Two situations, first is my uncle who turned 17 on Guadalcanal, fought all the way to Okinawa, then returned home to finish his senior year at local high school. He told me about a Colt .38 his platoon had. The senior man in the platoon carried it, rank didn't matter. It was passed on when Marine carrying it was killed or wounded.It was mostly used for night outpost duty. Had no idea how many enemy were shot with it at very close range but it had to be on up there. It was an unoffical badge of courage to carry the .38.
He still had it after Okinawa, only him and one other were left of the original 40 men. He had to leave it in China after the war ended.
The other is about a 19 year old I was with on a tank in Vietnam. His name was Charles Birdwhistle. He was half black and half Sixou. He brought a .38 along with him and was quick to use it. When it was his time to DEROS he proudly presented it to his replacement driver on the tank.
Point is in the use of the gun at the time, not if it gets to be brought home or not. It served its purpose if it can be passed on.
rk
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