U.S.S. Yosemite sailor bring back Type 99 rifle.

[WWIIBuff1945]

I recently acquired this Type 99 rifle bring back brought home by a sailor on the USS Yosemite. The rifle is nothing special and has no mum and mis-matched bolt. Not often seen is the serial number of the rifle listed on the bring back papers. Commonly just states one Japanese rifle or pistol. Pictures courtesy of (hooah2 on Gunbroker)

Kenneth Buford Elliott was born March 4, 1918 in Madison Wisconsin. On October 30, 1943, he joined the Naval Construction Training Center at Camp Perry in Williamsburg Virginia, where he studied to be a Seebee. After completion of boot camp, he was transferred to the regular Navy. He was assigned to the U.S.S. Yosemite and boarded on May 25, 1944. He participated in naval engagements of the Caroline Islands on Leyte, Philippines, Marshalls, Okinawa, Iwo Jima and occupational duty in Sasebo area of Nagasaki, Japan. He spent 20 months overseas and wears the American theater, Asiatic-Pacific, and the Philippine liberation ribbons.



USS Yosemite (AD-19) was a Dixie-class destroyer tender built just before the start of World War II for the U.S. Navy. Her task was to service destroyers in, or near, battle areas and to keep them fit for duty.

The fourth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name, Yosemite was laid down on 19 January 1942 by the Tampa Shipbuilding Company at Tampa, Florida; launched on 16 May 1943; commissioned on 25 March 1944, with Captain George C. Towner in command.

Early in August, she made a voyage to Fort Pond Bay, New York, to load torpedoes. On the 6th, she headed south to Guantanamo Bay and thence proceeded to the Panama Canal Zone, transited the Panama Canal, and arrived at Balboa on the 13th. From there, the ship continued her voyage west to Hawaii and arrived in Pearl Harbor on 29 August

As soon as she moored, Yosemite went to work. For the next six months, the ship's company made repairs on over 200 ships. She remained at Oahu until February 1945. On the 15th, she exited the harbor and set a course for Eniwetok Atoll in the Caroline Islands. She arrived there on the 22d but remained for only five days before moving farther westward to the forward base at Ulithi Atoll. She entered the Ulithi anchorage on 3 March, and her crew set again to work repairing the veteran ships of the war in the Pacific.

On 25 May, Yosemite departed Ulithi in a convoy bound for Leyte Gulf in the Philippines. She arrived in San Pedro Bay on the 28th and resumed her work supporting the Fleet in its march toward Japan. She remained at Leyte through the end of the war but, soon thereafter, got underway for Japan. The destroyer tender arrived in Sasebo on 22 September and began tending ships assigned to the occupation forces in the Far East. That assignment lasted until March 1946.

Yosemite was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 27 January 1994, and from December 1999, was at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility (NISMF) at Portsmouth, Virginia, awaiting sale to a foreign government. On 18 November 2003, Yosemite was expended as a target, sunk at a depth of 2340 fathoms (14,040 feet; 4,279 meters).

During her 50-year service, USS Yosemite earned the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2), Battle "E" Ribbon (5), Navy Expeditionary Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp), National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and Philippines Liberation Medal. (Wikipedia).

[mauser9]

Great to know the history of a milsurp and how it arrived as well as owning the gun itself. Owning Capture Papers is a plus with most collectors. Am fortunate to have my Dad's 98k he brought back. Found it and a cache of small arms in a building in a town the Germans had retreated from when they occupied it or passed through. Hence it has a matching bolt also and sling. Great heirlooms to own and pass down. Thanks for sharing yours with us.

[WWIIBuff1945]

Thanks Mauser9. Its awesome that you have your Dad's bring back!

[Richard2]

It's really great that you have the history behind your rifle. It is a nice rifle, and the history is fascinating! There is an error in the history; Eniwetok Atoll is in the Marshall Islands. Ulithi is in the Carolines, which are immediately west of the Marshalls.