Firearms and Military - Historical Interest

[GunnyGene]

I was invited to start a thread on this subject since there may be some members who have items of historical interest they may wish to share. I'll start it off with a couple pics taken by my father during his time in the USN from 1936-1960.

This one is some USS Astoria sailors getting some machine gun practice in the Far East during the Sino-Japanese Hostilities of 1937. Dad was ships company.

Pic of the USS Astoria (CA-34) leaving Long Beach in 1936. CA-34 saw significant action in WWII, but was eventually sunk during the Solomon's campaign in Aug '42. Dad was one of the survivors, and subsequently transferred to a destroyer running convoy escort in the N. Atlantic.

 

[John A.]

Thank you so much for sharing those pictures. I am glad to see them.

 

[MikeD]

Awesome. I look forward to seeing what pops up here.

My grandfather and was a SEABEE. Unfortunately I don't have much in the way of pics of them at that time.

 

[old mossy]

thanks for sharing gunny.great pics.

 

[GunnyGene]

I'll post one more a little more recent. DaNang 1965, running for the perimeter. I'm in the crowd someplace. Had a little dust up. Sure would like to see some stuff from others.

 

[LAZY EYED SNIPER]

Great thread Gunny!

Thank you for the pics...

 

[KentuckyWindage]

Very very cool thanks for sharing!

 

[GunnyGene]

Ok, one more. Can someone id the rifle this lady used to bag the bear? Taken in 1952 in Alaska.

 

[oli700]

8mm german mauser with a Mannlicher stock

 

[Tim4k5]

Cool idea for a thread....I'll try and get some of my Grandfathers things digitized in the next few weeks as I get to be more mobile. He spent WW2 as a radioman aboard the USS Heermann(DD532). One of our prized possessions is a small, leather-bound diary that he kept throughout the war...which was a huge no-no. It's amazing to read through clean pages, written by a calm hand, describing the boredom of life at sea and then to have several pages of barely legible scribblings that are only shown by researching the dates to correspond to places like Tarawa, Iwo Jima and Lehti Gulf. There is even a section were he mentions that they were serving as an escort for some ships heading to a tiny island called Tinian and whatever they were carrying was supposed to really change the war. Even being the person responsible for communications he knew not what it was, just that it was important.


As far as the rifle goes......oli may be right. My guess would be a surplus Lee-Enfield, as they were popular milsurp guns after the war. Although personally I would want NO part of a grizzly bear with a .303 :shock:

 

[LAZY EYED SNIPER]

Mannlicher Stutzen 6.5 mm?

 

[old mossy]

I'll post one more a little more recent. DaNang 1965, running for the perimeter. I'm in the crowd someplace. Had a little dust up. Sure would like to see some stuff from others.

need any air support gunny?
that's me getting my first ride as shotgun '67
ruff and tuff at 20yo. lol

 

[Tim4k5]

Nice pic Mossy. Is that an A-1 you are about to step into? Or is that a T-6?

 

[oli700]

I hope you can read it. This is the only thing I have digital, its PDF and I have no idea how to post it….so I took pictures of it, forgive me for the poor quality.
This is my great uncle Carl and my cousins Phil and Carl jr I was telling you guys about

My Grandpa was in submarines in the Pacific ….went on to work at Northrop and entering the Air Force when he worked on the flying wing which lead to stealth bombers and such. Had a Brig General status in the AF I believe it was technicality type thing due to the clearance he had to have with the Air Force to work on those projects. He knew Chuck Yeager and a lot of famous test pilots from the day……we have it all on vhs through a series of interviews my Aunt did with him …some pics but none in my possession.



1816 model L. Pomeroy 1837 stamp for the US. It’s been in my family since the Civil war, possibly longer. A lot of them started life as flint locks and were then captured by the CS and converted to percussion cap and handed back out. It is one of my most prized possessions and it’s the only firearm I own with a bayonet lug….

I come from a long line of war fighter, got family in the Middle East right now. Turns out I fight forest fires lol

 

[LAZY EYED SNIPER]

Good stuff oli!

Thanks for sharing...

 

[old mossy]

Nice pic Mossy. Is that an A-1 you are about to step into? Or is that a T-6?

A1D,,,,fitted side by side.

 

[old mossy]

a little hard to read,,,,but a great story Oli.
thanks for sharing.

 

[oli700]

Good stuff oli!

Thanks for shating...

dude, I had to quote that, never trust a fart my friend




and your welcome for sharing. I am very proud of my family and as you know I am will not let their sacrafices be for nothing. Phil ended up leaving his arm and his eye in Vietnam

 

[LAZY EYED SNIPER]

Damn, nice catch. Took me a minute to see it.



Their sacrifices will never be in vein as long as there are those to honor their memories...

 

[Tim4k5]

Nice pic Mossy. Is that an A-1 you are about to step into? Or is that a T-6?

A1D,,,,fitted side by side.

Nice.....The Skyraider is definitely one of my favorite planes, so completely out of place and outdated but by far the best tool for the job. Two thumbs up for your service!

Thanks for sharing Oli.....thats good stuff