NCO with Officer Sword

[Bruce Pennington]

I think we have a couple photos showing NCOs with officer gunto.  If anyone knows where they are, please add to the thread.  But what I found today is an officer gunto with a wrapped surrender cloth of a Sergeant Major.  Found on this Gunboards Thread.

The cloth says: ""243rd Infantry Reg., 5th Co., Army Sgt Maj. Nishikawa Yataro" with the flip side reading "One Nihonto sword including leather scabbard cover and handle cover" - translation by Edokko, Gunboards.  The blade is an undated, large Seki stamp, Kanemasa.  I mention that because later in the war, the uniform regulations were amended to allow NCOs to carry civil swords.  This one is in a leather covered wooden saya, but there's nothing about the blade nor fittings that says "civilian sword refitted for war."  The company grade tassel could easily have been added by an owner over the past 80 years, but if original, would be another one of those mysteries.  Was the Sgt Major being promoted to officer rank?  Who knows.

My Army son-in-law said "Sgt Majors are at the top of the food chain, like a General or Admiral.  They do whatever the fxxx they want to do."

 

 

 

[John C]

I wouldn't be too surprised if the Sgt Major were gifted the sword. In the US at least, it takes a lot of time and knowledge to get to Sgt Major and even new LT's listen to them - particularly in combat. They are usually very respected.

Just my two cents

 

John C.

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

It wasn’t uncommon for a 曹長(Sergeant Major) to carry a non-Type 95 NCO sword. According to the 1945 regulations, NCOs were permitted to carry their own gunto or similar sword. What’s particularly interesting here is that this sword is fitted with an officer's tassel (company-grade), which technically shouldn't be the original match.

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Edokko just posted this thought: "The Sgt. Maj. would have used the blue/brown tassel as his rank would be qualified as a 准士官 ("sort of" translates to warrant officer) by 1940."