Type 99 Arisaka with numbered capture papers to US Marine (Iwo Jima)

[chils123]

I really like rifles with numbered capture papers, but they are tricky to come by. So when I saw this example I knew I wanted to add it to the collection. Looks to be a 22nd series Kokura Type 99, all matching to the dust cover and an intact mum. The rifle has a few additions by the Marine who sent it home, Sidney Burger, including a message on the butt stock saying "To Pops" and some tally marks on the left side of the stock under the serial number/manufacturer mark.

The neat aspect is the numbered, war time dated capture papers, dated a few weeks after the end of fighting on Iwo Jima, which the unit listed on the paper took part in. This Marine's obituary originally stated he did indeed fight on Iwo Jima, so I decided to have Geoff at Golden Arrow Research pull his file to find out any other information. This confirmed the information from the obituary. I've included a small portion of the information he found for me. Big thanks to his services. Highly recommended!

Now the big question is, did this Marine find the rifle on Iwo Jima or somewhere else. Well, looks like it's impossible to say 100%. By the time these papers were filled out, Mr. Burger had been back on Guam since April 2nd. It's possible he brought the rifle with him from Iwo Jima and didn't get around to filling out the paper work for it until some time later before he shipped it home. The other possibility is he picked it up on Guam while the unit was regrouping.

Either way I'm happy to have this level of provenance with the rifle. I can't say I run into many capture papers dated during the war, let alone one with the rifle's serial number on it and listed to a Marine who saw combat on Iwo Jima.

 

 

 

 

 

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[mcmike]

Very nice find, with the mum still intact. Gotta wonder what the 5 notches signify.......

[USCapturephotos]

_{Great piece!}

_Paul

[sundance]

Very nice especially with the mum, cleaning rod, monopod and dust cover. Sid grabbed a good one.

[beerdragon54]

This set is the filet mignon of the capture paper world. I love this and a high likelihood of Iwo.

 

 

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[No Quarter]

Iwo Jima items are something special. Had a great uncle in the 4th Marines that served on Iwo Jima. Thanks for sharing!

 

Jacob

[Blacksmith]

Didn’t retire until he was 86? Wow.

[devildog34]

Outstanding!!!!!!

[WWIIBuff1945]

What an awesome bringback!! Congrats!

[bobgee]

Super I.D'd papered piece. By 27 March 1945 when he left Iwo Jima, the battle had been won about 2-3 weeks earlier. While you'll never know 100% that Mr. Burger got this on Iwo I think you can call it 99.9%. Great find. Semper Fi - Bobgee

[Government Issue]

ID'd and with the Mum in tact! You definitely cannot beat that. I'd wager the tally marks might belong to Pops and could be his score keep for hunting exploits.