WWII Japanese Swords Captured by U.S. GI

An incredible group of WWII Japanese Katana/Tanto swords as GI shipped back to the U.S. with original shipping boxes, dated newspaper packing, and original capture papers for each sword. A wonderful time capsule from the Pacific theater!
The Japanese Officer's Katana/Samurai sword has a blade length of 25" and overall length of 40.25." Standard military fittings with well-detailed temper line and point. Dissasembly shows handle ink-numbered 3950 with the same numeration painted with white Japanese characters on the tang. Opposite side of tang with manufacturers characters, apparently those of a well known shop. Complete with original shipping box lined in period/yellow aged newspaper, and individual capture document referencing Sgt. George Springman, whose name appears as the sender on the shipping box and capture paper. The Tanto has a blade length of 11.5" and overall length of 18." Blade has an irregular temper line and is housed in wooden storage mounts. The tang is unsigned and has a single retaining pin. The blade appears to be mid-18th century. As was true for the katana, the tanto was shipped in its own wooden box with the same newspaper packing and reference to its own capture papers.
Sgt. George Springman served in the United States Army during World War II and was deployed to the post-war effort in Japan immediately after Victory-in-Japan Day.

[@joepaul9307]

Excellent video.

[@Axis_steel]

Don’t touch sword with hands 😢

[@BACCHUS777]

The aluminium scabbard dates it to circa roughly 1942. If you carefully push out the small wood pin in the handle, you can remove the blade and check the signature.

[@allan640]

I have some swords my Grandpa gave to me that he got in WW2, told me how he got them he was allowed to select a few and the rest were pushed over the deck of ships into the sea. But I'm having a hard time finding someone that can tell me about them. One of them I was able to get help on the internet on it and it has the name Tanaka Shinsaku writen on the scabbard