Luger was ultimate war trophy

John Sabato · 04-03-2001, 05:19 PM

A friend of mine who served in Vietnam once told me of discovering a crate containing two brand new .45 cal. 1911A1 Colt government model pistols after overunning a Viet Cong position that was abandoned in a hurry. He and his compatriot appropriated themselves one each war trophy pistol.

Desiring to send it home (in spite of its property markings) he hatched a successful plan to do so. He and the other guy went down to the local artillery unit and picked up an expended brass casing (105mm or 155mm I am not sure which) and then took them to the EOD unit to have them drilled through the base and marked as safe for mailing. The empty shells were then taken to a local vietnamese machine shop where the brass artillery casing was converted into a fine looking brass lamp complete with shade.

Once back at the unit, they took apart their captured .45's and placed the pieces in the bottom of the lamp after greasing them liberally. The lamp base was then filled with molten lead until the pieces were covered and allowed to cool. When they returned from their tour of duty they each found the lamps being used in their respective houses. One saturday afternoon, they got together at one house (while the wives were out of course) and proceeded to heat the lamp bases over a gas stove flame until the lead was again molten. Carefully the lamp bases carried to the garage where they were turned over onto the cold cement garage floor. The pistol parts were recovered, cleaned and assembled back into their original configurations.

The lamps were then reassembled without the lead, cleaned and put back where there had been in use after being polished.

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE INGENUITY OF THE AMERICAN SOLDIER WITH A MISSION!

I defy any of you to come up with a successful war trophy story that tops this one (that isn't a fabrication). By the way, This story was told to me over 20 years ago by the one of the guys involved. I have seen both his .45 and the lamp that carried it home for him.

He eventually had the Colt .45 refinished to duplicate the commercial Colt blue and it was a fine looking Pistol (even if it wasn't a Luger)

I lost track of him about 15 years ago... I have often wondered where he and that pistol are today????

Who is next?

-John

04-03-2001, 05:19 PM	#10
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,155 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,308 Times in 1,098 Posts	Mailing war trophies home...#2 A friend of mine who served in Vietnam once told me of discovering a crate containing two brand new .45 cal. 1911A1 Colt government model pistols after overunning a Viet Cong position that was abandoned in a hurry. He and his compatriot appropriated themselves one each war trophy pistol. Desiring to send it home (in spite of its property markings) he hatched a successful plan to do so. He and the other guy went down to the local artillery unit and picked up an expended brass casing (105mm or 155mm I am not sure which) and then took them to the EOD unit to have them drilled through the base and marked as safe for mailing. The empty shells were then taken to a local vietnamese machine shop where the brass artillery casing was converted into a fine looking brass lamp complete with shade. Once back at the unit, they took apart their captured .45's and placed the pieces in the bottom of the lamp after greasing them liberally. The lamp base was then filled with molten lead until the pieces were covered and allowed to cool. When they returned from their tour of duty they each found the lamps being used in their respective houses. One saturday afternoon, they got together at one house (while the wives were out of course) and proceeded to heat the lamp bases over a gas stove flame until the lead was again molten. Carefully the lamp bases carried to the garage where they were turned over onto the cold cement garage floor. The pistol parts were recovered, cleaned and assembled back into their original configurations. The lamps were then reassembled without the lead, cleaned and put back where there had been in use after being polished. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE INGENUITY OF THE AMERICAN SOLDIER WITH A MISSION! I defy any of you to come up with a successful war trophy story that tops this one (that isn't a fabrication). By the way, This story was told to me over 20 years ago by the one of the guys involved. I have seen both his .45 and the lamp that carried it home for him. He eventually had the Colt .45 refinished to duplicate the commercial Colt blue and it was a fine looking Pistol (even if it wasn't a Luger) I lost track of him about 15 years ago... I have often wondered where he and that pistol are today???? Who is next? -John

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