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Gun show find.... Astra 300 with capture tag!


WWIIBuff1945
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WWIIBuff1945

Was at a gun/collector show yesterday and found this Nazi marked Astra 300 rig with capture tag. The seller and I couldn't come to an agreement on the price but exchanged numbers if it didn't sell at the show. Well, last night he called and accepted my offer. A nice Astra was on my list of bring backs that I was looking for. I am trying to research the vet listed on the tag. It looks like an 8 digit service number is written inside the holster but I'm having trouble deciphering the numbers. I would appreciate other sets of eyes trying to figure it out!

The gun is in great shape and has the correct magazine and I believe holster. The tag would be a first for my collection as I usually get the full documents. There are a bunch of John T. Clarks that were in the service so if I can get his number identified it would be a great help. From what I read so far on the internet these are nice well made little pistols and great shooters. I plan on meeting up with him next week to finalize the deal.

 

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WWIIBuff1945

Not sure what RE 2228 - 46 means on the capture tag but the only 2228th listed in the Army is the 2228th Military Police. Maybe that was his unit??

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Beautiful! Are the grips original? The only reason I ask is because I have a late 50s/early 60s Astra, and the grips were broken. I picked up a replacement pair of Colt grips, and the grain, checkering & color are identical to yours.

 

Very nice find...a real beauty!

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WWIIBuff1945

Thanks. As far as I know they are original. From I have learned so far, the German's ordered them with wood grips. Are they supposed to be numbered to the gun?

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Thanks. As far as I know they are original. From I have learned so far, the German's ordered them with wood grips. Are they supposed to be numbered to the gun?

I honestly don't know. The Astra I have is a civilian model, and it originally came with white plastic grips, with the Astra logo. I thought it looked hideous, so I added the wood grips. I'm glad the plastic ones were broken...I don't feel bad about changing them!

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I searched through all 978 John Clark WWII enlistment records and came up with these possibilities. I looked for any John Clark or John T. Clark that had a serial number ending in the number "5" which is clearly identified on the holster marking. I'm inclined to think based on what I see on the marking that the one from Lawrence Tennessee that ends in a "25" is most likely you guy, but you can see the marking better in person than I. I'll let you decide. Once you think you have narrowed it down, we can do some further research on the person. Let me know.

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Also, I believe with some degree of certainty that this Marvin E. Keller is most likely the person that signed the Certificate. Notice he signed the Certificate, "1st Lt. Sig C", which I believes means Signal Corps. As you'll note in his picture, he's wearing Signal Corp identifiers.

 

Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134184839/marvin-edward-keller

 

Poppo joined the U.S. Army in Evansville, Indiana on 17 Jan 1941, fought during WWII and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

 

WWII Military Enlistment:

 

Name: Marvin E. Keller

Event Type: Military Service

Event Date: 17 Jan 1941

Event Place: Evansville, IN, USA

Race: White

Citizenship Status: Citizen

Birth Year: 1919

Birthplace: Indiana

Education Level: 2 years of high school

Civilian Occupation: Semiskilled chauffeurs and drivers, bus, taxi, truck, and tractor

Marital Status: Single, without dependents

Military Rank: Private

Army Branch: Field Artillery

Army Component: National Guard (Officers, Warrant Officers, and Enlisted Men)

Source Reference: National Guard

 

 

Immigration Passenger List:

 

Vessel Name: S.S. America

Class: Cabin

Departing: Bremerhaven, Germany

Departure Date: 11 May 1953

Arriving: New York, New York, USA

Arrival Date: 19 May 1953

* Marvin E. Keller, 33y, Male, Married, Military Orders, Born: IN

* Dollita A. Keller, 35y, Female, Married, Passport # 18743, Born: Georgia

* Ronald E. Keller, 9y, Male, Single, Passport # 18743, Born: Georgia

* Alan G. Keller, 6y, Male, Single, Passport # 18743, Born: Georgia

* Angela C. Keller, 5y, Female, Single, Passport # 18743, Born: Georgia

Family Residence: Butler, Taylor Co., GA

 

** The above record reflects the return of the family to the U.S. after Poppo was stationed in Germany for several years.

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Great find. I have had a few of these, the 300 and the 600 over the last 40 years and the grips look fine to me. Never had one with Waffenampt markings. Nice. John T. Clark's serial/service number is for a officer. 0-39963825, is what I make out. No John T. Clark graduated from West Point for that time era. So far that is all I can find. You can go to the Register of Officers for 1945, but if he is not Regular Army it will be tough. That organization number is a real brain twister. Don't laugh, but it may be Rear Echelon phone number. I have some bring back tags around here somewhere but can't find them. Always like a challenge but it seems odd John T. Clark does not have his rank as a prefix. I might add that I had a Astra 600 blow up in my hand due to my assembling it wrong. Yours is to nice to shoot. Maybe I can find more.

