Help Needed Identifying Gunto Sword WWII

[Rollingthunder]

Help needed identifying Gunto sword from WWII. The sword belongs to a friend who acquired it over 50 years ago, at a flea market. The saya is white aluminum, and it was not painted. Due to its condition, it appears to have been in some serious combat with a bullet impact on the saya. The tsuka was practically destroyed and is missing one seppa. The blade has some small nicks, measuring 1 to 2 mm, but no fatal flaws. The nakago had much heavier rust, but unfortunately the owner wire wheeled it to clean the rust, and better see the writing. I hope the pictures I'm uploading can shed some light.  I might have to do several posts to include all the pictures. Thanks.

[Rollingthunder]

Here's some more pics...

[SteveM]

Hello, 

 

The smith is Yoshichika 吉近. 

You can find a similar inscription from this smith in the thread here

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/7049-hello-nakago-translation-ww2-blade-help-me-please/

 

Actually, I think the date is the same as well: 1944, but I'm not entirely sure. A sharper picture of the nakago might help.

[Bruce Pennington]

I agree Steve, good eye on that poorly struck 9!

 

March ‘44

 

Mr Thunder, or may I call you Rolling?, it’s a Type 98 Japanese Officer sword (gunto). Sad shape but cool battle damage.

 

You can read about them at this great site: http://ohmura-study.net/900.html

[Rollingthunder]

Hello Steve,

 

The smith is Yoshichika 吉近. 

You can find a similar inscription from this smith in the thread here

 

If this sword was made in 1944, then most likely it ended up in Okinawa. The round nose bullet impact and diameter, probably was from an M1911, .45 ACP, FMJ ball round. I went to Post you linked, and that smith's stamp is NOT on the nakago, but further in that post, I did find someone's reply with pictures that match my nakago EXACTLY. It appears no one ever responded definitively to this person, so I'm putting in a link and the pics, which are much sharper than mine. Just a couple of, "I thinks".

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/7049-hello-nakago-translation-ww2-blade-help-me-please/?do=findComment&comment=90839

[SteveM]

Hello Carlos,

 

The smith Yoshichika's name is in the second picture of the first post in that link. The inscription in the link is a longer one than the one on your sword, but the "yoshi" is particularly distinctive, as is the "chika".

 

The full, long signature would be 

濃州関住人吉近作

which is the signature on the sword in the link. Yours may have had a similar long signature, but part of it has been lost due to abrasion or something, or, the smith may have just used a shorter signature for a reason that is now lost to us. 

 

 

[Rollingthunder]

Hello Steve,

  What about the the info on the other side of the nakago? I'm inserting the a link to the post that has identical markings as mine. Thanks.                                                                                                                                                                                        

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/7049-hello-nakago-translation-ww2-blade-help-me-please/?do=findComment&comment=90839

[SteveM]

Yes, I think identical

昭和十九年三月

March, 1944 (Shōwa 19) 

[Rollingthunder]

Steve,

  Thanks for all your help. Cheers!