Navy victory with holster help

[Samurai1]

Hi,
I saw this navy victory pistol with holster and put it on hold at a lgs. The holster is marked with pilots name and service number? The name is F.B.Fondren - service number? 244598 . When I did a general search the pilots name comes up as a member of the Torpedo Squadron 86 (VT-86). . Plan on getting pistol letter but not sure how the research the service number any help would be appreciated I added pic of revolver/holster and information on pilot.

 

[Retired W4]

Great provenance on that Victory. A letter would only show that that revolver was shipped to one of the major Navy logistic depots. You have already discovered the trail beyond that first step. I would still get a letter.

IAW Pate, the U.S. Navy top strap marking was done during 1942-1943.

V261988 was shipped to USN Oakland on 3/20/43.

 

[MelvinWalker]

Very nice Victory....I love the way the grips fit the butt of the gun.

I had a marked 1911A1/holster set once and I had some luck by just Googling the name, Find-A-Grave and I then googled a son and daughter. I got a picture from the daughter.

I also did the exact thing with a WW2 Japanese flag that had been signed by a bunch of GI's..I googled many of them but they had fairly common names, but one had a really odd last name. He was still alive and he sent me copies of everything he had and a story about how he remembered signing the flag.

 

[quinn]

Great find and great work fleshing it out. I've never found a relevant marked holster but did find a police officer's name written inside the jigged bone grips on a Wolf & Klar 44. Managed to track him down through Newspaers.com. I've always thought that any starting point is the key. Congratulations. I love this kind of story.

 

[mojave30cal]

That is so cool. Nice find.