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Bob,
There is no marking at all that I can see on the stock. There is no SA where you have indicated for sure. I removed the butt plate and there could be a very faint "EI" in the wood under the plate, but not sure. The mag catch is not an M2. There is and "M" on the catch, but no line underneath and no nub.
After more research, the carving on the right side of the stock is for a Philippine Army Headquarters Unit. “Alba” is also carved on the right side of the stock and “J. Alba” is carved on the bottom of the stock. Jose Alba served in Matta’s Battalion, 3rd Platoon, “B” Company Headquarters in the 3rd Squad, in 1945. The Battalion was stationed in Camarines Sur (you can see the location as Catabangan, C.S. in the documentation) in 1945. Pretty sure this was his rifle in that unit in 1945. So the gun went from Inland Manufacturing to the Philippines in 1945, and I think was turned in and shipped to Ethiopia in 1946/1947. Since it was a current configuration of the M1 Carbine and relatively new, I don’t believe it was re-arsenaled. As I learned from this site, the carving on the left side of the stock is the 45 Infantry Division that served in Korea. So I believe the rifle went with the Kagnew Batallion to Korea and was used there by the Ethiopians.
Outstanding! How many carbines can be traced through two wars and a trip around the world? The value of that clunker just doubled or higher. Great work.
D
That is some serious detective work! Congrats!
I forgot to post pictures of the hand stamped "M1" and the receiver serial number. Any one have any further info on the stock with no markings?
On my first trip to the Philippines back in ‘99 I remember seeing M1, M1A1 and M2 carbines everywhere. Every McDonalds had a guard outside with one. In Nov of ‘99 I was on Leyte in Tacloban and went to a birthday party for some girl with a friend. Her father was either in the Philippine Army, PBO (Philippine National Police). He was quite drunk and took out his Carbine and a .38 pistol then started telling me how many NPA (New Peoples Army) Communists he had killed with them. They really love their carbines over there.
My last trip in ‘17 all the guards were armed with M16’s , 12 gauge pumps and some local made mag fed semi/full auto 12 gauges that looked a little like a SPAS 15. I missed seeing the Carbines everywhere but the country had changed a lot.
My wife is a Filipina and I’d love to have a carbine that could be traced to the Philippines in WWII. I do have an Inland hand stamp, 6897116, but I have no idea where it served. It is a mixmaster Blue Sky import.
GuapoPogi
These guys?Quote:
Originally Posted by GuapoPogi
I’m not sure of that rabble is NPA. I’m sure they are Filipino but they could be another group like MILF or Abu Seyaf. I thought I was subscribed this thread but I did not get a notification of your post.Quote:
Originally Posted by painter777
GuapoPogi