1918 WWI Trench Weapon in Saipan - a photo on Flickriver

1918 WWI Trench Weapon in Saipan

I found this today at the site of the largest Banzai charge ever near Tanapag. A few weeks ago the Japanese bone collectors were excavating part of the trench where the Americans buried well over 2,000 Japanese from that attack to collect some of the bones. They collected the bones and artifacts and then filled the trench back in. We located the secret locations and simply walked around the area. We had heavy rains since they filled in the trenches so many of the bones and artifacts that were missed were uncovered by rain and were laying on the surface.

At first we were excited thinking that this was the handle of a Japanese sword since it was buried in the trench with Japanese soldiers and their weapons. I was completely dumbfounded when we took a wire brush to it and "U.S. 1918 L. F. & C.-1918" quickly appeared. How did a 1918 American WWI weapon used in the trenches of Europe end up in the hands of the Japanese in Saipan, the other side of the world, nearly 30 years later?

In short, this was made in America for the trench warfare of WW1 Europe. By the time these were produced, WWI ended so the U.S. put these in storage. In 1942 and 1943 these were issued to the recently formed "Marine Raiders" to do small scale island operations behind Japanese lines. By 1944, before the battle of Saipan, they needed large scale attacks so the Marine Raiders were incorporated into the 4th Marines who later invaded Saipan. The Marines complained about this knife because the blade would brake off at the handle. The Marine who used this knife would also complain but since it was found right at the front line where over 2,000 Japanese died and more broke through the line, the Marine who used this knife most likely did not survive.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/

Taken on: October 2, 2011

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Sets appears in: • WWII in Saipan • For Everyone

Groups appears in: • WW II • World War 2 more » • WWII: The Pacific and the Far East • Battlefields: Then and Now • WW2 Battlefields • WWII Militaria • Battle of Saipan • WWII: History at its Finest. • Pacific War • WWII Artifacts « less

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