This is a very fine example of an early production, fully operational WWII Japanese Type 99 LMG manufactured under the control of the Kokura Arsenal and documented to World War II veteran U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Jack C. Santelli. The Type 99 was developed in 1939 as a replacement for the Type 96 LMG and was used throughout the war by all Japanese forces on the Japanese held islands and mainland China. They are similar to the Type 96 but had a forward mounted folding bipod, a finned quick change barrel with a top mounted carrying handle and a fully adjustable mono-pod attached to the underside of the buttstock. These were very well-made machine guns that featured all machined parts and hardwood buttstocks and pistol grips. The right side of the receiver has the four intertwined cannon balls of the Kokura Arsenal over serial number (2961) followed by the 35th series arsenal mark followed by the Showa date of 18.1 (January 1943). It is fitted with a hardwood buttstock, pistol grip and carrying handle. The left side of the buttstock has one of the WWII Japanese helmet star emblems. It is complete with a late WWII Japanese Type 30 bayonet made under the control of the Kokura Arsenal featuring a blued blade and "Arrow/M" maker’s mark. Also included with this lot is a newly manufactured 30 round magazine, GI brass cleaning rod, spare (original) operating rod, and recoil spring guide. Accompanying this machine gun are the following documents: an original WWII capture paper listing an unidentified “rifle-Japanese” and “bayonet with scabbard” entitled to Staff Sergeant Jack C. Santelli, a 1987 dated Commonwealth of Virginia application for registration of machine gun indicating Jack C. Santelli as the owner of this weapon, a 1987 dated letter written by Sheriff W.F. Kelley to the ATF attesting “Mr. Santelli is the true owner of this firearm which is on temporary loan to the Southwest Virginia Museum located at Big Stone Gap, Virginia,” a 1954 dated contract of deposit stating Santelli deposited “1 Japanese Machine Gun” to the custody of the Southwest Virginia Museum, registration of this firearm by the Southwest Virginia Museum in compliance to the Gun Control Act of 1968, a 1987 dated ATF application for transfer and registration of firearm showing that this machine gun was transferred to Santelli from the Southwest Virginia Museum, and a 2017 dated ATF application for transfer and registration of firearm showing that this machine gun was transferred from Santelli’s daughter, Diana Santelli, to the executor of her estate following her death in 2016. U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Jack C. Santelli, Combat Engineers, Infantry, Artillery, enlisted on April 15, 1941 at Norton Virginia, and was discharged on December 5, 1945, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, at the age of 19. He entered the service at age 14 according to his obituary by lying. By Santelli’s own account, “I was probably the youngest solider to ever serve during the complete World War II, from the beginning to the end” (see the accompanying book “Wise County, Virginia’s World War II Veterans,” page 711). Included military discharge records indicate that Santelli was awarded the American Defense Service, American Theater Campaign, Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign, Good Conduct, and WWII Victory Medals and Philippine Liberation ribbon. He guarded submarine prisoners and accused German spies, supervised construction crews, trained Army recruits throughout the United Sates and served in the Pacific Theater. Toward the last part of the war, he was shipped out to Luzon with Company “A” 1292nd Engineer Combat Battalion and became an acting lieutenant platoon commander after the loss of the original commander. An A Company 1292nd flag is included. His unit was one of the first to land on the home island of Japan and within days of arriving was “standing in the center of where the atomic bomb was dropped.” Comes with two U.S. Army dress jackets and one U.S. Army visor owned by Santelli, consignor research documenting Santelli’s military service, and related original documents.

Fine with 70% plus of the blue finish remaining with the balance a dark brown patina with some areas of light wear mostly on the edges and high spots. The buttstock, carrying handle and pistol grip all show considerable pressure dents and dings obviously from actual field use by the Japanese. It has a matching serial numbered barrel and correct Showa date. NOTE: This item is restricted as a National Firearms Act (NFA), fully transferable Class 3, which is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (BATFE) that is classified as a "Curios or Relic" as defined in 27 CFR, 478.11. These weapons are still subject to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 478.