Hello, I am new to this forum so forgive me if this has already been addressed. I was looking at this Victory and saw this marking. does anyone know what it maybe/ could it post war applied? the serial is V342XXX and the top rail has the US Property GHD marking. Thanks in advance for any insight.
I'm going to take a wild guess, "Vermont Civil Defense".
Richard,
Thanks for the thought....Ironically that is what they state however it does not look like a VT to me. Possibly a "VR" ? Unless its a poorly struck "T"
I never knew that certain branches (?) of the Civil Defense were armed, but it makes sense since they could run into saboteurs... I found these pictures online.
Civil Defense-marked Victories are known to exist. I have never seen anything indicating what their civil defense function was supposed to be. I don't think CD ever had any military or police powers to shoot anyone, any more than the Boy Scouts did. In the Cold War era before ICBMs, the CD organizations mainly were for spotting and reporting any Russian aircraft in American skies. That seems a dumb thing to do, but back in the 1950s there was serious fear that the Russians were going to fly over and bomb American strategic targets. Remember all of the designated bomb shelters in public buildings and schools? And people building fallout shelters in their basements and back yards? As if they would have done any good in a real Russian attack. And of course Duck and Cover drills in schools. I lived through all that nonsense.
interesting....at least the comments about the CD possibly not even being armed which I never thought of. Take a look at the highlighted area. If you look closely, I still am not convinced it is a poorly struck "T" The right hand side of the letter has a slight curve downward before it ends with the line, which is why I thought it could be an 'R" except it would be a small "r" not a capital "R" which makes no sense. however, if it is a "T" then why the slant downwards?
There were provisions for Civil Defense Aux. Police forces and they were to carry Victory Model revolvers in an emergency.
I've seen quite a few over the years and the markings are usually quite crude.
That clarifies the situation. What I gather is that CD was not issued revolvers, but through some method, revolvers and holsters were supplied (by whom or what is not disclosed) to the local law enforcement agency. In the event of some emergency, the local CD organization could be deputized as auxiliary police, and some local CD personnel issued revolvers and holsters by the law enforcement agency. Whether that was ever necessary is unknown. It is likely that there is some OCD policy and procedures manual that provides greater detail. So has anyone ever seen a CD holster?
Civil Defense was a thing even into the 1970's, but was on the wane by then. The county I used to live in Tennessee had a "director" in the 1970's, but the agency kinda folded up into nothing and the ashes of CD became FEMA and DHS. I think I remember seeing Civil Defense partnering with our local rescue squad once during a tornado.
I would imagine that whatever police department that had this gun in store for CD just surplused it out in the late 60's to 70's.
Civil Defense was not about spotting USSR aircraft. That was for the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line, the Pinetree Line and other RADAR installations. CD was to help maintain local government, manage shelters, direct traffic, supplement local PDs, distribute food and medical supplies, etc. Light reading: United States. Office of Civilian Defense | The Online Books Page
I saw CD revolvers in our evidence locker when I was on the Police Department in the 1970's and 80's. Some had white holsters with the Civil Defense shield on it. I don't recall if they were stamped. I had to carry one after I pulled a lady out of a submerged car in a flooded underpass. My Model 29 had gotten a little damp.
Civil Defense was not about spotting USSR aircraft. That was for the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line, the Pinetree Line and other RADAR installations. CD was to help maintain local government, manage shelters, direct traffic, supplement local PDs, distribute food and medical supplies, etc.
Actually, there was a fairly large contingent of skywatchers called the Ground Observer Corps. Their duty was to scan the skies for enemy aircraft. It operated throughout WWII clear into the late 1950s. It was disbanded in 1958, as the DEW line went into service. Ground Observer Corps - Wikipedia
I remember that back in the 1950s my old home town had a GOC observation post on the roof of a downtown building. I never saw it but knew it was there. I thought it was part of CD, but it seems to have been a separate organization.
Actually, there was a fairly large contingent of skywatchers called the Ground Observer Corps. Their duty was to scan the skies for enemy aircraft. It operated throughout WWII clear into the late 1950s. It was disbanded in 1958, as the DEW line went into service. Ground Observer Corps - Wikipedia
I was a member of our local Ground Observer Corps in SE Alabama. We reported to Maxwell AFB in Montgomery AL. Our call code was "Echo Bravo 4 1 Black".
I still am not convinced it is a poorly struck "T" The right hand side of the letter has a slight curve downward before it ends with the line, which is why I thought it could be an 'R" except it would be a small "r" not a capital "R" which makes no sense. however, if it is a "T" then why the slant downwards?
S&W Victory Unknown mark
...Ben
Linear Mode
