OSS Gold - still there

SteveW · 11-27-2006, 10:01 PM

This is totally off the subject of Lugers or even guns but If you are all somewhat into history as I am I think you might find this a neat story.
A few months ago my highschool history teacher from back in the 60's now retired for many years, told me the following interesting story. Being a WWII infantryman himself he of course has many friends who served at that time also. One is now a retired basketball coach in the Twin Cities. The man's family was from Eastern Europe. At the moment I can't remember the exact country. He spoke the language like a native having grown up with it at home. He was a member of the OSS during WWII and parachuted in to Eastern Europe to work with a resistance group. Along with all of his forged documents etc. he carried a belt containing British Gold Sovereigns. He was injured on the jump and the people he had expected to meet him were a no show. He hobbled to the nearest village (again I can't remember the name here) and decided that the gold was more of a danger than anything else. If caught he had the proper documents, but there would be no explaining the gold coins. He went to a cemetary which had a stone wall surrounding it. Dug out some of the stones in one corner. Buried the gold coins and went on with his mission. He never went back. When remenicing about the war he still comments "I wonder if my gold is still there?" I wonder if it is! Of all the things that get torn down and replaced or paved over, cemetary's are not one of them.

Edward Tinker · 11-27-2006, 10:10 PM

Steve there was a similar story about 2 soldiers that found diamonds in the war, and they did go back and recover it, but many years later.

Hopefully some poor official grave digger got a surprise one day!

Ed

thegundude · 11-27-2006, 10:22 PM

Ummm.... you don't happen to have the map, do you??

SteveW · 11-27-2006, 10:45 PM

There was a documentary film made about the diamonds "Blood From A Stone". Facinating film, they actually had it on film when the diamonds were dug out of the old foxhole. Ironically the man who related the gold story to me tossed a "half a canteen of diamonds down a latrine" at Camp Lucky Strike before shipping back to the US after the war. He was afraid of getting caught with them. I imagine they're still there also.

Steinar · 11-28-2006, 03:22 AM

Stories like these bring out the pirate in me

May have mentioned this one.. but my grandfather was set to hide all the rifles for the local shooting club and hunters in his village during ww2. He started greasing them up and wrapping them in with oil soaked clothing and rags. After he has done this and dug down about 50% of the rifles, he didn't had the time to complete the remaining half. So he just hung them up side down in the threes close to his cabin. This was done so that the men would have the chance to 'regroup' and take up the fight. For various reasons, the rifles stayed hidden until the end of the war. When he was set to recover them, only the rifles hung up in the threes where still usable. There is an natural updraft under large threes, so they where in remarkable good shape.. Some of the rifles dug down where recovered, but since they where all rusty, most of them is still there today. Today, I have inherited the cabin, it would be interesting to walk around there with a metal detector some day

..probably not ww2 weapons and not excactly diamonds or gold! Still it would be interesting to see what he dug down

pipeman45 · 11-28-2006, 02:12 PM

I would have a shovel in my hands faster than you could say ,Dig um up!

11-27-2006, 10:01 PM	#1
SteveW User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 17 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	OSS Gold - still there This is totally off the subject of Lugers or even guns but If you are all somewhat into history as I am I think you might find this a neat story. A few months ago my highschool history teacher from back in the 60's now retired for many years, told me the following interesting story. Being a WWII infantryman himself he of course has many friends who served at that time also. One is now a retired basketball coach in the Twin Cities. The man's family was from Eastern Europe. At the moment I can't remember the exact country. He spoke the language like a native having grown up with it at home. He was a member of the OSS during WWII and parachuted in to Eastern Europe to work with a resistance group. Along with all of his forged documents etc. he carried a belt containing British Gold Sovereigns. He was injured on the jump and the people he had expected to meet him were a no show. He hobbled to the nearest village (again I can't remember the name here) and decided that the gold was more of a danger than anything else. If caught he had the proper documents, but there would be no explaining the gold coins. He went to a cemetary which had a stone wall surrounding it. Dug out some of the stones in one corner. Buried the gold coins and went on with his mission. He never went back. When remenicing about the war he still comments "I wonder if my gold is still there?" I wonder if it is! Of all the things that get torn down and replaced or paved over, cemetary's are not one of them.

11-27-2006, 10:10 PM	#2
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,916 Thanks: 1,992 Thanked 4,507 Times in 2,081 Posts	Steve there was a similar story about 2 soldiers that found diamonds in the war, and they did go back and recover it, but many years later. Hopefully some poor official grave digger got a surprise one day! Ed __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

11-27-2006, 10:22 PM	#3
thegundude User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Western NC Posts: 1,137 Thanks: 3 Thanked 16 Times in 3 Posts	Ummm.... you don't happen to have the map, do you?? __________________ Keep your knees in the breeze and your iron in the air. ~Steve

11-28-2006, 03:22 AM	#5
Steinar User Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 1,538 Thanks: 18 Thanked 36 Times in 21 Posts	Stories like these bring out the pirate in me May have mentioned this one.. but my grandfather was set to hide all the rifles for the local shooting club and hunters in his village during ww2. He started greasing them up and wrapping them in with oil soaked clothing and rags. After he has done this and dug down about 50% of the rifles, he didn't had the time to complete the remaining half. So he just hung them up side down in the threes close to his cabin. This was done so that the men would have the chance to 'regroup' and take up the fight. For various reasons, the rifles stayed hidden until the end of the war. When he was set to recover them, only the rifles hung up in the threes where still usable. There is an natural updraft under large threes, so they where in remarkable good shape.. Some of the rifles dug down where recovered, but since they where all rusty, most of them is still there today. Today, I have inherited the cabin, it would be interesting to walk around there with a metal detector some day ..probably not ww2 weapons and not excactly diamonds or gold! Still it would be interesting to see what he dug down __________________ Previously known as Morgan Kane

11-28-2006, 02:12 PM	#6
pipeman45 User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Kentucky Posts: 539 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I would have a shovel in my hands faster than you could say ,Dig um up! __________________ Dave

11-27-2006, 10:45 PM	#4
SteveW User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 17 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	There was a documentary film made about the diamonds "Blood From A Stone". Facinating film, they actually had it on film when the diamonds were dug out of the old foxhole. Ironically the man who related the gold story to me tossed a "half a canteen of diamonds down a latrine" at Camp Lucky Strike before shipping back to the US after the war. He was afraid of getting caught with them. I imagine they're still there also.