Bullet damaged sword captured at Guadalcanal

[Tonkotsu]

This Japanese sword was sent home from Guadalcanal by Gunnery Sergeant Sidney Asa Cook. The sword has been damaged by several machine gun bullets down the length of the scabbard. However, amazingly, the blade itself was not hit. The heavily worn sword has high quality mixed metal fittings and a silver Mon. The blade is unmarked.

Gunnery Sergeant Sidney Asa Cook was a member of Company “E”, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. Sergeant Cook “Participated in, under actual combat conditions, in offensive operations against the Japanese Army, on Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands, from November 4, 1942 to February 9, 1943, both dates inclusive.” On February 9, 1943 Sergeant Cook embarked aboard the USS American Legion and arrived at Wellington, New Zealand February 17, 1943. In November 1943, Cook was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Cook died on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943. In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio, but Cook’s remains were not recovered. On Feb. 8, 1949, a military review board declared Cook’s remains non-recoverable. In June 2015, a nongovernmental organization, History Flight, Inc., notified DPAA that they discovered a burial site on Betio Island and recovered the remains of what they believed were 35 U.S. Marines who fought during the battle in November 1943. The remains were turned over to DPAA in July 2015. DNA analysis and circumstantial evidence were used in the identification of Gunnery Sergeant Sidney Asa Cook's remains.

 

[Mister Gunto]

It's really cool when a sword can be placed to a specific veteran, recovered from a specific battle. 

 

Lots of good detail, thanks for posting!

[Bruce Pennington]

If he died in combat, I wounder how the gunto is tied to him?  Maybe it was in his personal affects that were gathered after his death?

[Tonkotsu]

Gunnery Sergeant Sidney Asa Cook served for three months on Guadalcanal. Cook was in New Zealand from February 17, 1943 to November, 1943. He died on the first day of the fighting for Tarawa, Nov. 20, 1943. I posted below sections from his file to show where he fought the Japanese.

Dick

[ChrisW]

I imagine he mailed it back home Bruce. They were then found in his widow's affects after she had passed. That's a pretty common story (though no less amazing! Proper provenance is awesome).

[Shamsy]

Absolutely gorgeous to have it all together. What history. 

 

The sarute is the same as the one on my mantetsu. It replaced the original cord sarute. 

[paul griff]

Hello,

         Excellent piece of history and a great find..Thank’s for posting.

                  Regards,

                                 Paul.

[Michaelr]

Very nice. Thank you for sharing 

                      MikeR

[Tonkotsu]

I thought I would re-photograph this sword and I saw the blade had been mounted three times and has a two piece habaki. 

Dick

[Dave R]

I would suggest, remounted at least once in its life, but had at one time two mekugi, something that is seen even on old mounts from time to time. It's one of those odd features seen on the swords of people with a real interest in  swordsmanship, like full same and a scabbard hook and predates WW2.

[paul griff]

Hello Dick,

                  Very nice photo’s and again thank’s for posting..

Regards,

               Paul..