Luger Cache w/US GIs during WWII

John Winter · 05-11-2008, 08:07 PM

My old friend and fishing buddy Ray Zelten had been a first sergeant in the 28th Div. during WWII and fought as an infantryman from France into Germany, was wounded four times and lost his younger brother in the Ardennes offensive. One of the reasons that accounted for Ray's success as a businessman was his phenomenal memory for details and this extended to his wartime experiences. I will always retain the byf 44 P.38 with holster captured by him at St. Lo which he carried for the remainder of the war. Lugers were plentiful to frontline troops, but because of the double action feature and the larger trigger guard which enabled the bearer to shoot with a gloved hand, P.38's were much more popular. However, Lugers were excellent trading material.

I introduced Ray to an uncle who was a German WWII vet and who was visiting us from Germany in 1997 and was amazed at how well they got along, even though neither directly understood a word the other spoke. Both were men of means and after dinner at a local restaurant Ray bought Uncle his dinner! I couldn't help but feel that when a man who had suffered as much hardship as Ray had during the war would buy dinner for a former enemy officer, the war was definately over. Both Ray and Uncle passed away in 2003.

05-11-2008, 08:07 PM	#14
John Winter User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 55 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	My old friend and fishing buddy Ray Zelten had been a first sergeant in the 28th Div. during WWII and fought as an infantryman from France into Germany, was wounded four times and lost his younger brother in the Ardennes offensive. One of the reasons that accounted for Ray's success as a businessman was his phenomenal memory for details and this extended to his wartime experiences. I will always retain the byf 44 P.38 with holster captured by him at St. Lo which he carried for the remainder of the war. Lugers were plentiful to frontline troops, but because of the double action feature and the larger trigger guard which enabled the bearer to shoot with a gloved hand, P.38's were much more popular. However, Lugers were excellent trading material. I introduced Ray to an uncle who was a German WWII vet and who was visiting us from Germany in 1997 and was amazed at how well they got along, even though neither directly understood a word the other spoke. Both were men of means and after dinner at a local restaurant Ray bought Uncle his dinner! I couldn't help but feel that when a man who had suffered as much hardship as Ray had during the war would buy dinner for a former enemy officer, the war was definately over. Both Ray and Uncle passed away in 2003. __________________ JRW