My father at the advice of local no it alls joined the Nation Guard. They told him he would not be drafted. The 45 Inf. Div was activated in 1940. He served with Div from North Africa to Rome. He was a forward observer and picked up a foot locker full of guns flags ect. The foot locker never made it home. He did make it home with a Berreta 380 he picked up somewhere in Italy. He was a rule mail carrier and when I was a kid I would ride with him on his route. He would stop on a bridge and shoot the pistol.
I saw him shoot squirrels 20 to 25 yards away. I was about 6 or 7 the first time I shot it. I was told to shoot a turtle in a pond. When I pulled the trigger I empted the pistol, every time it kicked I pulled the trigger again.
I didn't mess with it again till I was grown. I still have the pistol but threw away the shoulder holster he made out of a boot. He is long gone and I sure wish I had that holster. Brushy SE Okla.
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