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Thread: Searching for Sgt. who captured arisaka on Saipan

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    Searching for Sgt. who captured arisaka on Saipan

    In another part of this forum I mentioned that I had purchased a Type 99 that had "Saipan June 25 1944" on the rifle. After cleaning some more, I found Sgt Wilbur G Smith handwritten name on both sides of the hand guard.

    I would like to find out more about this person (discharge) but I have not found out anything more. I used NARA but I do not have any other important to input to NARA like state etc. All I have is Sgt.

    He could have been with the 27th or with the 2nd Marines. I assume that he captured the rifle the same date as on the rifle so that would have put him in the center of the island and the worst fighting. See Saipan on Wikipedia.......

    I feel he is deceased now but he and his arisaka rifle made it back earlier. Of note also, the buttstock of the Arisakaicon has eight very clear notches. Sgt Smith must have made sure that the 9the was not added.

    The family that sold the rifle to my gunsmith friend did not have the last name of Smith or had any provenance about the rifle. Judging on the crud and cosmolineicon still on and in the rifle, it was never fired since Saipan. In the butt stock were pieces of plant material, rust, and sand.

    Any ideas or help would be appreciated....
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