Underwood M1 carbine

[mercman]

I think that I've posted this here before, but several years ago I picked up an unaltered M1 carbine at and estate sale. According to the man's son they'd taken a large quantity of uniforms, medals, bayonets, web gear and such to a good will store shortly before I arrived. I purchased this carbine for $300 about 15 years ago. Scratched into the stock is 'Guam June 21'.

Information

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[painter777]

21 June 1813 Peninsular War: Wellington defeats Joseph Bonaparte at the Battle of Vitoria.

21 June 1898 Spanish-American War: The United States captured Guam from the Kingdom of Spain.

21 June 1900 Boxer Rebellion: China formally declares war on the United States, Britain, Germany, France and Japan.

21 June 1916 A U.S. military expedition against Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa brings the United States and Mexico closer to war when Mexican government troops attack U.S. Brigadier General John J. Pershing's force at Carrizal, Mexico.

21 June 1942 : General Erwin Rommel takes control of British Allied garrison at Tobruk, Libya, taking more than 30,000 prisoners.

21 June 1942 World War II: Tobruk falls to the Italians and the Germans.

21 June 1942 World War II: A Japanese submarine surfaces firing 17 shells at nearby Fort Stevens near the Columbia River in Oregon in one of only a handful of attacks by Japan against the United States mainland.

NOTE DATE WWII: Guam lightly defended by the US, was captured by Japan on December 10 in 1941, three days after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The Battle to retake Guam was tentatively set for June 18. But a large Japanese carrier attack and stubborn resistance by the unexpectedly large Japanese garrison on Saipan led to the invasion of Guam being postponed for a month. So the Battle to retake Guam wasn't fought until ground troops stepped ashore on July 21 to August 10, 1944.

Guam is situated in the Mariana Islands. It was declared secured by mid August 1944, though a Sergeant Shoichi Yokoi, held out until 1972. In the weeks after the battle, engineers transformed Guam into a major Allied base that included five airfields. These, along with other airfields in the Marianas, gave USAAF B-29 Superfortresses bases from which to commence striking targets in the Japanese home islands.

21 June 1945 WWII: Japanese troops were defeated on the Pacific island of Okinawa after one of the longest and bloodiest battles of World War II. Having seized the Ryukyu Islands from Japanese control, the United States next prepared to launch an onslaught against the Japanese mainland.

Well, we know this carbine couldn't have been on Guam in June of 1944. But very well could have been being carved on while waiting on a landing. Having the first planned landing set for June 18~21 but it was delayed.

Any Idea what unit the previous owner may have been in? 3rd Marine?

Bottom picture: from an earlier island-hopping campaign in The Battle of Eniwetok Feb of 44...

Cheers,
Charlie-Painter777

[phillydude]

Mercman, I have several early original Underwoods, RMC stocks not P-51 like yours



---------- Post added at 07:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:00 PM ----------

Mercman, I have several early original Underwoods, RMC stocks not P-51 like yours

P-U not p-51 I hate autocorrect !

[Bruce McAskill]

Wow I guess the photo does show how much the marines liked the carbine. About 13 men with 2 Garands, 1 03 Springfield, 1 BAR and 9 carbines that can be seen.

[browningautorifle]

Maybe an HQ group and that was the allocation?

[mercman]

After thinking about it I believe you are correct and that the date scratched into the stock it July, not June. The carbine is in one of my safes in WA state and I'm flying from memory while here in CO. I'll be up there in September and will dig it out for verification. I do remember researching it when I first got it and checking the dates.

---------- Post added at 11:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:16 PM ----------

Did some digging and found this shot in my photobucket library

[IMG][/IMG][COLOR="black"]

---------- Post added at 11:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:22 PM ----------

[painter777]

That's great news
Any chance of putting a name to it?
I'd bet he was USMC.

Congrats on a very nice find

CH-P777

[mercman]

Unfortunately, not. The man's widow was going into a nursing home. The house was in my patrol district and within a few months it was demolished to make way for some new homes. The man's sons were very indifferent and knew nothing other than they wanted to cash in on the situation. Sad.