Captured Japanese Sword used by an American in China

[Tonkotsu]

I don't know if this is appropriate to be posted here since this "trench knife" is half Japanese, half Chinese and used by an American who fought the Japanese in China. If this is not appropriate please delete.

This Knuckle knife is made from the hilt of a Japanese army dress saber with the blade, scabbard and hanger from a Chinese dagger. The pommel has the name R.A. Tully and the date 1945 for his service in China. I believe the EGA on the pommel was added for a reunion of S.A.C.O. members since it dates from the mid 1950's. The U.S. Naval Group China, S.A.C.O. had reunions from 1955 to 2015. The Chinese belt was with the group. The dealer I bought the group from said it came from a Good Will Store.

Richard Arthur Tully served in Company D, First Battalion, First Marines, First Marine Division in July 1942. Tully participated in the landing operations and capture of Guadalcanal Island, British Solomon Islands. He was involved in offensive operations against enemy forces from 7 August until 21 December, 1942. The First Marine Division received the Presidential Unit Citation. He then participated in landing operations against Japanese forces at Cape Gloucester, New Britain where he participated in the capture of the Japanese airdromes. Tully was engaged in offensive and defensive operations against enemy forces from 29 December 1943 to April 23 1944. In March 1945 Tully joined the U.S. Naval Group China (S.A.C.O.) and he served in Calcutta, Hankow, Shanghai and with the Yangtze Naval Unit. The Yangtze Naval Unit attacked river and rail traffic and ultimately severed Japanese supply lines in central China. Platoon Sergeant Richard A. Tully was discharged from the United States Marine Corps on December 29^th 1945.

[gun addict]

That is outstanding , Semper Fi

 

if you ever have any interest in selling it let me know. As a Former Marine who grew up in China and collects Japanese militaria, this particular dagger really intrigues me

[Dave R]

 Very interesting! I suggest posting it on a dedicated militaria site such as Japanese Militaria for more input. Personally I love the collection you show here, and would like to see more about it.

Sadly, bought at a "Good Will Store" is not a reliable provenance, and the old adage is "buy the blade not the story." Did this come with documentation.

[Tonkotsu]

Hi Tim and Dave,

All of the Tully group came together in a box to the Good Will store, many of the it items are named including his Good Conduct Medal and the trench knife. The U.S. Naval Group China (S.A.C.O.) served behind the lines with the Chinese. I sent for Tully's records from the National Archive in  St. Louis. He was entitled to everything in the group. The knife is named to Tully.

Dick

[Bazza]

What an absolute stunner of a story and a miracle all the items have stayed together over the years.  Personalises all the "in bulk" sacrifices we see in WW2 movies.  I have anecdotes of families just tossing out their history in garage sales, groups of medals covering the two World Wars, etc etc.  Another great story is of John Birch in China during the war years.  I have a book "somewhere"...

 

BaZZa.

[Bruce Pennington]

That's a fabulous piece of history, and the story (at least part of it) of a man's life.  Thank you for sharing it with us!  It's sad that so many stories, so many lives, are lost.  I'm just glad you were there in the path of all this to save and honor this man's service.

 

Sadly, to many who served in the war, things like this are often something they preferred to just walk away from.  Too many painful memories.  He might have been the one that dumped it all at Goodwill.  Or it could have been family, after his death.