Japanese Paratrooper Sword Belt

[Eric Queen]

This is a really neat (to me) piece of history which a fellow collector purchased from a man in Australia 20 years ago. The man purchased it and a Japanese flag at a local estate sale. 

Most likely brought home by one of the Australian sailors who were involved in the battle of Leyte.

 

Sadly, this fellow collector has recently passed away. We made the deal on the belt prior to his passing but it was packed away and he wasn't able to find it.

 

A collector friend and prominent member of this forum helped put me in touch with the person who was handling the estate for the widow and we were able to close the deal.

 

(Thank you Rod)

 

I believe the hanger is original to the belt. 

[Eric Queen]

A little detail on the dog tag:

 

1.     空 = Sora (Air) Code for Air Raiding Regiment (Paratroopers)

2.     九九四八 = Kyuu Kyuu Yon Hachi (9948) 空九九四八 = 3rd Air Raiding Regiment

·       December 6, 1944 combat jump at Buri Airfield (Leyte, Philippines)

·       409 Paratroopers lead by Major Tsuneharu Shirai  

3.     ろほ= ROHO (Company Designation)

4.     第一九番 = Dai Ichi Kyuu Ban (Number 19, Mans Roll Number)

5.     AB = Blood Type

[Eric Queen]

Example of dog tag sewn to sword belt. 

[Fortunes Of War]

That's a great belt, Eric!  Examples with dog tags sewn to them have become highly collected and tough to find.  I can't imagine how rare a paratrooper example must be...

[Rod]

I'm so pleased you now have the belt Eric! Thanks too to the efforts of our friend Don for stepping up on this!

 

You answered my question about the hanger, thanks, that makes the whole thing even better. It's an amazing battlefield pick up from Japanese paratrooper air-drops on the Burauen airfields, Leyte in late 1944. 

 

Can anyone say whether or not sewing their dog tag to their sword belt was a generally accepted NCO practice? 

[Fortunes Of War]

Hi Rod-

     I can't say whether placing dog tags on sword belts was generally accepted NCO practice or not.  However, I have one in my collection (Unfortunately, it's packed away and I don't have any photos of it), that belonged to a major in the veterinary corps.  Glad to see that Eric was able to acquire this very nice example. 

[SARGE]

I love sword accouterments like this.  Thanks for showing and the very interesting translation and attribution.  

 

 

[Rod]

4 hours ago, Fortunes Of War said:

Hi Rod-

     I can't say whether placing dog tags on sword belts was generally accepted NCO practice or not.  However, I have one in my collection (Unfortunately, it's packed away and I don't have any photos of it), that belonged to a major in the veterinary corps.  Glad to see that Eric was able to acquire this very nice example. 

 

Thanks Michael. It's a good question begging an answer.

 

Were it proven so, sadly, I imagine dog tags would soon be found on many sword belts before long, in the time honoured tradition of rank tabs on unissued tunics and tropical shirts.