Victory Database Addition

[UFGator]

Not sure where to put this.....974756 shipped 5/11/1942 to U.S. Maritime Commission, San Francisco, CA. Shipped with 4' bbl., brush finish, walnut grips. One-hundred units in the shipment @ $24.50 each.

Interestingly, my father was initially IN the US Maritime Service in WWII, "The Forgotten Service," before joining the US Navy. He was a gunnery instructor at the base in St. Petersburg, FL. His students were all Russians who were being trained for their transports. He taught the M1911, the TSMG and the Lewis MG.

U.S. Maritime Service: the Forgotten Service

Pics coming.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Not sure where to put this.....V974756 shipped 5/11/1942 to U.S. Maritime Commission, San Francisco, CA. Shipped with 4' bbl., brush finish, walnut grips. One-hundred units in the shipment @ $24.50 each.

Interestingly, my father was initially IN the US Maritime Service in WWII, "The Forgotten Service," before joining the US Navy. He was a gunnery instructor at the base in St. Petersburg, FL. His students were all Russians who were being trained for their transports. He taught the M1911, the TSMG and the Lewis MG.

U.S. Maritime Service: the Forgotten Service

Pics coming.

That high a serial number did not have a V prefix. I suspect you inadvertently added it.

 

[UFGator]

Damn! Yes, inadvertent, thanks for the correction. I was excited to get the letter and get the info out here. My apologies. I'll see if I can edit.

 

[ordnanceguy]

0132:

Thanks very much for giving us this info from your factory letter. I have just added it to the Victory Model Database.

Does the letter say that the finish was "Sandblast Blue", "Midnight Black" or "brushed blue"? All of those descriptive terms are found on Victories listed in the Database that are within 1000 numbers of your serial.

 

[UFGator]

I copied the letter, it says "brush finish." Nothing else.

 

[UFGator]

Pics added.

 

[Absalom]

Very nice gun that appears all original. Another early-war specimen that made it through four years of war without getting its make-up messed up

I had one like that which I sold some years ago, a V 121xxx that shipped to the Maritime Commission warehouse in Reading PA in early 1943. (See below)

These certainly did not get banged around in the gun locker of a Liberty ship crossing the oceans. Maybe got re-routed into the desk drawer of a manager for the duration.

 

[UFGator]

Thank you. I'm not sure what the Maritime Commission was up to exactly other than the Maritime Service which fell under it and was a pretty big organization. They actually had a square-rigger, The Joseph Conrad, at St. Pete used as a training ship. I don't get that. My father said the skipper was an ensign who was about 65 years old. I mean who else would have known how to run one of those things? He said the actual ship's company, wherever they got them, were some cut throats.

 

[Absalom]

In a nutshell, the US Maritime Commission was in charge of the emergency ship building program during WW II, most famously the Liberty ships, including getting all the supplies for that. The Maritime Service provided the crews.

If you want some dry reading, here is a link to their 1944 report

https://www.fmc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/REPORT_TO_CONGRESS_1944.pdf

 

[UFGator]

Thanks, fascinating.

 

[daveinseoul3160]

Good morning! New member, can I add another Victory to the database here? V500573. 4" .38. S&W Special with matching plain Jane grips. No US prop marks nor flaming bomb. 'P' proof on LH upper side. 'W' proof on butt. LH side below cyl release marked 'ISP.38'. I'm very interested in the history of this Victory, and have requested a letter from SWHS today. Will post updates once I receive. Thank you and I look forward to participating in the forum!

 

[Absalom]

Good morning! New member, can I add another Victory to the database here? V500573. 4" .38. S&W Special with matching plain Jane grips. No US prop marks nor flaming bomb. 'P' proof on LH upper side. 'W' proof on butt. LH side below cyl release marked 'ISP.38'. I'm very interested in the history of this Victory, and have requested a letter from SWHS today. Will post updates once I receive .....

Welcome and thanks for posting! Your gun should letter as shipped in early 1944.

With the W on the butt (which is not a proof as far as we know) and the ISP marking (the 38 likely being the gun‘s inventory number), the destination of the gun per the history letter will be of particular interest. Definitely update us here!

 

[daveinseoul3160]

Welcome and thanks for posting! Your gun should letter as shipped in early 1944.

With the W on the butt (which is not a proof as far as we know) and the ISP marking (the 38 likely being the gun‘s inventory number), the destination of the gun per the history letter will be of particular interest. Definitely update us here!

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm attempting to post pictures, if I can defeat technology. . I believe I now see a faint flaming bomb 'proof' struck over/under the V in the SN. Agree the 38 would be an inventory # (38 just being dumb luck). The 'W' marking and SN range make me hopefully optimistic . More to follow, and thank you again!

 

[ordnanceguy]

Good morning! New member, can I add another Victory to the database here? V500573.

Hello Dave:

Thanks for providing the data on your interesting Victory. It will be added to the Victory Model Database. I will look forward to hearing what the factory letter reveals.

The ISP. 38 marking is one that was applied post-factory. I agree that the 38 is probably an inventory or rack number. The ISP mark's precise meaning has not been established to a certainty, but the evidence leans heavily in favor of either Illinois State Police or Illinois State Prison. I anticipate that your revolver will likely letter as having shipped to the Illinois State Armory in early 1944.

HTH. Good luck.

 

[daveinseoul3160]

Thank you Mr Flick. Still holding out hope for the elusive OSS connection, but I’m thrilled with the revolver regardless. Patiently waiting by the mailbox...

I’ve read several threads regarding the ISP markings, and most reference either Illinois or Indiana LE. This particular Victory was purchased through a dealer in Idaho, so I’m curious if there’s a possible connection. Dealer had no additional info. Thanks for all the great history and database; you guys make collecting that much more fun!

 

[antique41]

Another Victory

This is my Victory that I mentioned in another thread(I've got a screw loose).The SN is V399528. This is repeated on the rear of the cylinder and under the barrel. It is marked Smith & Wesson on one side of the barrel and 38 S & W Special Ctg. on the other. The rear of the cylinder is also marked with the letter V and the letter S. The top strap is marked with a flaming bomb, U.S. Property and the letters G.H.D.. It retains most of the finish, the original plain grips and the lanyard swivel.

 

[utdutt]

I've got a Victory Model M&P, ser# V622896, belonged to my Great Uncle who served as the Police Chief in Athens, TN, based on holster wear I believe this was his service pistol. He also served in the Pacific during the war. Looking for the date of mfg?

 

[Absalom]

I've got a Victory Model M&P, ser# V622896, belonged to my Great Uncle who served as the Police Chief in Athens, TN, based on holster wear I believe this was his service pistol. He also served in the Pacific during the war. Looking for the date of mfg?

Mid-summer 1944, likely June or July.

Does it have US PROPERTY GHD on the topstrap? If yes, it was military, and your great uncle got it as surplus somehow. If not, it was a DSC contract gun and likely shipped directly to the police department.

Ship dates are a bit odd that late in the war. I have one in the vicinity, a V 626-, that didn‘t ship until a year later, also to a police dept.

If this were my great uncle‘s gun, I‘d spend the money on a history letter, at least if the gun is not US-property stamped

Letter Process – Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation

 

[opoefc]

S&W Trivia: After WW2 a scrap yard of Victory Ships was established at Vallejo, CA and 100s of these ships were sent there for dismantling for scrap. Many of these ships still had their "gun lockers" undisturbed and full of small arms, including Victoru models, which soon found their way to the streets of San Francisco