Minipipper, my dad an WWII Vet told me the same thing as you described. Sad! Seems like he later told me it was a bluff.

My Dad was in a long line of mixed service soldiers waiting to board ships in Cherbourg harbor at the end of the war. He had a CZ pistol on him he took from a surrendering Panzer officer while he was a camp guard there at Cherbourg, which had surrender paperwork . As a radio gunner in B-24s prior to his guard duty, he had pinched the M1A1 carbine from the bomber's radio room. He planned to take both home.
A jeep with a loudspeaker cruised the entire length of the line of soldier's spouting the same warnings about contraband, etc. Apparently, they were much more concerned about US goverment gear than captured stuff. Dad threw the carbine over a bakery's wall, along with hundreds of GIs getting rid of their stuff. They were never checked once aboard and made it all the way home with no more mentions of contraband. The guys with the big cojones got their stuff back and those who followed the rules got skunked.

Alinint

My dad was in the Pacific Theater thru the entire war and told me essentially the same story.

He was being mustered out at Fort MacArthur in San Pedro CA. He wanted to keep his Colt 1911A1. ( he didn't bring any Japanese stuff home,he thought it was all junk).

His unit was lined up with their duffel's and they where told there would be a inspection and all weapons would be confiscated.

So everybody pulled all their souvenirs out of the bags and stuffed them under the barrack floors.

A little later a quick walk thru inspection and a few bags checked by a couple of junior officers and the inspection was done. Everybody repacked their bags and went on their way.

My dad still has his Colt rig and the rest of his gear.

I love shooting his Colt when I visit him.

Bob