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Wolfgang Pfeifer · 07-15-2001, 02:54 PM

Hello Bob,

You asked â??Were Naval Lugers used in WWIIâ?¦..â?. Iâ?? ll try to make this brief and then, conjecture on my part.

I have two Navy Lugers, a 1916 and a 1917. Both are 98% and totally matched including the magazines.

The 1916 I recently obtained from the estate of the man that gave me my first full-time job in 1957. For a number of years we were neighbors. He first showed this Luger to me in 1958 and over the years he would again show it to me. He was a colorful man and at 6â??4â? a giant to me. I liked him very much. He would tell me about the battles he was in and how he removed this Luger from a dead German Lieutenant.. He received a battlefield commission in WWII and retired a LT. Colonel from the Army reserve years ago. He died two years ago. The provenance of this Luger for the last 57 years is well established. It is the center piece of my collection.

Conjecture about my 1916 Navy Luger finding its way to WWII

The age of a lieutenant is usually the middle 20â??s and he would not be a holdover from W.W.I.

In W.W.I, military personnel could purchase their own side arm. Usually done by officers because of the expense. My 1916 being a 98% gun could have been owned by a Naval Officer of Fleet rank and was subsequently given to a son, a German Army Lieutenant who carried it during WWII. After a battle, when my neighbor found the Lieutenant, he no longer needed the Luger that is now in my possession.

Perhaps only a story in my mind. In my opinion a reasonable one.

07-15-2001, 02:54 PM	#4
Wolfgang Pfeifer User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 28 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: NAVY LUGERS? Hello Bob, You asked â??Were Naval Lugers used in WWIIâ?¦..â?. Iâ?? ll try to make this brief and then, conjecture on my part. I have two Navy Lugers, a 1916 and a 1917. Both are 98% and totally matched including the magazines. The 1916 I recently obtained from the estate of the man that gave me my first full-time job in 1957. For a number of years we were neighbors. He first showed this Luger to me in 1958 and over the years he would again show it to me. He was a colorful man and at 6â??4â? a giant to me. I liked him very much. He would tell me about the battles he was in and how he removed this Luger from a dead German Lieutenant.. He received a battlefield commission in WWII and retired a LT. Colonel from the Army reserve years ago. He died two years ago. The provenance of this Luger for the last 57 years is well established. It is the center piece of my collection. Conjecture about my 1916 Navy Luger finding its way to WWII The age of a lieutenant is usually the middle 20â??s and he would not be a holdover from W.W.I. In W.W.I, military personnel could purchase their own side arm. Usually done by officers because of the expense. My 1916 being a 98% gun could have been owned by a Naval Officer of Fleet rank and was subsequently given to a son, a German Army Lieutenant who carried it during WWII. After a battle, when my neighbor found the Lieutenant, he no longer needed the Luger that is now in my possession. Perhaps only a story in my mind. In my opinion a reasonable one.