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Group from widow of Veteran


Ronnie
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Ok I posted a photo of some flying helmets in the aviation section but came out to small. This time I just took photos with my iPad of the original photos. Maybe you can see this stuff ok. First how I came about it.

In 1992 my wife and I were visiting her parents for a weekend. My father in law knowing I liked Militaria invited me to me his neighbor who was a retired full bird Col. from the Air Force. Having served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. We visited do a while and then he said let me show you some stuff. He took us into a room with a large closet and opened the doors. The entire rack was filled with uniforms, flying jackets, flying suits, shirts etc. he reached on a top shelf and pulled a helmet bag down and withdrew the white helmet shown in the photos. He showed me an M3 trench knife and a 1911A1 with clear lucite grips made from the canopy of a downed German plane. Needless to say I was impressed. The next week I wrote hi. A thank you letter for showing me everything. Then somewhere around 2006, 2007 he died. It was around Thanksgiving when he passed. I struggled for months about calling the widow but just couldn't do it. Finally in Feb. of the next year my wife told me they had a son that lived in Jackson, MS. I decided to call him and see what if any plans they had for his gear. He was plenty nice and told me that they had already thrown some stuff out and he said his mom was going to throw the rest away sans anything the sons wanted. He contacted his mom and told her I was interested in buying the stuff and she called me and we made arrangements for me to come back there and work out some deal. I went on a Sat....no short distance away either and met her at 11:00 am. She took me to that room I had seen many years earlier. She had things lying on the bed. Tables and everywhere. She took me to another room and it was the same. Then she took me upstairs and I. A bedroom there were 3 U.S. marked Riot Shotguns and a Beretta pistol. Absent was the .45. When I asked about the .45 she said he eldest son wanted it. Then she took me down a hall and opened a door to an attic. There were 4 footlockers and 2 parachute bags. I opened one bag and saw flying helmets. Then I saw O-masks. Several O- mask were in plastic bags. One bag had 2 parachutes in it. I had to cut locks off of the footlockers but when I did they were packed full.there was no way to pull everything out and try and make a list. So I struggled with what to offer her. Finally settling on a price I threw it out at her...$2000.00. She didn't hesitate in second and came back at me with an additional 500 bucks. I actually had to think about it for about 10 minutes. I went next door to the Inlaws and discussed it with my wife, finally making the decision to buy it.

Almost one year to the day I received a call from her. She advised me that her son did not want the .45 pistol. Asked what I would give her and I said 1000 bucks. She said come and get it. I hope you can see this stuff.

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Photos.

Also when I went for the first visit with the widow we could not find the M3 trench knife.

Not pictured are the 4 footlockers, parachute bags, an M1 helmet with WWII we sty liner and a Mitchell pattern cover. Lots of paper work. Tons of insignia.

Oh and you can barely see them but those are all of his wings. Slick to Command Pilot.....nobody wanted anything. I got his medals too. Strange family.

Thanks.

Ronnie

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Also not pictured several flying suits....WWII to Vietnam. As well as uniforms. Old to new. Just lots and lots of stuff!

Ronnie

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Major find with great stuff.

 

What do you know about him ?

 

Any WW2 squadron patches ?

 

Close ups of the ribbon bars ?

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Manny An A2 and a couple of B15's were thrown away with some other items. I saw these jackets in 1992 but missed them by one week when they started to clean it all out. The A2 did not have any squadron patches and I honestly don't remember taking the B15's out of the closet. There was or is a box of patches but they are all WWII patches and a few post war.....again no loose Squadron patches. The only squadron patches are those on the jackets you see. I have pictures of him in his A2 and a crusher cap with his .45.

Some of this stuff has been sold.

Ronnie

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Great score! Congratulations. I collect WW2 shotguns. The three you have all look like Stevens Model 520-30 riot shotguns. Mine has serial number 43762. Any of yours close to that? The serial number is located on the front bevel of the trigger group. Thanks, Al

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BILL THE PATCH

Unbelievable, was this colonel a collector?, he had a little if everything. What a score. Well worth the money. Congrats

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Great score! Congratulations. I collect WW2 shotguns. The three you have all look like Stevens Model 520-30 riot shotguns. Mine has serial number 43762. Any of yours close to that? The serial number is located on the front bevel of the trigger group. Thanks, Al

Thanks Al. You have a good eye. They are all Stevens Riot guns. However I have already sold those and I didn't keep the serial numbers. I have some better photos that might show the numbers. The I will look and see.

Ronnie

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Unbelievable, was this colonel a collector?, he had a little if everything. What a score. Well worth the money. Congrats

Bill the patch....no he wasn't a collector of Militaria.....he just kept a lot of stuff he had been issued. He was somewhat of a gun collector. Having these 3 Stevens Riot guns. Several other shotguns and a hunting rifle as well as a Winchester Mod. 1892 deluxe rifle. I bought that for a friend. There was the NIB Browning Pistol and a captured German pistol from WWII with capture papers but I couldn't get it.

Thanks for the comments.

Ronnie

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My goodness, what a haul. Easily worth several times what you paid I'd say. What are the knives shown just below the shotguns? I remember as a kid those toy boats with electric outboard motors. Even those Camel cigarettes are neat.

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