U.S. Navy Victory Model…The Rest of the Story. - FOLLOW UP ADDED!

2K7

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I purchased this S&W Navy marked Victory revolver along with the pilot holster from a local dealer about 2 years ago and the adventure began there. Amazingly enough, there was a name (Bert Morgan) and flight group (VT-1) still inked on the back of the strap. The revolver is the standard issue U.S.NAVY marked version.




The strap, clearly a riggers addition, holds 31 rounds...have no idea why 31.



After two years of researching military records, identifying the location(s) of VT-1 in WWII (carrier USS BENNINGTON by the way), I was able to contact some of the original surviving crew members. They were able to confirm AMM3 Morgan was indeed on the USS BENNINGTON and provided an "on deck" photo. He was the third crew member on an "Avenger". Planes from the USS BENNINGTON also helped sink the Japanese Battleship Yamato and also overflew the Japanese signing of the surrender onboard the USS MISSOURI.





The only other info they had was he was listed as a student/farmer from Aredale, Iowa. The wife and I saddled the Electra Glide and traveled to Iowa one weekend, just on the off chance we could find more info. After many "have you heard of" and "do you knows", we were able to locate AMM3 Morgan.





We were able to meet his wife and she supplied the "rest" of the story along with a photograph of her husband. Emotional day. As we rode back toward home, I couldn't help think how bittersweet this was. This chapter on my Victory Model and holster was closed, but more importantly, I came a little closer to a common man from Iowa that stepped forward one day when we needed him...and he flew into history.



Thought you might enjoy this story. Rarely do we get to tie the gun to the man. Makes it just a little more "special".
 
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2K7:

Neat revolver and great history. Thanks for posting.

BTW, what is the serial number on your nice Victory? (I'd like to add it to our Victory Model Database.)
 
Charlie,

Sent you a second pm with another one and pictures. Forum message says your message quota is to full to receive it until you delete a few.

Enjoy the pics.

Jed
 
Thank you for posting this, and Thank you ,AMM3 Morgan , for your service. Happy New Year all.
 
Aircrew. AMM= Aviation Machinists Mate 3rd Class. E-4. The guy in the back seat manning the gun or torpedo needed a sidearm just as much as the guy in the front seat driving.
 
Thanks for doing some outstanding research. Whenever we can link one of these old workhorses to the warriors who used them we are touching the face of the past. Good work!

Bob
 
Nice story!
Only thing I don't understand is what does a snipe need a revolver for?
Issue for aircrew. Besides self-defense (many preferred revolvers for reliability in a salt-water environment), but also (and perhaps primarily) for signalling; there was a tracer round issued for the revolver.
 
Aircrew. AMM= Aviation Machinists Mate 3rd Class. E-4. The guy in the back seat manning the gun or torpedo needed a sidearm just as much as the guy in the front seat driving.

One of the perplexing questions I had to ask as well, not being a Navy guy. Why would the guy that "wrenched" the plane need a revolver.

After speaking with "old crew" members from the USS BENNINGTON, they schooled me on the issue, damned fast!

AMM3 was the 3rd crew member on the plane and his position was facing backwards in the belly of the plane manning the rear machine guns just forward of the tail wheel.

 
From Wiki on the third crew-member, who was also the bombardier/radio operator:
"his gun was fired by the radioman/bombardier while standing up and bending over in the belly of the tail section, though he usually sat on a folding bench facing forward to operate the radio and to sight in bombing runs. Later models of the TBF/TBM dispensed with the nose-mounted gun for one .50 caliber gun in each wing per pilots' requests for better forward firepower and increased strafing ability. There was only one set of controls on the aircraft, and no access to the pilot's position from the rest of the aircraft. The radio equipment was massive, especially by today's standards, and filled the whole glass canopy to the rear of the pilot. The radios were accessible for repair through a "tunnel" along the right hand side."-- Grumman TBF Avenger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Enlisted rank didn't directly correlate to duties. For example, my father was an Aviation Metalsmith, but flew as a gunner in SBDs.
 
What a story…..great research,…. a great weapon, and rig…… that helped win WW2……Thank you AMM3 Morgan….for your service to this country……

Semper Fi!
 
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