood soaked stock explaining that was all he could find.He said during the assault that any rifles that were picked up were broken on the spot.It was not something that a Marine would weigh his self down with during combat.Semper Fi Terry

[wolfedawg]

Makes the authenticity of it that much better