WW2 Bringbacks in New England

[MisterHappy]

Two goodies: A friend's father went ashore on D-day +1/2. He was STILL pissed at the Nazis... His vocal inflection with that word was something to hear (this was 10 years ago!). He had a couple armbands, a window flag, and a musician's sword. I disposed of them with a collector, for him. He had some silver souvenir spoons from a Nazi's summer house. And a Radom. Pre-war Polish production (No German Eagle overstamp). He took it from a Nazi a couple days after he went ashore. My theory is that Fritz went into Poland in '38, and took it off of a Polish officer. Fritz carried it, until he had to give it away. I made sure it had a good home.

Second one: My late father-in-law went ashore about the same time, and brought back a P-08, with a 1913 date. My theory: Papa Fritz says, "Mein boy, taken zee dis pistol zat I carried ven I fot der Frenchies in the Great War! Hope du hast better gluck!" The left grip panel has a hole worn in the checkering that matches a knot in the stitching of the holster that it lives in. The gun and leather have been together for 100+ years.

My dad had a LOT of stuff, but AFAIK most was not bring-backs -he horse-traded plenty. Though I DID have a box of 9mm Para dummy rounds in the original German pasteboard box. Sold the rounds individually on ebay, then the last one with the box, for my Mom. Pricey buggers!

One thing that he didn't bring back was a German typewriter, that he used (He was a Staff Sergeant in a Armorer's outfit). Had to be careful, though, not to hit the U with the umlaut, or the "SS" lightning rune keys. Might have made the folks up the chain wonder who was requisitioning what.

 

[308rifleman]

Some years ago a young friend of the family came to me with a nice MP 40 bring back and a mag loaded with 1938 ammo. He wanted to know what it was worth. I told him $100,000 and ten years and get it the hell out of the house. Never knew what happened to it. Probably in an attic somewhere. Jack.

A friend's father, a retired mail carrier who started a new career in antiques, once found an Owen in the attic of a deceased widow, whose family was preparing to liquidate her estate. He saw it for the major federal felony that it was and buried it deep in the attic's blown-in insulation. It is likely still there. Not worth the risk of transporting it.

 

[smokey-seven]

So, anyone have an idea about what commonly came home to New England after WW2?

Dad came back, his sea chest arrived a few weeks later. When he opened it, his blued navy 1939 Colt 45 was on top, along with the holster, web belt and magazine pouch with two 1/2 blued colt mags. 1 more 1/2 blued mag was in the 45. Officers were allowed their sidearms to come home.

Some years later, the same damn thing happend at the end of Korea. It was a different gun but the same rough date of manufacture.

But Navy personnel have less opportunity to grab something to bring back.

Bull! I never saw a navy guy that could not trade his way to the top of the line bring back stuff.

Grand dad brought back a Mauser K98 with a saw tooth bayonet from War I. That hung on the front of the fireplace forever. When it came to me, along with the 30 cal 3 digit DWM Luger, the 98 was bore corroded and I sent it to auction in the 70's. I got 125 for the Mauser and 175 for the bayonet. Sold the luger in the 80's when luger prices were dropping and got 750 for it. I still have both of dad's Colts.

 

[PappyM3]

Grand dad brought back a Mauser K98 with a saw tooth bayonet from War I. That hung on the front of the fireplace forever. When it came to me ... I sent it to auction in the 70's. I got 125 for the Mauser and 175 for the bayonet. Sold the luger in the 80's when luger prices were dropping and got 750 for it....

That’s unfortunate.

 

[cdi]

I have never really thought about it until right now. Carcano's maybe?

My great uncle had one he took off a surrendered Italian.
I ended up with a Japanese Type I (kinda a more autistic Carcano made by the Italians but not as shitty) from a USN vet
My wife has family in New Brunswick (borders us) Her great uncle took an M38 off a surrendered Italian.
I literally just bought a 91/38 locally with my C&R that was "brought back with grandpa" no import marks on it so maybe true.
I know a few other Carcano owners in the area who's ancestors passed them down.

 

[Drix]

There's a arisaka t3 in the family with a mum that's been rolled off (dont know how to describe, it's clearly visible but with a fish scale style imprint over the top), a ppk, and a large variety of fired brass cases with bullets that have been reassembled.

 

[Cap'n Mike]

I had a bring back Walther P38 in my possession for a bit while I helped the Veterans Grand Daughter inherit it.
I researched his service with the US Army Europe and the pistols Serial Number and proof marks.
There was a very good chance it was one of the guns in this picture.

 

[cockpitbob]

An in law's dad brought back a JP Sauer 38H from Europe. Semiauto in 32ACP. It was missing the recoil spring, the mag disconnect spring and the rubber grips shrank so much they interfered with a mechanism. They weren't gun people so it just sat under the sweaters in the bottom drawer for decades. When they moved from a free state to a very anti one I got my C&R FFL for the sole purpose of taking posession and keeping it in the family.

I fixed what was wrong with it and fell in love. Made in about 1940 it's what was often issued to Nazi prison guards and police. It's the grandaddy of the modern Sigs. It's SA/DA with a cocking/decocking lever, loaded chamber indicator, magazine disconnect and slide mounted safety. Annoyingly, the only thing it doesn't have is a slide lock. You need 3 hands to put a chamber flag in the damned thing lol.

