New info on my Luger and now I'm ticked off!

[Terry Tiell]

I showed it to my mother and asked her if she remembered it and she said " Yes thats the Luger my father gave to your dad"
....... What? You mean dad DIDN'T find it metal detecting? She laughed and said no your grandfather "FOUND IT when he was serving in France during WWII." What then dad lied? She laughed again and said YES that my grand dad gave it to him because he said he could fix it up, he took it home took it apart and couldn't so he THREW IT IN A CARD BOARD BOX in our basement where it stayed for years. And our basement flooded several times from what she told me and he never even bothered with it again.

So thanks to my dear old dad what started out as a beautiful numbers matching Luger that only needed a take down spring to work properly he RUINED the gun!

So a couple things it was never involved in a random murder or shooting in Baltimore city, my father RUINED IT, and my grandfather whom I dearly loved brought it back as a war trophy. I feel like punching something while crying at the same time.

But even tho my dad lied to me about its origin and he basicly destroyed it his mission was to make it shoot again for my grandfather. So I completed what he started and ruined so many years ago for my grandfather. At least granddad never lied to me and I'm thrilled to learn I have HIS Luger. I just wish to God I could have gotten ahold of it rather then my dad all those years ago because right now I'd have a beautiful Luger.

Thanks dad be glad you're dead or I'd kick your ass.

Gand dad if you're up there watching somewhere I got her working for you again and have done the best I could with the train wreck dad left me.
I promise it'll be well cared for from now on.

[Norme]

If you don't mind me asking, Terry, how old are you? Regards, Norm

[Terry Tiell]

Originally Posted by Norme

If you don't mind me asking, Terry, how old are you? Regards, Norm

Probly considered quite young by what I've seen here thus far, but I don't mind so long as you guys don't.

I'm turning 40 this July 13th.

[Norme]

Terry, the reason I asked is that I think it likely that your Father had other things on his mind, like feeding you, clothing you, educating you and putting a roof over your head. While I agree that it's a shame that this Luger wasn't properly preserved, it was probably low on your Father's list of priorities. I don't know if you yourself are a Father yet, if not maybe you'll understand some day. Kind regards, Norm

[Terry Tiell]

Got 2 daughters of my own 19 and 15. I guess I understand what you're getting at Norme but I just wish he had given it back to my grand dad so it wouldn't have been ruined. *sigh* At least I was able to do what my dad never could and get her back to working order. AND as a plus I found out it was my grand fathers gun and I have it and know how it will be cared for from now on.

Thanks Norme you're right. Its just I had a better relationship with my grand father then I did my own dad so I think thats why it really hurt me to know what happened.

[rhuff]

Originally Posted by Norme

Terry, the reason I asked is that I think it likely that your Father had other things on his mind, like feeding you, clothing you, educating you and putting a roof over your head. While I agree that it's a shame that this Luger wasn't properly preserved, it was probably low on your Father's list of priorities. I don't know if you yourself are a Father yet, if not maybe you'll understand some day. Kind regards, Norm

I have always been amazed with how my opinions have changed about things as I have entered my 'senior' years, and look back at things.....I believe that folks call it reflection on the past.

[lugerholsterrepair]

I was 15 when I tried kicking my Dad's ass...I still don't know where he got hold of his service .45 auto but I was looking at the wrong end of it when I left... and started hitchiking. Had the clothes I was standing in and no more than 2 bucks..

[DavidJayUden]

And also remember that a Luger was at best a novelty in those days, not something of much value. Pawn shops were full of them, and ammo was hard to find. Even among shooters these days they will sometimes get little more than a yawn...
dju

[Edward Tinker]

Terry, i collect bring back stories, working on vol IV (Having some 'issues' with getting vol III published), but anyway, this is an interesting story and perhaps we could put some focus on your granddad and include the story?

would need some hi-rez pictures, any info on your grandfather, unit, rank, pictures of him then?

email is ed_tinker@hotmail.com

Ed

[Terry Tiell]

Oh wow Ed I wouldn't know where to start. His name was Benjamin Franklin Bowles Sr.
He enlisted at the age of 16 for WWI and injured badly in the trenches by mustard gas. He had all his skin burned off and was blinded and spent the rest of the war in France and returned to the states with a purple heart with 3 clusters for being shot, had his buddy blow up from a land mine right next to him which then his buddy turned into shrapnel, shot again and then gassed and blinded. He also received the grenadeer with palms (mom thinks thats what it was called) He regained his sight and was the major of the minute men (national guard these days) based out of middle river Maryland. Not sure how he got back to France in WWII but according to my mom thats when he brought it home.

