Actions that make heroes

[BlueStateSaint]

Mods, if this one doesn't belong here, please move it to more appropriate digs.

Actions that make heroes

Medford man returns rare handgun to Medal of Honor winner



By Paul Fattig
Mail Tribune

A historic Colt .45-caliber, semi-automatic pistol stolen more than 30 years ago from a Medal of Honor winner in South Carolina has been returned to its rightful owner.

The gun and owner were reunited after a history buff in Medford, who bought the old handgun in an online auction last month, tracked down the retired Marine whose name is engraved on it.

"I knew if I found him and it was his gun, I couldn't keep it," said George Berry, 71, who knew little about the history of the gun when he purchased it from an auction house in Pennsylvania.

The story begins when Berry, a retired Navy warrant officer who also served in the Marine Corps, decided this summer to fulfill a lifelong dream of owning one of the historic handguns.

"I've always wanted to own a Colt Model 1911 .45 automatic — always wanted one," he says. "John Wayne had one in every World War II movie I've ever seen him in."

The story of how they met is pretty good.  Kudos to Mr. Berry for returning the handgun--mentioned in the citation for the Medal--to its' rightful owner.

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110808/NEWS/108080320

[Eupher]

Outstanding story.

The message is clear -- do the right thing, and that's sometimes the best thing that comes out of the experience -- but not always.

If you do the right thing, more often than not, you'll be rewarded far beyond what would have been. 

[Rugnuts]

"I've always wanted to own a Colt Model 1911 .45 automatic — always wanted one," he says. "John Wayne had one in every World War II movie I've ever seen him in."

wasnt the 1911 the ONLY handgun in american hands in WWII??

[ExGeeEye]

Nope.

Smith and Wesson Model 10 "Victory" was also issued.

I'm sure there were a couple of others, not counting 1911s produced under wartime license by other manufacturers.

Then there are the privately-owned guns that soldiers managed to carry along; I've read at least one account of a soldier from New York City that carried his father's or grandfather's NYPD revolver, and of course Patton had is ivory-handled revolvers

[DumbAss Tanker]

The Model 1917 Colts and S&Ws (Yes, same model number for both) were 'substitute standard' for the 1911 as well into WW2, both firing the same .45 ACP cartridge as the 1911, but using half-moon clips.

I have also seen the Colt 1903 in .32 ACP with 'U.S. Property' markings, which meant it was military issue, of course it would have been a senior officer's pistol.  Pretty sure I recall that Patton had a rather customized one of them, whether it was originally government issue or private purchase I don't know.

I believe some time during the Viet Nam War era, DOD made it definitively illegal to take a personal weapon into a war zone.  I certainly know of people who did in the earlier parts (Of course they may have been pushing the envelope a lot), but I've also heard from people that toward the end they were definitely not allowed to do it and the practice was heavily suppressed.

[Thor]

If I recall, Naval Aviators used a .38 of some type during WWII

[DumbAss Tanker]

If I recall, Naval Aviators used a .38 of some type during WWII

Believe that's what ExGeeEye was talking about, the S&W Model 10 "Victory" Model, aka the "M&P," a name S&W has recently resurrected for their current marketing.