searching for inormation on MosinNigant bring back??

[Brad]

I have a MosinNigant carbine that I believe is a vet bring back. It is in rough condition but is all matching. It has no import marks and is not refinished in any way like the imports available at shows, etc.
But the main reason is that on the side of the carbine is what appears to be a service man's name and serial number as follows, to the best of my ability to read.

M/ Sgt. R.M. Mat Phews US 52060366

It is hard to read and the name may be Mathews but there are too many letters,
or it may be Thews? Really hard to make out.
The numbers may be different but I think these are correct.

Anyway, any ideas where I could start looking for this man? I am trying to identify when this may have been brought back, if so. I suppose it could be Korea or VietNam?
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Brad Foust

[Dan Shapiro]

Brad:
Serial number doesn't make sense. I enlisted in '67, my service number begins 188xxxxx - as opposed to the one you've listed - 520xxxxx. Not only that, but even though the service numbers were issued sequentially - the prefixes were: RA (voluntary enlistment), US (drafted), NG (National Guard). If this guy was a M/Sgt, he would not have a US prefix to the service number. Don't know when it started, but in my unit, if you wanted to bring a trophy home (legally) - you had to have the unit armorer plug/weld the barrel, cut the firing pin and weld the FP hole. The weapon was then examined at base PMO and they issued the paperwork that you had to carry back to the states with the weapon.

[Michaelp]

SNs changed to SSN about 69.
Most outfits did not require dactivation of weapons.
A friend of mine got "tracked down" by an enthusiast from a laundry tag or some such from a long forgotten piece of gear.
He was not thrilled about it.
Others have had varied experience.

[Ron James]

It looks like a SSN number so that would make it a Viet Nam bring back. I for one would not try and trace it, but you do as you like.

[Dan Shapiro]

That it was an SSAN would make sense. The 520 prefix indicated the person was living in Wyoming at time of issue.
You're in luck! 2010 census says there are only 530,000 living there. Hit up the VFW and see if the guy is a member.