Anyone know where to authenticate Kamikaze peices

[lostowl]

my grandfather was on the USS Missouri and has 3 pieces of the kamikaze that had a picture taken of it just before it hit the USS Missouri.

i posted online to sell them before but no-one offered and someone told me they would sell if they was authenticated.

does anyone know in the Rhode Island area where i can get the pieces tested. i talked to USS Missouri museum and i know a lot of people donated pieces back to the museum and was thinking/hoping the museum or someone had one of the pieces tested before so it's DNA is in a database to match up other pieces.

i would really like to get these pieces sold for my grandmother to get some money because she old broke and about to die


thank You for You're time

[Sir Payne]

3 pieces of the Kamikaze? Not sure what you mean. Try posting the pictures here and maybe somebody can help you out.

Corey

[Wagriff]

I'm assuming that you are saying that you have 3 pieces of the wreckage of a Japanese Kamakaze plane from the USS Missouri? Unfortunately, I don't see how such a thing could be authenticated unless you would have photographs and a statement from the original crewman who picked them up. Do you have any documentation like this? Otherwise, for all sakes and purposes, they're just bits of metal with an interesting but unverifiable story....

[danno81]

Your pieces sound interesting, but as for verification - you only have the story. Many vets did bring these things back as I have many such items. The best way to document this in the only manner you now can would be to get your Grandfathers service records or items showing his assignment to the ship and dates of service, include a copy of a vintage photo with the pieces, some folks have gone to the lengths of having a public notary notarize a sworn document from you being the one knowing the story, and last, depending on the size of the pieces, being able to validate that piece came from the type of plane shown in the photo of it striking the ship - but I am guessing you have "bits" too small to include a rivet pattern etc....one other way would be to use the reunion groups for this ship if any of that crew is still around who knew your grandfather and may know the story - and likewise give you a signed document about it. These things are wonderful pieces in and of themselves - but the problem today are all of the nitwits out here passing fake garbage out AND manufacturing and aging items to look "vintage." There are many such real things - and it is unfortunate that those that make a living by ripping folks off have destroyed the trust factor in this collectors hobby.... Post your pictures of the items -we would love to see them along with anything vintage photo wise of your Grandfather.

[KradSpam]

.....DNA is in a database to match up other pieces.

I would imagine creating a DNA profile of a Zero would be a tricky task

Joking aside, good luck authenticating the pieces

[lostowl]

***pictures below of pieces *** i do have pictures of him one is a top half shot in his uniform they took when he first came in maybe i'm guessing.

well what i was trying to say about the DNA is there's crud on one of the pieces and burnt crud on the inner side. i'm guessing from the fire which i imagine should have a unique amounts of different stuff in it from the fire.

grandma has his original enlistment papers he was 18 when he went on the USS Missouri as engine room/firefighter. i have a envelope posted marked to him on the ship with a date of November 27 1944. grandma says are more letters in back room somewhere she wasn't dating him at the time so none to her but i should dig out and read if any talk about the kamikaze. before he died he also had her trying to find something the Captain of the ship signed for every crew member on the treaty day but she a pack rat and couldn't find it.

i'm just trying to get grandma some money before she dies i know even authenticated they not worth anything special and if she dies before i can i will just donate to the USS Missouri. that's why i trying to get advice from you experts.

thank you for you're time

there's 2 of the skinny pieces with all the holes in them

Attachment 366383 ********* links are broken i guess but on page 2 i have post that shows the pics *************
Attachment 366384
Attachment 366385
Attachment 366386

[lostowl]

i just found a place to look up members from USS Missouri. says he was present at surrender and his rank was F1C(WT) which i guess is a firefighter but he said he spent most of his time in the engineroom

[Matt L]

You'll have to re-try posting the photos LO- they didn't work. Really in a case such as this, as Danno mentioned, a signed statement from the actual vet who collected something right after it happened is probably the only kind of proof someone would accept- just like with so many other things, there has to be a paper trail. There's no way to authenticate something like this on its own unless one has a clear photograph of the exact item in situ with ample evidence of the location. The proof that your grandfather was aboard the ship is only one part- it'd support a written statement that he personally collected the objects, but there'd have to be that and a description of the pieces in detail. Most would also prefer a photo of him with the items so it was 100% clear.

Without any of that it's just a story, and in the collecting world the very first rule is "buy the item not the story"- so if there's no proof the story is true, the item is only worth what it itself is worth. Without your photos we can't even really properly discuss that but unless any of the bits is clearly from a Zero, or a Japanese flight suit/ uniform, the value is probably basically nothing, unfortunately.

Your best bet would probably be to donate them to the museum- they won't be too concerned about authentication since they'll know your grandfather was a crewman and since they're not paying for anything, they're not so worried about proof- people don't usually donate fakes to museums

[lostowl]

You'll have to re-try posting the photos LO- they didn't work.

the pic's work just click on them. from what i seen of other pictures of pieces online from this wreckage looks like scrap metal. the bigger piece i have with the 2 bolt holes. right after the 2 holes its curved on each corner into a flat end like it was cut that way. should be identifiable to someone that knows these planes looks like it's the end piece that ripped off longer piece of metal that was perhaps on one of the seem covers of the wing i'm thinking or near the landing gear.

[Matt L]

Yeah, I am a moderator here, so I know how it works LOL But they don't- click on them and you get this message:

vBulletin Message
Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator.

Or am I the only one who this is happening to?