German items brought back

[rusl4]

My father lived at 1149 Arden Ave. in Atlanta across from Ft. McPherson during the war and had a paper route on the post, he was 10 at the end of the war. He has told me stories of how the troop trains would stop across the street from the post and when the soldiers would get off he and his friends would go on the trains and find items that were left or forgotten in their haste to be home. These items were found by him, Walther P38 and a medical backpack. Over the years many items were lost traded or thrown away he said, we will never know the story behind these. The P38 is all matching, the holster has a 44' date, the backpack is dated 1942, Berlin.

[USCapturephotos]

Super pieces and I love the story of how he acquired them.

Paul

[bellasilva]

Those are some pretty hard earned items to leave on a train..wow

[rusl4]

Yes they are, he told me he found a few helmets as well but over the years lost or traded them away.

Those are some pretty hard earned items to leave on a train..wow

 

[BROBS]

Very cool! especially the family history involved.

 

thanks for showing,

Brian

[gwb123]

Okay... not our normal GI bring back story, but we'll allow this.

 

A friend of mine started collecting militaria during WWII... he had a paper route which happened to end near a POW compound. Every now and then he would have an extra paper and he would throw it across the fence to the Germans inside. After awhile to show their appreciation they would throw back medals and badges... especially as the war came to its end.

[NGCoastArtillery41]

That medical tornister (back pack) sure is a beauty, that's one of the pieces missing in my German medical collection. That is a great way to start collecting, I wish we could still get some of those items like that today.

[patches]

Bet the guys who left these items thought it was no skin of their apple really, a dime a dozen right. Common, easly gotten again by trade or barter if they really wanted to get these or something similar back.

[rusl4]

Thanks all, esp. to the Admin.

[gwb123]

Bet the guys who left these items thought it was no skin of their apple really, a dime a dozen right. Common, easly gotten again by trade or barter if they really wanted to get these or something similar back.

 

I'm not so sure about that. Pistols were prized items.

 

In any case, losing a functioning firearm is pretty sloppy in any era.

[patches]

 

I'm not so sure about that. Pistols were prized items.

 

In any case, losing a functioning firearm is pretty sloppy in any era.

Maybe the pistol was contraband that the guy had no paper work on, and left it because of a shake down upon debarking from the train?

[katieony]

Interesting story and items...thank you for posting.

 

Mike

[JJEH]

Thanks for sharing.

[Martygraw]

Cool.

[sdh792]

What an interesting story. Thanks for sharing.

[maj1776]

WOW what a great story! I can't help but to wonder what helmets he may have had lol

[Michael Nicolaou]

I love the backpack! If you are interested in moving it send me an email : [email protected]

 

Thanks for posting these pieces!

[cplnorton]

My Grandpa was 5th Field Artillery in WW1. He had 5 German officer's surrender to him while he was scouting an area. They all gave him their German lugers and belts. He brought them all back home with him.

 

In the late 20's, early 1930's, he was moving from Texas to Tennessee. He had the five lugers in a tool box strapped to the side of a Model A. Between TX and TN, the box must of fell off or someone swiped it when he made a stop.

 

Either way, he lost five German Lugers somewhere on the trip.

 

So this stuff happened more than you think.

[Sarge8]

Can you imagine someone finding a gun at a train station today? The place would be shut down for days with Homeland Security going ballistic trying to find out how it got there. Ah, the good ol days.

[SFMike]

In the 60s airports were choked with service guys going and coming in all directions.

 

Even then it was funny to see the guys with slung SKS or Moisins as per rules of the time.

 

Ref the found pistol, alcohol may have paid a role. I was on a couple different troop trains and the debauchery was intense.

A bunch of GIs can be as foul a group of creatures imaginable. Lots of factors not readily fathomable to those who never bothered to serve.

 

Heavy drinking was common amongst WW2 vets.

I belong to local VFW and American Legion and grew up with those guys and their stories including my own family.

A lot of them died in car wrecks involving drinking.

[doyler]

I agree with Mike, booze was probably involved and items got left behind. In most cases as far as a shakedown this was done on board ship off the coast of the US. Most any vets I have ever talk to always said they had been given a choice do either turn in or get rid of items of questionable nature prior to Landing in the US. I have heard stories of things being tossed overboard or left on ship hidden as these vet's wanted no further delays in getting home.Also there were officers who would be more than willing to take the items for their own use.

 

I knew a 517th vet who stated they were given announcements several times about souvenirs with out paperwork or contraband. He had a Walther PPK he took out of a doctors house in Germany.He didn't have paper's on it.He didn't want to loose it so he hid it.

He took his canteen and getting a hack saw from a sailor he befriended he cut the bottom off the canteen, wrapped the pistol in wool socks and placed it in the canteen.He then put the cup over the canteen and made sure the set up didnt rattle.He said lots of others traded or gambled away items or threw things over board.After reaching port and getting constant warnings of being searched no searches were done.He just walked right off the ship.He would always have a smile on his facev when telling me this story.