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WWIIBuff1945

I searched through all 978 John Clark WWII enlistment records and came up with these possibilities. I looked for any John Clark or John T. Clark that had a serial number ending in the number "5" which is clearly identified on the holster marking. I'm inclined to think based on what I see on the marking that the one from Lawrence Tennessee that ends in a "25" is most likely you guy, but you can see the marking better in person than I. I'll let you decide. Once you think you have narrowed it down, we can do some further research on the person. Let me know.

 

WoW Matt! Thanks for going through all 978 records! I hope that didn't take up too much of your time!

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WWIIBuff1945

Great find. I have had a few of these, the 300 and the 600 over the last 40 years and the grips look fine to me. Never had one with Waffenampt markings. Nice. John T. Clark's serial/service number is for a officer. 0-39963825, is what I make out. No John T. Clark graduated from West Point for that time era. So far that is all I can find. You can go to the Register of Officers for 1945, but if he is not Regular Army it will be tough. That organization number is a real brain twister. Don't laugh, but it may be Rear Echelon phone number. I have some bring back tags around here somewhere but can't find them. Always like a challenge but it seems odd John T. Clark does not have his rank as a prefix. I might add that I had a Astra 600 blow up in my hand due to my assembling it wrong. Yours is to nice to shoot. Maybe I can find more.

 

Thanks for your help Legion. That serial number doesn't show up in the National Archives but I think that is for enlisted men only. Where do I find the register of Officers?

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WWIIBuff1945

Also, I believe with some degree of certainty that this Marvin E. Keller is most likely the person that signed the Certificate. Notice he signed the Certificate, "1st Lt. Sig C", which I believes means Signal Corps. As you'll note in his picture, he's wearing Signal Corp identifiers.

 

Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134184839/marvin-edward-keller

 

Poppo joined the U.S. Army in Evansville, Indiana on 17 Jan 1941, fought during WWII and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

 

WWII Military Enlistment:

 

Name: Marvin E. Keller

Event Type: Military Service

Event Date: 17 Jan 1941

Event Place: Evansville, IN, USA

Race: White

Citizenship Status: Citizen

Birth Year: 1919

Birthplace: Indiana

Education Level: 2 years of high school

Civilian Occupation: Semiskilled chauffeurs and drivers, bus, taxi, truck, and tractor

Marital Status: Single, without dependents

Military Rank: Private

Army Branch: Field Artillery

Army Component: National Guard (Officers, Warrant Officers, and Enlisted Men)

Source Reference: National Guard

 

 

Immigration Passenger List:

 

Vessel Name: S.S. America

Class: Cabin

Departing: Bremerhaven, Germany

Departure Date: 11 May 1953

Arriving: New York, New York, USA

Arrival Date: 19 May 1953

* Marvin E. Keller, 33y, Male, Married, Military Orders, Born: IN

* Dollita A. Keller, 35y, Female, Married, Passport # 18743, Born: Georgia

* Ronald E. Keller, 9y, Male, Single, Passport # 18743, Born: Georgia

* Alan G. Keller, 6y, Male, Single, Passport # 18743, Born: Georgia

* Angela C. Keller, 5y, Female, Single, Passport # 18743, Born: Georgia

Family Residence: Butler, Taylor Co., GA

 

** The above record reflects the return of the family to the U.S. after Poppo was stationed in Germany for several years.

 

Great research Matt. Thanks!

 

 

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The Germans made a holster for Astra 600 "dkk 44" WaA 195. A copy of the letter dated 17 August 1941 from Astra Factory to the German firm Sudost Handlegesellschaft von Ramin for delivery of 6.000 ASTRA MODEL 300 pistol can be found page 212 GERMAN PISTOLS & HOLSTERS by Lt.Col Rob. Whittington III, 1981. On page 214, Astra Model 300 in 9mm short, SN 566860 was one of 3,500 pistol delivered to the Heerswaffenamt on 13 March 1943. ASTRA delivered a total of 63,000 Model 300 in 9mm Short (Kurz) and 22,300 in 7,65mm ( .32 Auto). Officer service numbers began with a "0"...if Clark was enlisted his Laundry number would have been C-3825. You can google US ARMY REGISTER OF OFFICERS 1945 and get all kinds of info to make your head swim. I need a drink. Bill

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I am 99% sure that service number is 39963825. Even though "O" would designate an officer, the number is too long. 39963825 is a Selective Service number for a draftee from the US Ninth Service Command area. You can google WWII US Ninth Service Cmd. and get the states that it encompassed. Not all enlisted men show up on the website shown above. So the search continues.

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WWIIBuff1945

Thanks guys. I just knew it was going to tough finding this vet. Maybe he traded the holster with another soldier who had a different gun so that their pistols fit better in them. Who knows!

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