My love story has a bittersweet ending. One of the inlaws jumped through a million hoops to get a pistol permit in that non-free state and wanted it back. I made my work and parts $ a birthday present. I'm glad it's back with the soldier's daughter, but I miss that little piece of history.

 

[Ray-Vigo]

I had a great uncle flew a P-51 for the USAAF during the second war - probably about the best fighting duty you could ask for, but did not get any bringbacks. I had another great uncle in the navy during the war, but if he had bring backs, I never saw or heard about them. I do have my great-grandfather's bring back from the first war - Iron Cross 1st Class with "1914" on the front.

 

[Zappa]

View: https://youtu.be/RxXlh1wLzx8

 

[nstassel]

I once found a Japanese hand grenade in a house in Dorchester.

 

[dfritz]

My grandfather had a bring back from the Pacific theater (he was in anti-aircraft), but unfortunately passed away young and left my mother as an orphan. Sadly, no idea what happened to it. My uncle sold his father's medals, to add insult to injury. I do have his US Army uniform, however.

Write to the VA (google search specific site) and do a medal replacement request. I did it for my grandfather a Korea vet.

 

[gerrycaruso]

Not all bring backs were military weapons. My father in law gave me several that he brought home from Europe and only one was military.

 

[duffyd]

My dad brought back an Arisaka. Mum is ground off. It's still in good shape. He said everyone on the ship got one when they pulled into Japan after the surrender.

 

[Skysoldier]

I sent home a Montagnard Crossbow from Vietnam and my f.***ing Dad gave it to a Local VFW! They put it on display in the lobby.
They refused to give it back to me! I did get it back, but had to break in the place and steal it.
I can only reveal this now, because the statute of limitations has run out.
This was also the same VFW that told me I "wasn't in a real war" and wasn't eligible for membership back in 1970, so f**k them!

 

[Picton]

I sent home a Montagnard Crossbow from Vietnam

Got a pic?

That sounds interesting as hell.

 

[Bostonian23]

Couple years back in D4 (backbay) a guy called in a found weapon while cleaning out his recently deceased grandfathers home. Turns out it was a fully functioning grease gun.

The grease gun was not destroyed and sent down to the range where it still is from last I have heard .

 

[Skysoldier]

Duped myself.....

 

[Stee]

I have a Ariska with bayonet and the carbine model Ariska.. one is 7.7 and the other 6.5 cal

 

[Skysoldier]

Got a pic?

That sounds interesting as hell.

Wish I still had it, but some cops stole it from me years later when executing a search warrant on my house.
Two things that weren't listed on the search inventory were the crossbow and an uncashed VA check. At least the VA replaced the missing check.

 

[JuergenG]

View: https://youtu.be/RxXlh1wLzx8

Well, German troopers weren't shy, too



I once saved a French Lebel 1889 R35 from being melted. It came from the son of a German soldier who brought it back from France, along with the bayo.
Traded it for a WW I Hebel flare gun some years ago.

 

[ddeck]

Write to the VA (google search specific site) and do a medal replacement request. I did it for my grandfather a Korea vet.

If you are looking for WWII service records I believe most were lost in the 1973 fire. I know my grandfather’s service records were.

 

[Amputee Marksman]

My Mother's cousin brought back a P38. All numbers match match and markings are correct. I have it now.

 

[Qwikdraw45]

When I was a kid, my friend Noah and I, wound up in his cellar one day. While there, I noticed a rifle and linked ammo and ammo cans full of ammo. We opened some of the ammo cans and a couple of them contained WW11 hand grenades and the rifle was a Thompson, complete with the stick mag. I was in awe. Noah told me that his dad brought it all home from the war.

What??!!! Kids got a full-auto and grenades and didn't go on a shooting spree? What was wrong with kids back then?

 

[Slotheadslim]

My Mom passed away in 2020. Among her things she had this award from Japan and the printout with it said it was for the “Order of the Rising Sun” which was instituted by Emperor Muts-Hito on 4/10/1875. It was awarded for service to Japan to both civilians and military. This appears to be 3rd class badge.

.

The story goes some relative killed a Japanese soldier and took it. I don’t know who or have any other details. I’d be curious to know the translation for the inscription.

 

[SFC13557]

Now that I recall my Father had a P38 with holster in their bedroom but my parents split up in 1965 and I don't know what happened to it. Strange because my Father was in the Navy and was never in Europe.

 

[tuna]

A buddy of mine asked for help in cleaning / fixing up his Dad's WW2 bring back pistol. It had a broken firing pin, so we were able to order a new one. While we were reassembling it, I asked if he'd ever fired the gun, and to his knowledge, the gun hadn't been fired ever, probably due to the broken firing pin.

"Good thing, I said. If the pin weren't broken, there might be two drunken Germans trying to clean a 1911 right now".

I can't remember the model of pistol. It was a .32 and had plexiglass grips with a pinup under them.

 

[Spanz]

dad had a jap pair of binoculars. pretty cool. wonder where they ended up...

 

[lowbuckbob]

My father didn't have any bringbacks from WWII but I do remember one of our neighbors had a bringback Arisaka. My brother brought back a Ballester Molina 1911 from Vietnam. He said he paid the supply Sgt $50 for it. Now long gone.

 

[millbilly]

Seems like the p38 was a common bring back. I was told my grandfather brought back two of them from Italy. They were sold or given away but my father thinks he still has the original bring back paperwork for them. Boy would I love to track one down.