"My Mom Bought Me a .45 To Use on IWO JIMA" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_lNTFi4twxo !
"My Mom Bought Me a .45 To Use on IWO JIMA"
- Thread starter Onty
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Pistolay
Contributing Member
That's a cool story.
HighRoadRover
Member
Good for his Mom. 1911s were issued to officers and individual soldiers or Marines who were assigned to crew served weapons (machineguns, mortars, etc.) and probably to others, but not everyone. But a 1911 could be a good thing to have in a battle, so lots of them were "acquired" one way or another.
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That sort of thing happened occasionally up through Vietnam, maybe more often than we will ever know. I read about one guy who used a Marlin 444 in Vietnam. Somehow, he managed to get ammo for it.
I have friends who served at various times in the Middle East from 1991 up through 2005. They were able to acquire a lot of unauthorized weapons that they used after getting there. But they weren't able to bring them back. When they rotated home they left them to someone else.
I have friends who served at various times in the Middle East from 1991 up through 2005. They were able to acquire a lot of unauthorized weapons that they used after getting there. But they weren't able to bring them back. When they rotated home they left them to someone else.
Valkman
Member
Very cool story.
jar
Contributing Member
Cool story but the price of a 1911 in 1943 was under $40.00. Even in the 1950s they were still under $50.00 new.
Dave DeLaurant
Contributing Member
Great story!
Yeah, even $75 was quite a markup for the 1940s. Here's a Stoeger ad from 1930, the height of the Great Depression:
Supply and demand though -- the gun companies weren't selling many new firearms to civilians during wartime.
We've all seen some pretty bizarre mark-ups on guns during the recent Pandemic.
Yeah, even $75 was quite a markup for the 1940s. Here's a Stoeger ad from 1930, the height of the Great Depression:
Supply and demand though -- the gun companies weren't selling many new firearms to civilians during wartime.
We've all seen some pretty bizarre mark-ups on guns during the recent Pandemic.
22250Rem
Member
I'm assuming it was a 1911, because back then a lot of marines just called them "Colt 45's"..... They were 45 caliber and mostly Colt made. I learned that in the early 1960's when I had a dart gun copy of a Colt 1911 that shot those plastic darts with suction cups on the ends, and one of my uncles, who had been a Marine in the Pacific, called it a "Colt 45". Then; in later years I heard the same thing from some other WW2 veterans, most of whom, like my uncle, had little to no handgun experience prior to the military. 45 cal. & made by Colt = Colt 45.
redneck2
Member
For a long time I had a Colt 1911 that my neighbor carried as a dive bomber pilot in the pacific. Gave it to my best friend’s son. Nearly new condition. Still had original issue ammo in the mag
My cousin was a driver for a Colonel in Vietnam. When he arrived he bought a Thompson off a guy that was coming home. This was early in the war and AR’s were considered unreliable. He sent a picture of him holding the Thompson standing beside the Jeep.
From what he said, at that time you could pretty much use whatever was available depending on your situation. Dunno
My cousin was a driver for a Colonel in Vietnam. When he arrived he bought a Thompson off a guy that was coming home. This was early in the war and AR’s were considered unreliable. He sent a picture of him holding the Thompson standing beside the Jeep.
From what he said, at that time you could pretty much use whatever was available depending on your situation. Dunno
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Dave DeLaurant
Contributing Member
Ian shares some wartime defense contract pricing toward the end of this video:
www.youtube.com
M1911A1: America's Definitive World War Two Pistol
Get Entered to WIN this legendary WW2 Remington Rand M1911A1!https://go.getenteredtowin.com/forgottenweaponsDEADLINE to ENTER is 06/28/24 @ 11:59pm (PST). Th...
www.youtube.com
4v50 Gary
Moderator Emeritus
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Was reading about a WW II GI cameraman in Adak (Alaskan Island) who was made to carry a weapon. As he could not get a 1911 and had to carry a rifle, he wrote home asking that item in the top drawer (a .32) be sent to him.
It was delivered by the mail. Neato, but no bullets. He wrote again asking for the 32 shorts. Remember, GI mail is censored so he couldn't write and say bullets. Next package he received were his civvy shorts (underwear).
The GI cameraman kept carrying the rifle.
It was delivered by the mail. Neato, but no bullets. He wrote again asking for the 32 shorts. Remember, GI mail is censored so he couldn't write and say bullets. Next package he received were his civvy shorts (underwear).
The GI cameraman kept carrying the rifle.
ADKWOODSMAN
Member
Acquired my pistol permit in 6/68. The vietnam war was hot and heavy. This was pre gun control act 1968. Covered all small gun shops I could find in upper NYS and Vermont trying to find a S&W .357 revolver. The store owners said many pistols were purchased by guys for Vietnam.
lemaymiami
Member
My Dad had a snub nosed 38 that he took to Vietnam for his two tours there (he was an officer - but I have no idea whether it was authorized or not). His first tour in 1965 he was in civilian clothes living in Saigon, his second tour was in 1969 to 70 in uniform... If he ever needed it or actually used it - he'd have never told the family at all... He was a very quiet guy about work matters (and one hell of an engineer in my estimation...). He'd tell an occasional funny story about his early years ( he "volunteered for the draft" in 1942 and did a 28 year career...). Wish he were still around.
During my short tour in '71 I was able to acquire a very short barreled 12. ga pump shotgun, believe it was a Stevens from memory, to have aboard the jeep when going here or there in the north country. It needed an extractor and a few other small parts that my Dad was able to send me. Thank heavens it was never used since I wasn't trained in its use and only wanted it on a whim... It wasn't until years later that I was able to learn enough to be really effective with a shotgun in a police setting...
During my short tour in '71 I was able to acquire a very short barreled 12. ga pump shotgun, believe it was a Stevens from memory, to have aboard the jeep when going here or there in the north country. It needed an extractor and a few other small parts that my Dad was able to send me. Thank heavens it was never used since I wasn't trained in its use and only wanted it on a whim... It wasn't until years later that I was able to learn enough to be really effective with a shotgun in a police setting...
Armybrat
Member
Just prior to when my Dad (an officer) shipped out from Fort Benning in December, 1944 to Strasbourg, France - just in time for The Bulge - my Grandpa gave him his old Colt Model 1903 to carry as a backup to his issued .45.
My brother owns it now.
My brother owns it now.
