Berlin war story from 1962.

[milburn]

As promised last night, on the thread with the relic Luger on eBay, I will relate this war story from the Cold War era when I was stationed in Berlin, Germany. I served in the Army Security Agency, which was pretty good duty. I served from 1959 to 1963. I had my family with me. We lived in a nice apartment in Zehlendorf with a lady Dr. and her son, who was also a Dr.

Zehlendorf was a high class suburb that excaped most of the bombing. However, across our street was a government building that had one end cut off, then there was a crater in a yard on a street a couple over, and finally a bulding on the main drag of the area where a stick of 3 bombs had exploded. Frau Dr. recalled it was during a birthday party for her son.

Our street was the last one before East Germany, (a large field was in between our home and the border) and there was a machine gun nest I could see across the double fenced border. In the distance in both directions, I could see a watch tower. Concertina was tossed in between the fences, and then barbed wire laced tightly from one side to the other and intersecting.

I can't tell you what I was doing (Be difficult to kill all of you), but one Saturday afternoon, when we were about to change shifts, one of my friends said that he was headed for the Army Rod and Gun Club. He had a ticket giving him umteenth choice of a firearm out of all current members.

He had helped sort a large group of mostly pistols by make into M-1 rifle cases on the floor of the Club that had been turned in to the West Berlin police, since the close of War 2. He found that a few even had ammo left in them. They were in poor condition, as the police simply threw them out back on a pile exposed to the weather. I decided to go over and join, as after all the members had their choice, anyone else could pick up what they wanted.

There was still a fairly large crowd, and I felt lucky to find the crate that had P-38s in it. I found a couple that looked to be mainly complete, and then looked around some more. I found a Spanish copy of a S&W model 10, a tiny .25 ACP Colt lookalike, and a Star Model B in 9 m/m.

As I made my way to the counter, a guy ahead of me had picked up the case with Lugers in it, intending to buy them all, so I didn't get a chance to see what was there. I also had a limited amount of money with me, so that kept me from splurging.

As I mentioned last night on the other thread, a Lt. was ahead of me, carrying a Luger that had been buried, as it was just a hunk of rust. The guy at the counter charged him a quarter for it.

My treasure trove cost me all of twelve dollars. I went to the PX, and found a Gun Digest which luckily had an exploded view of the P-38. Thus, I had some idea of how to break them down. I had a limited amount of tools, and purchased some more files and lots of emery paper.

I found I needed to go back and get some "parts pistols" as the tiny springs were rusted through. I think I had to buy two junk pistols to get two springs.

By now, they had moved all the remains to a filing cabinet. They let me come in, over a period of weeks, and rummage through what was left, trying to see if I could make any more complete pistols.

I found a PPK with no grips, that was otherwise complete. A CZ-27, a barrel-less Walther Model 4, and a Mauser 1910.

I spent the entire winter filing down the P-38s. I wore out my fingers with the emery paper polishing out pits and rough spots.

One turned out quite nice, and the other was somewhat less presentable. Along about that time, we were able to move into government quarters which was the top floor in one of two towers. As we had two children, we were allowed a three bedroom apartment.

I ordered a pair of grips for the PPK from Walther. They didn't come, and didn't come. The very last thing I did as we left the apartment for home was check the mailbox. They were there, right at the last minute.

When we got home, my gunsmith dad was pleased to accept the worst P-38. He blued both of them, and lusted after "mine." He also gladly accepted the coffee can full of spare parts, but asked why I didn't just buy everything that was left.

Sorry to ramble on and on, and ask forebearance for members who also attend the P-38 forum, as I told the story to them as well.

I did take all of them to the range and had some fun with them. As a final note, our unit was stationed in Andrews Barracks, which I found out a few years ago was the former home of the Leiberstandte Adolf Hitler. NO mention of this was made to the troops stationed there.

[Edward Tinker]

Very cool story

I took lifeguard training at Berlin in 1993 or 1994 - the barracks were old WW2 barracks, and the olympic swimming pool had been the actual training pool for the german team prior to 1936. The statues on the outside of the gates were very, very 'germanic' looking, and most swatica's were destroyed, but high up on buildings you could see some, and also here and there pock marks from bullets and artillery rounds i would guess.

It was interesting to go in the subway (we had very little 'free time') but once we went to Brandenberg gate and the subway took us through assorted stations, the 'western' ones were new and clean, the old eastern (now all of Berlin was the same by this time), the eastern ones could have been from the 1930's, they were clean, but had that old look to them.

Ed

[Douglas Jr.]

Very nice story. I enjoyed it a lot.
Thank you very much for sharing it.
Douglas

[milburn]

Ed, it sounds as if you were at Andrews all right. I learned to swim in that pool. Those statues were, as you said, very Germanic.

We heard that the paper hanger had the indoor pool built "in case it rained" for the '36 Olympics.