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WW2 K98k Rifle Bringback


thorin6
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My father was a soldier in the 35th Infantry Division, and he brought back quite a few items from the war. Unfortunately, over the years before he retired, he sold off much of it to provide needed cash for a Captain with six kids. Fortunately, he passed what was left on to me, which include badges and insignia, as well as some of his US equipment. He's passed now, but when I used to visit him he would always ask me about this rifle, which I believe he picked up in France at some point in time, and based upon the badges and insignia he gave me from a Waffen SS soldier.

He joined the Nebraska National Guard in June 1940, and was mobilized in December 1940 as a medic in the 134th Infantry Regiment. They were to muster out in December 1941, but instead were sent to California to ship out to the Philippines. However, the lack of boats and fear of a Japanese invasion force sent them to the hills around Fort Ord. In September 1943 he finished OCS, and was assigned to the 320th Infantry Regiment (formerly the Arkansas National Guard). The 35th ID went to England and on the 6th of July, 1944, the 320 Inf Reg landed at Omaha Beach and the Division was eventually assigned to 3rd Army (Patton). My father was an infantry man in the heavy weapons battalion and led a section of 81 mm mortars until the end of September 1944. He moved up to Regimental level in the Service and Supply Company, and worked various jobs from Pioneer Platoon Leader to Graves Registration to Investigating Officer through the Battle of the Bulge. He often said that move most likely saved his life. Of 78 Regimental Officers assigned to the 320th, he was one of 14 still serving with the Regiment at the end of the war. After redeployment to the US he got out in 1946, but went back in in 1947, serving in the Signal Corps. He was in Korea 1952-53 as the Signal Officer for the 40th Infantry Division, and served in Vietnam 1967-68 as XO of the 2nd Signal Group, Nha Trang. He finally retired in 1970.

This rifle was brought back in his duffel bag and has the infamous duffel bag cut on the stock. It's 100% matching and in 98% condition, and includes the original sling. He passed it on to me in 1978 and I've had it ever since. It will go to my oldest son at some point in time. In the picture, the bayonet, and cleaning kit were purchased by me at a much later date, but the cleaning rod and the .22 subcaliber device came with the rifle. To the best of my knowledge, It's also the highest number rifle known to be produced by Erfurt in 1940.

That's him in my avatar.

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More pics please! Looks like a really nice rifle. The cleaning rod is a USGI set with what appears to be a K98 cleaning rod attached to the end.

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Nice rifle, I'm with iron bender, more fotos, date etc.

 

One slight clarification on the unit he was n WWII, the 320th Infantry was a reserve unit with the 80th Division right before WWII, it was allotted to The District of Colombia,the rst of the division was down in Virginia. When the 80th Division was reactivated in 1942, the 320th Inf was dropped from the division, divisions now being triangular, as a orphan regiment it then eventually is assigned to the 35th Infantry Division, 35th Inf Div formally of the NG in the Midwest to replace a regiment it lost in 1942 or so, I think the 140th Infantry, 140th Inf was of the Missouri NG.

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Regarding the 320th Infantry Regiment, the 35th Infantry Division gained and lost regiments before it moved to Europe. The 320th was led primarily by officers from Arkansas. I don't know how the Army decided who was put into what regiment at that time, but one can read Orville Farbus's (governor of Arkansas in the 50s) book on the 320th; he was in the Regimental Adjutant's office during the war.

 

I wish I had all my father's bring-backs; at one time he had a Luger, a 38 H Sauer, several daggers, a gravity knife, uniform items from the Waffen SS, and more. As I said, he sold a lot of the items (to include a couple of rifles and the pistols) to help the family finances in the late 50s and early 60s.

 

Here some more pictures of the rifle:

 

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As for all the other items, my father collected a lot of documents, pins, etc. Here are pictures of some of the badges and pins, as well as as some of the documents and a pair of binoculars. This isn't all the stuff, but probably the most interesting.

 

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While the 6x30 binoculars and the bakelite case are neat, the book on the left is titled "The Soldier's Friend" and has basic information about the SS and has a 1944 calendar inside (one page for two days). There are several entries, and the last day of writing is 9 June 1944. The manual in the middle is the Individual Soldiers manual with basic info for any Army soldier, as found in most any Army. Good information on the K98k rifle, drill, wear of the uniform, basic tactics, etc. The manual on the right is information on the US Army to include weapons, organization, uniforms, and tactics. Interesting on how much information the German's had right on our Army.

 

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Some great stuff, thanks again for additional photos.

 

 

Interesting on the officer corps of the 320th Infantry, no idea as to how or why a lot of native Arkansas born officers were found in it, as the army during WWII(Apart from the NG) is not a regional one, but having said that, the 320th would not of been affiliated with the Arkansas NG, even say these officers were originally in like the 153rd Infantry, that regiment was of the ARNG, and it might of gave up some of it's people, but on the other hand by the time the 320th was reactivated the 153rd Inf was up in Alaska

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Some great stuff, thanks again for additional photos.

 

 

Interesting on the officer corps of the 320th Infantry, no idea as to how or why a lot of native Arkansas born officers were found in it, as the army during WWII(Apart from the NG) is not a regional one, but having said that, the 320th would not of been affiliated with the Arkansas NG, even say these officers were originally in like the 153rd Infantry, that regiment was of the ARNG, and it might of gave up some of it's people, but on the other hand by the time the 320th was reactivated the 153rd Inf was up in Alaska

The only reason I know that the 320th had so many officers from Arkansas, is that in the 1950s and 1960s my father corresponded with quite a few of them, and at one time he was the president of the 35th Infantry Division Association.

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The only reason I know that the 320th had so many officers from Arkansas, is that in the 1950s and 1960s my father corresponded with quite a few of them, and at one time

Roger.

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  • 1 month later...
SGT CHIP SAUNDERS

NO EXPERT . This early rifle survived as original until capture . All matching numbers with provinance ?? 1800.00 for openers . The sling also in fine shape

 

The little rifle bolt looks like a cal.22 conversion unit, mostly complete

 

The badges and insignia . No clue

 

Bayonet and cleaning kit . 250.00 . and up

 

For myself, the presence of the duffle cut adds additional . interest . A superb weapon . any crates of Lugers around the house.??

 

 

My Dad left me a nice Beretta .32 . I treasure it

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My father had researched a number of the shoulder boards and tabs and some have his notations pinned on the back. At one time I looked up most of the items and had written them down in a notebook, but I'm not sure where the notebook is now. I know the Fallschimjager (not sure of the spelling) and the Flak badges are worth some money but I've never been interested other than for insurance purposes. All of these items will get passed on and I'll leave it up to my sons to research them if they have the interest.

As I said, there are other items, both European and US, that my father gave to me from WW@, Korea and Vietnam, and I'm sure that some items went to my older brother. My father was quite the packrat!

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  • 2 weeks later...

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