Between the wars he was a U.S. Marshal and he was the first one to use a car in West Virginia, he'd hitch his horse to the rear bumper and use it when the roads got too rough for the car. Back then and in the mountains he went by the name of Ben Bowles and hunted moonshiners.

All this information comes from my mother so I don't know how correct it all is but I grew up hearing the stories as far back as I can remember. I'll try to get pics and unit info for you but so much my grand dads stuff disappeared after he died all that my mom says she still has is his flag and some arm bands he used to were. I'll try to get them and take pics of these for you.

[Terry Tiell]

As for the above post I just learned this info and was mad and was venting is all. Right now I'm more disappointed in my dad for not caring for grand dads gun the way he should have. At the same time I'm extremely thrilled to have a gun that once belonged to my grandfather and that I got it working again and am restoring it. Now I'm restoring it for my grandfather as thats what he entrusted my father to do with it.

[lugersrkewl]

Originally Posted by lugerholsterrepair

I was 15 when I tried kicking my Dad's ass...I still don't know where he got hold of his service .45 auto but I was looking at the wrong end of it when I left... and started hitchiking. Had the clothes I was standing in and no more than 2 bucks..

......did you go back or was that when you struck out on your own?

by the time I was confident I could take the old man I was old enough that I didnt want too anymore thank God

[lugerholsterrepair]

did you go back or was that when you struck out on your own?
No..I had left when I was 14..got a job in Mountain home Idaho at a gas station, bought a 47 chevy for 65 bucks. Found my parents at 15 when I left again at the point of a pistol..bummed around..worked here and there, bucked bales in Colorado..went to work in a zink/silver mine drilling and blasting at 16. I must have hitch hiked accross the country several times..ended up in California and enlisted in 67. Amazing how you could get around back then with not much money!

[Neil Young]

Jerry:
That's an interesting part of your early life--you certainly didn't have it easy, but obviously did okay. I do respect that and would certainly like to hear more of your experiences. You should write a book if the leather work ever slows down.

Neil

[lugerholsterrepair]

Neil..When Terry asid he was angry with his Father it took me back..I left because I didn't want to be in my Family any longer. They were fighters and drank a lot. I thought I could do better on my own. Back in the mid 60's it was no big thing..now it would be I guess.
I think we fail to appreciate what our Parents might have been going thru raising us. We know later more about it maybe...but years later I learned to respect and honor my Father even with a few shortcomings. Mine and his!

Most people our age had interesting lives...My Father's was very interesting..a lot different day and age.

[Terry Tiell]

My dad used to polish off a 5th of vodka a night, he cheated on my mom and left her penniless when he passed away due to cancer. My brother and he got into fists fights more then once and my brother would usually wind up knocked out while my mother would scream at dad. I left when I turned 19 and joined the ARMY it was during AIT when he passed and I was able to get out (honorably discharged) to come home to take care of my mom and I've been taking care of her ever since. I do have fond memories of my dad as he wasn't always a drunk cheater but I have to go back to before I was in my teens. I like to remember him like he was back then before he got sick and everything went to hell.

[firefree]

I'm trying to confirm the story my wifes Dad told her about his Luger. If I end up finding he told her a story that was just a story, I believe I will record a version that keeps her Dad a hero, for her. He is long gone, they were close and I won't diminish his memory.
My own Dad passed when I was 9. So I didn't have the chance to hear about Korea. I know he had orders for Vietnam when he passed.(1964) He was a photographer in the Air Force. I have great pictures from all over the world. But no bringback gun. I do have a pic of Dad at a desk with his camera and an M1 Carbine leaning on the wall behind him. Thats why I adopted my father inlaws Luger. There is no reason to disparage a man for not doing what you hoped. I have two sons to leave my guns to. If they keep them thats great. But if they sell them off for something they want more, thats great too. I will be gone and won't care. I just hope the memories are good.