kanemono Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 This Bolo Mauser with stock and Chinese dagger were both brought home by Petty Officer Third Class George Pradarits Jr. who was assigned to the destroyer USS Waller for duty with the Yangtze River Patrol Force. Waller entered Shanghai with the first allied naval units on September 19, 1945. Two weeks later, off the China coast, Waller single-handedly immobilized a Japanese suicide boat garrison and assisted Chinese authorities in disarming 2,700 former enemy soldiers near the city of Tringhai. The "Kamikaze" unit surrendered its arms to a Waller landing force of 21 men who kept the Japanese busy all night carrying ammunition and removing explosive charges from 87 suicide boats. A few days later, on October 9, 1945 Waller struck a mine while returning to Shanghai in the Yangtze River. Twenty-two men were injured, including Pradarits who suffered a broken arm, the ship received structural damage that required dry-docking in Shanghai. George spent quite a bit of time in Shanghai while the Waller was being repaired. This Bolo Mauser with a Chinese holster stock is marked to the Shanghai Police Force in Chinese on the left side of the barrel extension. The dagger is a Nationalist Chinese officers dagger with extensive enamel decoration. George told me that the Bolo Mauser was part of the cache of weapons captured from the Japanese "Kamikaze" unit. He said the Captain of the Waller allowed sailors to liberate souvenirs from the pile of captured weapons. Link to post Share on other sites
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Old Marine Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Those are spectacular bring backs. Thanks for posting them. Link to post Share on other sites
268th C.A. Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Wow! No kidding! Thats one nice little group, I wonder how he liberated that! If it could talk....Nice post! Pvt. James H. Honey 1st Md. Eastern shore Vol. Inf. Co. D (union) Gettysburg Pvt. George Eddie Lear 26th Inf. Co.H 1st Div .(WW1) P.H. WIA Cpl. Richard Elsea 268th C.A. Bn. Battery A. WW2 SSgt. Grant Elsea 314th Inf. Hq.Co. I.R.79thDiv. WW2 Cpl. Harry Lawrence Butler Jr 23rd Regt. WIA Korea Lt. George Olin Tilghman 111th MG. 29th Div. WW1 DIS France 1919 Link to post Share on other sites
easterneagle87 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Very nice dagger!! I "primarily" collect Gulf War 1 patches. All branches (USA, USAF,USN, USMC & USCG) and ALL Countries..US - Op.'s Desert Shield / Storm / Provide Comfort /Some Southern Watch - F-4G's Wild WeaselsUK - Op.'s Granby / Sabre / WardenCanadian - Op. Desert Storm / Op. FrictionFrench - Daguet / AconitNetherlands, Belgium, Poland, South Korea, etc.Looking for the oddities, including unfinished & flawsI HAVE EXTRA's!! Will trade as well. Link to post Share on other sites
11thcavsniper Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 What a score. Both the Mauser and the Dagger are fabulous! Then everything else that came with it. Thanks for sharing. Link to post Share on other sites
Dirk Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Very nice! Always looking for items associated with the China Marines! Visit chinamarine.org Link to post Share on other sites
beerdragon54 Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 This is freaking awesome!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to post Share on other sites
nkomo Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 Stellar! Always looking for US and foreign militaria from the Central American wars circa 1970-1990 Link to post Share on other sites
Garandomatic Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 Lovely Looking for the following: 452nd and 447th Bomb Group items Anything 12th Armored- especially uniforms 155th Assault Helicopter Company, Camp Coryell, or Ban Me Thuot Vietnam items[/center]WWII US Navy Uniforms from the Battle Off Samar: USS Johnston DD-557, USS Hoel DD-553, USS Samuel B. Roberts DE-413, USS Heermann DD-532, USS Dennis DE-405, USS John C. Butler DE-339, USS Raymond DE-341, USS Fanshaw Bay St. Lo, White Plains, Kalinin Bay, Kitkun Bay and Gambier Bay... Link to post Share on other sites
The Meatcan Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 Major score! Fantastic items. Terry to all who have served! Link to post Share on other sites
Ronnie Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 Very nice grouping. Ronnie Link to post Share on other sites
katieony Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 What a great group...thank you for sharing the images and story! Link to post Share on other sites
Paulruss Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 Outstanding! Link to post Share on other sites
badash5946 Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 Absolutely incredible as well as historical grouping. Museum worthy. Collector of Vietnam and Korean War Sniper Weapons Link to post Share on other sites
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