Luger Cache w/US GIs during WWII

Shark · 03-02-2007, 01:06 AM

My grandfather was a P-38 Lightning pilot. He did a lot of trading around and amassed a big collection of guns. When he loaded up to come home from Germany in October '45, he put the guns in a duffle bag, realized he couldn't even lift it, and just gave away most of them. He brought back a beautiful PPK with holster, mint, and a broomhandle Mauser. The squadron photographer got that broomhandle out of my grandfather's stuff when they were coming back through camp in New Jersey. He fired the wrong sized round in the broomhandle (probably a 9mm) and ruined the barrel. Every chance I would get as a kid, I'd sneak into my grandfather's bedroom alone, get that PPK out of his sock drawer where he kept it, and play with it. A warning to me now with little ones of my own. My grubby little hands spotted the front grip strap a bit I'm afraid.

He always said when he came back he could only bring in two pistols, so he gave a third to his buddy Bob to take into the States for him. Bob never got around to giving it back and kept it 50 years. My grandfather couldn't remember what it was. In '94 I was so curious about what the gun was I asked my grandfather to ask for it back. Guess that was selfish of me-after all Bob had it for 50 years! Bob happily shipped the pistol to my grandfather, along with a cute note reminding him to remember his WW2 pistol training. We opened the box together-could it be a Luger? It turned out to be a FN Browning 1910/22 with holster. Bummer, but I wouldn't take a zillion dollars for any of them.

03-02-2007, 01:06 AM	#11
Shark User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 12 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	My grandfather was a P-38 Lightning pilot. He did a lot of trading around and amassed a big collection of guns. When he loaded up to come home from Germany in October '45, he put the guns in a duffle bag, realized he couldn't even lift it, and just gave away most of them. He brought back a beautiful PPK with holster, mint, and a broomhandle Mauser. The squadron photographer got that broomhandle out of my grandfather's stuff when they were coming back through camp in New Jersey. He fired the wrong sized round in the broomhandle (probably a 9mm) and ruined the barrel. Every chance I would get as a kid, I'd sneak into my grandfather's bedroom alone, get that PPK out of his sock drawer where he kept it, and play with it. A warning to me now with little ones of my own. My grubby little hands spotted the front grip strap a bit I'm afraid. He always said when he came back he could only bring in two pistols, so he gave a third to his buddy Bob to take into the States for him. Bob never got around to giving it back and kept it 50 years. My grandfather couldn't remember what it was. In '94 I was so curious about what the gun was I asked my grandfather to ask for it back. Guess that was selfish of me-after all Bob had it for 50 years! Bob happily shipped the pistol to my grandfather, along with a cute note reminding him to remember his WW2 pistol training. We opened the box together-could it be a Luger? It turned out to be a FN Browning 1910/22 with holster. Bummer, but I wouldn't take a zillion dollars for any of them.