Choosing Your Handguns in War

[THE PILGRIM]

As I have posted several times, in SEA I carried my trusty 19.
One of my Escape and Evasion ID verification questions was -
Who are your best friends?
Answer- Smith and Wesson.

 

[white cloud]

When my father was in Vietnam, one of his friends carried a Model 60 in his pocket.

 

[Texas Star]

Leroy Thompson, a well known gun and military author, had a M-60 S&W as a concealed arm. He led Combat Air Police forces.

Their mission was to go outside the air bases and ambush enemy troops before they reached a base they intended to attack.

As for pistols, well, of course, they were emergency sidearms! But several times, my son emptied his 9mm and a spare magazine in fights so close and intense that he hadn't time to reload his rifle or clear a jam. He was fortunate enough not to have to resort to his knife, but did use the pistol on occasion. BTW, he said the 9mm works a lot better than some think. But a lot depends on placement. But he's an excellent, quick shot.

Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper, USMC (ret.) said that handguns do not win wars, but often save the lives of the men who do! I have a letter from Jeff telling how he personally killed three men with pistols. One was a victim of his Colt SAA .45 and the other two ran afoul of his famous .45 auto. Both Colts were his own and were mildly customized.

I think Jeff and Col. Chas. Askins may be the only two gun writers to have actually used pistols in combat and who killed enemy with them. Bill Jordan may have, while commanding Marines cleaning out Japanese pillboxes on Pacific Islands. He told me that he carried a S&W M-1917 .45 revolver and a Winchester M12 shotgun then. But he didn't say if either was his own. I wish now that I'd asked.

 

[PALADIN85020]

My now deceased stepfather-in-law carried this 1911A1 in Korea. I'm pretty sure it was issue and not personally owned. He kept it through his military career and afterward in retirement. He willed it to me, and it became mine when he died. Here's a pic of the gun and the documentation I keep with it for future generations. The ID card is from his WWII service.

John

 

[squidsix]

I knew lots of guys with random weapons of all kinds way outside of TO&E for their units. Not uncommon at all. Authorized? Nope. Happened anyway? Yup, all the time.
I had a Beretta 84 for a short time in my possession, and for a little while a j-frame that I handed off to another guy. Probably both of them are in a hesco barrier someplace.

 

[mdf9183]

My wife's uncle was in the Army Air Force during WW2 as B24 mechanic and while he was stationed in North Africa, he had his father who was a Brownwood, Texas police officer ship him a High Standard model B. He shipped in pieces so he could shoot the rats that infested the tents that they slept in.

 

[jebstuart]

My wife's uncle was in the Army Air Force during WW2 as B24 mechanic and while he was stationed in North Africa, he had his father who was a Brownwood, Texas police officer ship him a High Standard model B. He shipped in pieces so he could shoot the rats that infested the tents that they slept in.

There were a lot of rats in the neighborhood!

 

[22shtur]

Any military personal could buy any handgun at the PX in Da Nang. I saw several guys with PX purchased snuby model 15's, I just never had the desire to carry more weight, even if a few ounces.

 

[jimmyj]

During WWII and Korea my Mother sent handguns to relatives and friends who were serving in the wars. She wrapped the handguns in wax paper and concealed them in fruitcakes which She baked. IIFC (?) the cakes were sent in metal tins.

 

[Flattop5]

My mom baked fruit cakes. We didn't eat them, though. Too dangerous. We used them as door stops.


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[jebstuart]

My mom baked fruit cakes. We didn't eat them, though. Too dangerous. We used them as door stops.


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Loved the bread, hated the little candied fruits.

 

[Ray]

As a matter of fact Ted Lawson states in his book Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo that the small auto was in caliber .25 acp and was given to him by his wife Ellen. Later when fleeing from the japanese in China he gave the little auto, now rusted, to a one Koo-S-ken , a chinese national.
Regards, Ray

 

[David.Hylton]

When you choose your own handgun you must make sure ammo is available.

During the invasion of Iraq I was only authorized a Beretta, but I picked up an AK and three mags as soon as I could. I went into the amnesty box in Kuwait when I rotated home.

 

[Dogbone44Spl]

For the weight of a hand gun a guy could carry more belts for his Stoner or M 60.

 

[Muley Gil]

For the weight of a hand gun a guy could carry more belts for his Stoner or M 60.

A pistol or revolver is a lot handier if you're making a head call.

 

[Drm50]

I never fired a handgun at the enemy in RVn. They weren't to take the place of a rifle. Due to Hollywood you don't walk around with your rifle at port arms 24/7. I personally don't know anyone that fired a pistol in a fire fight while I was there. I'm sure the guys that were there during Tet of 68 and in over run situations used them. Me I liked having a pistol and didn't worry about the weight. Not many hand guns weigh as much as a belt of 7.62.

 

[Texas Star]

Re Post 32, I'm sure that Ray is right. I think he owns the book. I haven't read it since I was 14.

Whether .25 or .32, Lawson got the gun from Ellen and it was private property, not an issued piece.

 

[Ray]

Hi I have the book and the movie in DVD.I wonder how this book found its way down here.There´s a signature in one of the first pages, that is difficult to recognize, but it´s also written Texas 12-44.
If you wish I can scan it and post it here, maybe someone can help me read the name the person.
Regards, Ray

 

[steelslaver]

Only shooting I ever witnessed in the USMC was via an unauthorized weapon. My first actual duty station was the the Marine supply depot in Philadelphia and I was barracked in the marine barrack at the naval base. One morning as muster was finished and the Sargent of the guard said dismissed and did an about face there was a load bang, someone yelled I been hit. Several people started laughing, thinking some one had touched of a fire cracker. Nope, the Sargent of the guard had an unauthorized revolver (no idea what kind) in his pocket and as he executed his about face it somehow discharged, the bullet struck the cement deck and ricochet up into the bottom of a corporal's foot as he lifted it to take off form muster. That had to be an ugly wound. Being a lowly PFC at the time I was quickly moved from the scene. The corporal went off to the naval hospital, his shoe and the gun into custody. The corporal had just returned from a tour of RSVN uninjured, only to get shot at morning muster in Philly. The Sargent was busted down,but being a decorated combat guy he wasn't hammered to bad. I noticed that during my time the Marine Corps usually gave the guys with a lot of decorations more slack on their boo boos.

 

[Gene L]

When I was in VN, we could carry just about anything. Machine gunners were authorized to carry 1911s, but most didn't. I was a Plt. leader, and guess I could have been issued one, but didn't want one. To tell the truth, the 1911s were held in low regard by troops of my era. There was a week of qualification in basic, but no one could shoot them well. We were trying to minimize weight in the field, so they became an afterthought.

I found a 1911 along a dirt road, covered with fine sand, cleaned it and carried it in my pack in condition 3. I also carried, for a while, a sawed off Ithaca, sawed off at the pistol grip and just ahead of the mag. It was also in my pack, but not at the same time as the 1911.

The only company grade officer I saw carrying a pistol was the CC of A company, who carried a Browning HP as his only weapon.