DISH Channel 195 AHC
World War II in Color
Victory in Europe--Episode 12- Original air date 1-28-11

It is well documented that upon his surrender, Goering was carrying a S&W Hand Ejector.

Near the end of this episode is about 2 or 3 seconds of Hermann Goering surrendering his sidearm. The GI examines it and clearly it is a Hand Ejector. Maybe some of you have seen this before, but it was my first time. I have seen several stills but never the actual video.

Well, he was a degenerate swine, but you can't fault his taste in sidearms.

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Oh well, what the hell.

He also loved medals--whether he actually earned them or not? He awarded himself various combat/bravery and such--decorations.

In this article it was said Goering shot down 22 planes in world war one. Here is that smith & wesson.

File:Göering weapon and baton.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

He did shoot down a number in WWI--earning the Iron Cross 1st class, and the Pour le Merite. In WWII-he awarded himself one of those Grand Cross of the Iron Cross-which is the largest (and ugliest) versions of the Iron Cross.
1914 I.C 2nd:

1914 I.C. 1st cl:

1939 Knights Cross of the Iron Cross:

Grand Cross of the Iron Cross:

This one was Gorings Knights Cross--which is currently for sale at Snyders Treasures.

And finally--the Blucher Star:

Goring wearing the cross he awarded to himself:


BTW, he had several sets of all his awards. One set at each home he owned (such as at Karinhall)--as well as a set in his H.Q's, and another he traveled with.

But I think his WWI Blue Max was really earned?

(By WW II, could he even fit into the cockpit of a fighter, ha?)

He also collected Marshals batons, having a different one for each uniform.

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James L. "Jim" Rhiner

There are several photos and film clips of him from the Great War. He's often shown with Baron von Richtofen. They both flew together. So, he earned his first Iron Cross. He cut quite a different image, then. It wasn't until the mid-1930's, that his weight ballooned, and he dove into drug use.

WWI ace, commander in chief, Gestapo founder. Well, two out of three ain't bad.

The gun is on display at the West Point museum. Doesn't look like the fat man carried it much. It still kind of amazes me that the number 2 man in the Third Reich carried the same gun as half the cops in America.

He actually did earn his Pour le Merite and was one of the bravest fighter pilots in the Imperial German Air Service. However--Manfred von Richthoffen didnt like him much or at all. He rightfully thought he was a pompous ***. :-))

Why not? Hitler named his personal train Amerika--and loved Westerns.

I read an article ( I think) in the American Rifleman that speculated that the S&W wasn't a particularly prized possession and that he just carried it because he knew he was going to be surrendering and didn’t want to give up one of his good guns.

The article went on to state that Goering actually expected to be allowed to assist the allies in rebuilding Germany and was shocked when he was taken into custody as a criminal

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Retired Career Security Guard