I'm an author and a former Marine, and I'm trying to help a World War II veteran, in locating a Japanese sword. The veteran is named Claude Starkey. During World War II, he was a US Marine in the 1st Parachute Battalion. On 29 Nov 1943, he was in a battle on Bougainville. He killed a Japanese officer but was simultaneously shot in the hand.
He was evacuated and his buddies gave him the dead officer's sword. Mr Starkey's hand was amputated and while he was recuperating in the Naval Hospital at Mare Island, the actor Cary Grant toured the hospital and signed his name to some surgical tape which was wrapped around either the sword itself or the scabbard. He signed it: "Good Luck Starkey, Cary Grant."
Mr Starkey kept the sword for 40+ years but finally sold it to a sporting goods store in the mid-late 1980's, possibly 1986-1987. That business was located on Palm Drive in Cathedral City, California. Later, I came into contact with him while doing research for a book that I was writing about that battle. He then became interested in trying to find the sword, to get it back.
He found that a collector of Japanese swords had purchased it from the sporting goods store, which is no longer in business. The person who bought it, apparently lived somewhere in California but the exact town isn't known, nor is the person's name known...other than it was a Japanese name.
If anyone could help in solving the mystery of where the sword ended up, Mr Starkey and I would be very grateful. I think the part of the story about Cary Grant signing it, should help in describing it. Thanks very much.
Ken Haney
Jackson, Tennessee
