Texas Star
US Veteran
Remember JFK and the sinking of his PT boat, PT-109?
This the type gun he wore on a lanyard around his neck as he swam around those little islands trying to summon rescuers.
Being a future politician, he liked that the gun was from MA, his home state. Or, so I've read.
This is also the gun given by George Bush the Elder to a US submarine crew officer for fishing him out of the ocean after his Avenger torpedo bomber was shot down over Chi-Chi Jima, or whatever that island was called. The gun has survived in excellent condition and remains in the family of the submarine officer. Bush presumably drew a new one from Supply on being returned to his carrier.
He was offered the gun some years ago but declined. Word is that Barbara won't let him keep a handgun, although he's hunted with shotguns. Who knows?
Anyway, those guns certainly saw action. Soon after Midway, it was the norm for USN and USMC aviators.
By the 1960's, we had a bunch in the USAF, too, scrounged from the Navy until we got enough Combat Masterpieces. I worked many a shift with a Victory Model .38 in my holster.
Some were also known to have been used by the OSS.
S&W supplied over 568,000 to the British Commonwealth countries during WWII. Those used a shorter .38 cartridge, also used in their Webley and Enfield .38's. Those usually had five-inch barrels, but some with four and six-inch barrels were sent.
This the type gun he wore on a lanyard around his neck as he swam around those little islands trying to summon rescuers.
Being a future politician, he liked that the gun was from MA, his home state. Or, so I've read.
This is also the gun given by George Bush the Elder to a US submarine crew officer for fishing him out of the ocean after his Avenger torpedo bomber was shot down over Chi-Chi Jima, or whatever that island was called. The gun has survived in excellent condition and remains in the family of the submarine officer. Bush presumably drew a new one from Supply on being returned to his carrier.
He was offered the gun some years ago but declined. Word is that Barbara won't let him keep a handgun, although he's hunted with shotguns. Who knows?
Anyway, those guns certainly saw action. Soon after Midway, it was the norm for USN and USMC aviators.
By the 1960's, we had a bunch in the USAF, too, scrounged from the Navy until we got enough Combat Masterpieces. I worked many a shift with a Victory Model .38 in my holster.
Some were also known to have been used by the OSS.
S&W supplied over 568,000 to the British Commonwealth countries during WWII. Those used a shorter .38 cartridge, also used in their Webley and Enfield .38's. Those usually had five-inch barrels, but some with four and six-inch barrels were sent.
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