JAPANESE TYPE 99 LMG BROUGHT BACK BY CLAYTON DECKER OF THE FAMOUS SUB USS TANG

JAPANESE TYPE 99 LMG BROUGHT BACK BY CLAYTON DECKER OF THE FAMOUS SUB USS TANG

Cal. 7.7 | S# 12240 | Bbl. 21 1/2″ dated March, 1944 | 03-1899

Standard 99 LMG sights with drum adjustable rear. Receiver mounted Tomioka made T99 2.5×13 scope numbered “5638”. Rubber eyepiece is present. Scope has T99 reticle with cloudy optics. Very fine example of the famous WW2 Japanese Type 99 machine gun made by Hitachi. Matching numbers on receiver, bbl., mag cover, bolt, locking piece, bbl. nut & gas regulator. Rear sight drum & small parts are mismatched. Other visible parts appear unnumbered. Bbl. shows evidence of rewat & shim is a later non-Japanese replacement. Right side of receiver has Kokura, Hitachi & T99 markings. Receiver also has 19.3 Showa date for March, 1944. Flash hider present that consignor states was a repro made by Bart Rust. Registration paperwork lists maker as Japanese, model as 99 but incorrectly lists cal as 6.5mm. Blued finish. Asian hardwood stock without monopod provision, pistol grip & grooved carry handle. Folding bipod present. This machine gun was a souvenir of Clayton Decker, a machinist mate who served on the USS Tang. The Tang was a famous Balao class submarine that sank 33 Japanese ships totaling 116,454 tons making it the most successful American sub of the war . On its Fifth War patrol in October, 1944 the Tang was sunk when it fired an MK18 torpedo curved around, hitting the sub astern & exploded. Out of 87 crewmen on the Tang, only nine survived including Decker & the skipper Richard O’Kane. The survivors were picked up by Japanese ships & taken prisoner. Decker was eventually taken to Omori prison camp where his cellmate was the famed USMC fighter ace Greg “Pappy” Boyington of Black Sheep Squadron fame. Submariners were accused of war crimes by the Japanese & thus treated worse when captured. One of the nine survivors died in captivity & all were beaten & tortured. In late August, 1945 Omori was liberated by Allied troops The released prisoners were to be flown out by C54 but prior to their departure they were allowed to pick souvenir from a Japanese hanger near the camp. Decker picked a few items including this T99 machine gun. Due to his poor physical condition, Decker was unable to carry the mg but his Pappy Boyington loaded it on the aircraft. Decker would return to Colorado in 1947 & also be awarded the Silver Star. Years later one of Decker’s sons would use the gun as a toy & cause police to be called. The gun was seized but the ATF allowed the gun to be returned as dewat. In the early 1990’s, with no interested heirs Decker offered the gun to the Vice President of a Military Weapons Collectors club a man named Bud Steffen. After going through the legal paperwork. Bud owned the weapon for a few & later sold it to the consignor who in turn had it reactivated by a man named Bart Rust. MAGS: 2-30 rd. black enamel finish & both appear to be numbered “761”. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: T99 canvas mag pouch & letter from Bud Steffen Design detailing the history of Decker, the USS Tang & the gun.  THIS IS A NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT CURIO & RELIC REQUIRING BATF TRANSFER BEFORE TAKING POSSESSION. FULLY TRANSFERABLE.