25mm japanese artillery shell with a surprise

[cabbell2207]

Hello Gang,

While survaying my local antique shop, i noticed a Japanese artillery shell for sale. The shell aws resonably priced and in pretty good shape, so i parted with some hard earned cash and went home a happy shopper. Later that night i decided to give a light cleaning and doing so i unscrewed the fuze. Inside the round was a paper rolled up, after fishing it out i noticed it was torn into four pieces. Here is what the paper says. "Pursuiant to provisions of war Department memo W/370-3-43, 22 July 1943, and of the headquarters, USAF(FE? cant make out) circulation No.21, 5 March 194(cant make date out) the bearer F.S. Szostak Pvt 15018023 of the certificate is entilted to retain in his posession or to mail the following captured enemy equiptment. 2 Jap 25mm Shells disarmed----

Phillip A. Hooper

Lt. Col., Cavalry

Executive Officer

U.S. Forces, Apo 323

The capture paper was in very bad shape and very hard to read, but i wanted to share this exciting find with all of you

[cabbell2207]

Sorry for the bad pics gang.

[muckaroon1960]

What a great find and what provenance, it's a pity the seller didn't have the other shell?

Well done, it's really satisfying when you purchase such an interesting item and get more than what you bargained for! :D

[Guest Rick Research]

Even better it didn't go

BOOM

We are STILL getting, at least once every year, somewhere in the regional TV range, a report of live Japanese grenades being found in basements, usually tucked up on the cement foundations and long forgotten by often long moved away veterans.

Glad you didn't end up in an emergency ward! :cheeky:

[Dieter3]

Very cool find! That capture paper really makes it an extra cool one! You should post this to gunboards.com in the Japanese section.

[cabbell2207]

Very cool find! That capture paper really makes it an extra cool one! You should post this to gunboards.com in the Japanese section.

Thanks gang, no boom all body parts still in one place :cheeky: