WWII Vet Guns Where Are They?
- Thread starter darrentxs
- Start date
My Dad needed a quantity of alcohol in him before he would talk about WWII. Once he mentioned dead German soldiers stacked up like cordwood, another time he sort of shuttered when he mentioned a concentration camp he saw. Never any great details or long war stories. An outdoorsman before the war, he never hunted again, that I know of (only fishing).
My dad served in Europe and brought back two Lugers but they were stolen from the house along with a couple of other guns before I was born. He never really told any stories of what he did during the war as he never really talked about it. I do know that he was a POW for a day or two before being rescued by his unit. He carried shrapnel from a German gernade in the bottom of his feet and a bayonet cut across his back. Never heard the story about the cut but was told that he and a buddy was in a foxhole when the gernade came in and they dove out. Don't know what happened to his buddy but he didn't quite make it out of the hole when the gernade went off putting the shrapnel into his feet. He told me a couple of other things but it was more of general type of things more than what he did. He did start to write things down before he passed away and my sister is rewriting it for proper grammer (she's a teacher) and such so the rest of the family will have that much anyways.
When I was a kid, my Dad would talk about his times in the war. As I grew up he talked less and less. I figure he was trying to forget it. And now, most of his stories are forgotten by me now.
One I'll never forget was about D-Day. Dad landed on Omaha at 10 AM and his job was going to be guarding and transporting prisoners. Like he said, we weren't taking alot of POW's yet and ended up sleeping on the beach. My dad and another GI settled in a shell hole for the night. The Germans were still sniping and shelling the beach and when the shells started getting near enough to throw sand in the hole, they just got lower. When it got light enough to see, they found out that they had stacked crates of morter shells and dynamite around their hole. Dad said it cured his GI craps for a month.
Dad's gone now, and what I wouldn't give for just one more day with him. In the backyard, watching the grill, and The Old Man talking.
Enough. Great stories here and I hope to hear more.
One I'll never forget was about D-Day. Dad landed on Omaha at 10 AM and his job was going to be guarding and transporting prisoners. Like he said, we weren't taking alot of POW's yet and ended up sleeping on the beach. My dad and another GI settled in a shell hole for the night. The Germans were still sniping and shelling the beach and when the shells started getting near enough to throw sand in the hole, they just got lower. When it got light enough to see, they found out that they had stacked crates of morter shells and dynamite around their hole. Dad said it cured his GI craps for a month.
Dad's gone now, and what I wouldn't give for just one more day with him. In the backyard, watching the grill, and The Old Man talking.
Enough. Great stories here and I hope to hear more.
I posted on May 1 at 11 pm, my grandfather passed away about 4:30 am on May 2, just short of his 88th birthday.
I really encourage all of you with living relatives who served in WW II to spend time with them and listen to their stories. Tom Brokaw was right when he called these folks "the Greatest Generation." They endured the Great Depression, fought a World War, and built America into a first rate power.
With all the complexities of modern life, and all the gadgets we have (cell phones, Internet, etc.) designed to make our lives easier which actually take up more of our time, slow down a little and see these folks, you'll be glad you did.
I really encourage all of you with living relatives who served in WW II to spend time with them and listen to their stories. Tom Brokaw was right when he called these folks "the Greatest Generation." They endured the Great Depression, fought a World War, and built America into a first rate power.
With all the complexities of modern life, and all the gadgets we have (cell phones, Internet, etc.) designed to make our lives easier which actually take up more of our time, slow down a little and see these folks, you'll be glad you did.
Nicely said, JB.
I too think that most of the good guns from the wars have been passed along to children and grandchildren. I'm always watching for the widow selling her husband's gun(s). Partially because I hate to see a widow turn over a Remington Rand to some shop owner for $150. I would not even buy it for that, mostly out of respect for them as my elders.
I refused to go to one gunshop in a nearby town some years ago when the owner was bragging how he bought a very nice Luger from a widow by telling her they were only worth $199. I think what angered me the most was him saying how much "cat food" that would buy for her.
And yes, before I left I did give him a piece of my mind.
I too think that most of the good guns from the wars have been passed along to children and grandchildren. I'm always watching for the widow selling her husband's gun(s). Partially because I hate to see a widow turn over a Remington Rand to some shop owner for $150. I would not even buy it for that, mostly out of respect for them as my elders.
I refused to go to one gunshop in a nearby town some years ago when the owner was bragging how he bought a very nice Luger from a widow by telling her they were only worth $199. I think what angered me the most was him saying how much "cat food" that would buy for her.
And yes, before I left I did give him a piece of my mind.My father passed on in 03. Over the years I heard many stories about being in Kamesaya , Japan. On the other hand he never mentioned Korea, ever. I slowly found out on my own and a little from my brothers that he was there for a year and a half, as a navy radioman attached to the 1st Marine Div. He didn't bring any firearms home with him. Sometimes you would catch him kinda thinking out loud though. One I remember he was saying (to himself I think) something about his buddy burning the stocks off his Garand in night action. I tried to pry a little more out of him then but he just gave me that surprise look like he didn't really know I was there. He said it wasn't worth hearing and we let it drop. Thats funny, he was an iron man in all respects but Korea must have tormented him badly.
Ken
Ken
Searcher451
New member
A lot of these guns end up being destroyed by police departments. Most every LE agency has a policy of destroying all weapons that are brought in by residents living within the confines of the community who are uncomfortable having the gun (or whatever) in the house. The typical story: "My grandfather was living with us and just passed on. We found this" -- holds out a P38 or a 1911 or a bayonet -- "in his dresser drawer and don't like having it around the house because of the kids. We thought you'd know what to do with it." Sadly, the police are obligated to trash the weapon in question after attending to the paperwork. A retired LEO friend told me recently that he saw hundreds of firearms, along with swords and knives -- many of them antiques; many of them WWII bring-backs -- come into his agency in this manner; all of them were destroyed according to department policy.
Quote "US Military personal being discharged from active service in the late 50's and early 1960's were offered the option to purchase a M1 Garand." Quote
GWBiker must have been in the Army. The Marine Corps used the Garand until about 1963 when they finally got the M 14. Sure wish I was given the option to buy mine when I got discharged in 1959. Still remember the serial number 4380578
GWBiker must have been in the Army. The Marine Corps used the Garand until about 1963 when they finally got the M 14. Sure wish I was given the option to buy mine when I got discharged in 1959. Still remember the serial number 4380578
Threefeathers
Moderator
I'm an older guy, I was in Berlin in 1961 and all of my senior NCO's were WW2 vets. Actually folks I don't think anyone was legally able to bring back taxpayer purchased military equipment. They were able to bring back registered war trophy's. The unit S-3 office had all the paperwork. A fairly substantial number of guys, mostly from National Guard units like the 29th Inf Div were able to take a certain number of weapons as long as they weren't assigned to that unit. (read battle field pick ups of M-1.s etc that weren't on the unit's property books) I hate to say it guys but read stolen into that.
But, the NRA and the old DCM began to sell 03's, M-1's, and Carbines, and yes even Johnson rifles to eligible vets.
Handguns also. In 1960 the first month I was in Berlin I went to the Rod and Gun Club and bought a 1911 for $16 bucks, WW2 Air Force issue Smith M and P for $5.00, and a German PPK that had been tossed into Lake Wansee and later retrieved with about 2K of the others. The German gunsmith at the Rod and Gun restored at least 50 of them and sold them to us for $2. bucks apiece.
Ah the good old days. But no freebies that I ever heard of, Uncle Sam is a bit nitpicky on anything on a property book.
I think the problem is that so few folks nowadays have ever served and are unfamiliar with military law. So if Grandpa says "I brought it back from the dark recesses of the earth," most likely means he got it from DCM at a really cheap price.
But, the NRA and the old DCM began to sell 03's, M-1's, and Carbines, and yes even Johnson rifles to eligible vets.
Handguns also. In 1960 the first month I was in Berlin I went to the Rod and Gun Club and bought a 1911 for $16 bucks, WW2 Air Force issue Smith M and P for $5.00, and a German PPK that had been tossed into Lake Wansee and later retrieved with about 2K of the others. The German gunsmith at the Rod and Gun restored at least 50 of them and sold them to us for $2. bucks apiece.
Ah the good old days. But no freebies that I ever heard of, Uncle Sam is a bit nitpicky on anything on a property book.
I think the problem is that so few folks nowadays have ever served and are unfamiliar with military law. So if Grandpa says "I brought it back from the dark recesses of the earth," most likely means he got it from DCM at a really cheap price.
"...with their sidearms and bring-backs..." They did not get to keep any issued firearm. Canadian troopies were not allowed to bring any war trophy firearms into the country at all. Especially hand guns.
"...must have tormented him badly...." Of all the real combat vets I've met over the years, not one would talk about his time in combat. They'll tell you about all the crazy things that happened in training, on leave, but not about anything that happened in actual combat. Fortunately, it's been long enough for some W.W. II vets to write books about their war time service, but most just want to forget it.
"...must have tormented him badly...." Of all the real combat vets I've met over the years, not one would talk about his time in combat. They'll tell you about all the crazy things that happened in training, on leave, but not about anything that happened in actual combat. Fortunately, it's been long enough for some W.W. II vets to write books about their war time service, but most just want to forget it.