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A close friend got very lucky and found a completely original M1903 - #160,864 with an SA 05 barrel and BHM one-bolt stock. On the top of the "small" of the stock is a faint, but discernible "TENN". Ships' markings have been reported on a number of M1903s over the years, but, to my knowledge, never one in this position, usually on the buttstock. I wondered if anyone had any comments on this.
Since the rifle appears to be in the condition it was in the early 1900s, I also have a theory about which "Tennessee" this may have been assigned to. Most of us are aware of the battleship Tennessee [BB43] which was at Pearl Harbor. However, the ship was not completed until 1919 and I am thinking that any M1903 on that ship would have been modified at least to WWI standards. I've also seen at least a couple of "TENN"-marked M1903s of a later vintage that have the markings on the buttstock.
Not so well-known was the earlier Tennessee [ACR10], which was an armored cruiser and was in service from 1906 to 1922. The name was changed in 1916 to use the name for BB43. Shortly after the name-change, the Memphis (as it was now known), was hit by a rogue wave off Santo Domingo and the ship had to be abandoned. (The commanding officer was Capt. Edward Beach, father of the Edward Beach who served as a sub commander during WWII and wrote the novel Run Silent, Run Deep.)
Here is a picture of the markings - there is also a "107" on the stock, which is probably a rack number. I am wondering if this rifle could have been assigned to the earlier ship. It I not listed on SRS.
249 - Copy (1024x315).jpg
Here is a picture of the Tennessee (ACR10):
USS_Tennessee_(ACR-10).jpg
Since the rifle appears to be in the condition it was in the early 1900s, I also have a theory about which "Tennessee" this may have been assigned to. Most of us are aware of the battleship Tennessee [BB43] which was at Pearl Harbor. However, the ship was not completed until 1919 and I am thinking that any M1903 on that ship would have been modified at least to WWI standards. I've also seen at least a couple of "TENN"-marked M1903s of a later vintage that have the markings on the buttstock.
Not so well-known was the earlier Tennessee [ACR10], which was an armored cruiser and was in service from 1906 to 1922. The name was changed in 1916 to use the name for BB43. Shortly after the name-change, the Memphis (as it was now known), was hit by a rogue wave off Santo Domingo and the ship had to be abandoned. (The commanding officer was Capt. Edward Beach, father of the Edward Beach who served as a sub commander during WWII and wrote the novel Run Silent, Run Deep.)
Here is a picture of the markings - there is also a "107" on the stock, which is probably a rack number. I am wondering if this rifle could have been assigned to the earlier ship. It I not listed on SRS.
249 - Copy (1024x315).jpg
Here is a picture of the Tennessee (ACR10):
USS_Tennessee_(ACR-10).jpg
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