Guam Garand discussion & links
If you're looking for a Garand with possible USMC lineage, check out the discussion and links on this page:
M1 Garand USMC Okinawa - Page 3 - CMP Forums
Such records are exceedingly rare.
Several thoughts;
While working down at the CMP in Anniston in 2002 I think it was, I sorted several rifles and boxes of rifles that had USMC inventory tags hanging on them. These were dated and signed but unnumbered as far as specific rifles go. I asked what was to come of these and was told that they wouild be tossed in the trash along with any other such items (like the plaid muzzle covers we saw on two of the Greek Air Force rifles last fall) and would not stay with the rifles as they went thru clean and repair at the CMP.
SRS does have some information in their data. Looking up a 4 digit receiver that I managed to acquire from somewhere I found that it was one of the first 400 rifles delivered to the Corps. I have actually handled several receivers from this lot. SRS is an excellent source.
As far as any rifles that were 'duffle bagged' home or the much vaunted 'vet bring-back', well let's see - how can I go about this delicately. Not only is a good portion of such information fake anyway, suffice it to say that the more likely that a 'story' is real and accurate, well such information is rarely discussed openly and is seen as verboten by many of the most serious collectors. It is because it is a double edged sword and a real can of worms when you think about it; while provenance is sought and the best will add considerable value to an item, it is a gray area that skirts some rather delicate issues with some extremely serious consequences, namely theft of government property. Compounding this is the fact that the Navy who never releases any of their property or writes anything off as lost, considers itself to actually retain title to everything that is still in inventory, even though it may be stored in Davy Joneses locker currently, and may actually want it back (scuba divers recovered one of the very few remaining examples of a very rare WWII plane from Lake Michigan in order to restore it, and when the wheels met the dock there was a Navy officer there in full dress whites to take posession of the Navy's airplane, which he thanked them for recovering it at their own expense ...). As many understand, the US Navy owns everything with a USMC on the side of it, so if you can actually prove that a given item is a vet bringback from the USMC then ... well, like I said, it is a can of worms that I would rather not open ... but as such it is rarely discussed and most collectors simply discount the 'story' and let the rifle speak for itself. Truly significant items with USMC provenance can be donated to the marine Corps Museum at Quantico (I know Jeremy Cheek went to pick up a still fully functional Jap machine gun that had provenance to a specific battle for the museum - a weapon that would have otherwise had to be destroyed, so ...).
I would also tell you that you are really missing out if you are not a member of the GCA - each issue of the GCA Journal is a treat for any Garand enthusiast whether they are in it just for the history or to actually shoot them in competition still. Any and all are welcome (and highly encouraged) to contribute. 20 years worth of the back issues are now being collated and bound in hard cover so you don't have to try to locate someone selling their collection (only ever seen it once ...).
Beyond that, I would say don't cut out the non-responsive answers. It will ruffle someone's feathers for sure and darned if those 'non-answers' aren't just about the most entertaining part of these strings at times :D.
Welcome!
AMHO. Best all,...
Probably already had one (or two) ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rice 123
Why steal a US rifle when after the WW11 you could legaly bring home lugers, p-38s K98s or 7.7s as war trophys
Ahhhh, back in the day, eh ...
Many of the stories are little more than a reflection of the character of the sellers, or lack thereof, ... I have always found it odd that when you really get into the study of the Garand (or any such thing) you become as much a serious student of human nature and the sometimes massive, sometimes subtle exertions of the lowest common denominator ... :rolleyes:
Many Jap rifles exhibit what is called a 'dufflebag cut' thru the stock so they can be mroe easily stowed in a duffle sized bag. Such a thing being common enough to have its own term, to me just further indicates that it was widespread to try to get as many back as possible. ;) I know of one P38 that was mailed home in bits (and is still missing one spring that was lost in shipping ...).
