Jump to content

Becker & Hollander Beholla Pistol Bring Back


WWIIBuff1945
 Share

Recommended Posts

Private Adrien L’Heureux brought back a Becker & Hollander Beholla pistol from the war. I never heard of these pistols that were used as a secondary side arm by the German Army during WW1. Unfortunately, not much history on the vet was uncovered by my friend Matt.

IMG_4000.JPG

IMG_3999.JPG

IMG_4001_1.JPG

IMG_4233(1).JPG

a1b.jpg

a1.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He was actually a Private First Class, and enlisted on 2/25/44 at Ft. Devens, MA.  His ASN is 31452628.  He was discharged on 5/4/46.  You now have everything you need to request his service record from NARA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Blacksmith!! I had his online record but it shows him as a private. Are you looking at some other record elsewhere?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Greginva said:

That’s not a common find...I don’t think I’ve ever seen one before.  Very nice!

Thanks!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also the officer that signed the paper is from the 302nd Signal Operations Battalion so the soldier possibly may have served in that unit but often more than not the signing officer and individual may have been not associated. 

 

UNIT HISTORY

Constituted on 29 July 1921 in the Organized Reserves, the 302d Signal Battalion was organized and outfitted in January 1922 at New York, New York. After the United States entered World War II, the battalion was redesignated the 302d Signal Operation Battalion on 8 December 1942, and ordered into active military service on 23 February 1943 at Camp Swift, Texas under Fifth Headquarters, Special Troops, Third Army. The battalion arrived at Avonmout, England on 9 March 1944, and was assigned to First United States Army Group (FUSAG), which was later renamed 12th Army Group under General Omar Bradley. Between D-Day and VE Day, the battalion supported the Third Army and General Patton’s dash across France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany through five campaigns, receiving battle streamer credit for the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns. The 302d was the first US Army signal battalion to occupy Heidelberg, Germany in support of 12th Army Group during the initial phase of occupation and was later deactivated on 1 June 1946. The battalion was redesignated the 302d Signal Heavy Construction Battalion on 8 January 1947, and activated in Louisville, Kentucky on 17 January 1947. The battalion later moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and remained there until 5 September 1950. The battalion was redesignated the 302d Signal Aviation Construction Battalion on 16 April 1951, and activated at Frederick, Maryland on 18 April 1951 and remained active there until 20 February 1963. The 302d Signal Battalion was reactivated on 14 July 1969 in Bangkok, Thailand and supported operations in Southeast Asia through 30 June 1971 as part of 29th Signal Group, US Army Strategic Communications Command. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, the battalion was reactivated in Karlsruhe, Germany and assumed the missions of the 160th Signal Brigade. The battalion was awarded the national streamer for Cold War Engagement from the Federal Republic of Germany in 1994, and deactivated later that same year on 15 September 1994 in Stuttgart, Germany. The 302d Signal Battalion was reactivated on 16 October 2003 at Ft. Detrick, Maryland as part of the 21st Signal Brigade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, doyler said:

Also the officer that signed the paper is from the 302nd Signal Operations Battalion so the soldier possibly may have served in that unit but often more than not the signing officer and individual may have been not associated. 

 

UNIT HISTORY

Constituted on 29 July 1921 in the Organized Reserves, the 302d Signal Battalion was organized and outfitted in January 1922 at New York, New York. After the United States entered World War II, the battalion was redesignated the 302d Signal Operation Battalion on 8 December 1942, and ordered into active military service on 23 February 1943 at Camp Swift, Texas under Fifth Headquarters, Special Troops, Third Army. The battalion arrived at Avonmout, England on 9 March 1944, and was assigned to First United States Army Group (FUSAG), which was later renamed 12th Army Group under General Omar Bradley. Between D-Day and VE Day, the battalion supported the Third Army and General Patton’s dash across France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany through five campaigns, receiving battle streamer credit for the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns. The 302d was the first US Army signal battalion to occupy Heidelberg, Germany in support of 12th Army Group during the initial phase of occupation and was later deactivated on 1 June 1946. The battalion was redesignated the 302d Signal Heavy Construction Battalion on 8 January 1947, and activated in Louisville, Kentucky on 17 January 1947. The battalion later moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and remained there until 5 September 1950. The battalion was redesignated the 302d Signal Aviation Construction Battalion on 16 April 1951, and activated at Frederick, Maryland on 18 April 1951 and remained active there until 20 February 1963. The 302d Signal Battalion was reactivated on 14 July 1969 in Bangkok, Thailand and supported operations in Southeast Asia through 30 June 1971 as part of 29th Signal Group, US Army Strategic Communications Command. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, the battalion was reactivated in Karlsruhe, Germany and assumed the missions of the 160th Signal Brigade. The battalion was awarded the national streamer for Cold War Engagement from the Federal Republic of Germany in 1994, and deactivated later that same year on 15 September 1994 in Stuttgart, Germany. The 302d Signal Battalion was reactivated on 16 October 2003 at Ft. Detrick, Maryland as part of the 21st Signal Brigade.

Thanks for the info!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To build on what my esteemed colleague Doyler noted, you need to understand how rotations home often worked. 

 

When a GI had enough points to go home, he may very well have been transferred to some unit that was “going home”, so he may have only been in that unit for administrative purposes. 

 

An example - example only - he may have been in the 100th Division for the war, then got orders home and was then reassigned to the 302nd Signal Battalion as they were going home and he was attached to them for administrative purposes only. 

 

So he picks up a pistol as a member of the 100th Division, sits on it and keeps it from January 1945 until he is ready to go home in November 1945, November 1945 rolls around and he is getting processed out and needs a capture certificate to get the gun legally home, so since he is now in the 302nd Signal Battalion, it is an officer from THAT unit who signs the paper.

 

Who knows, he could well have been in the 302nd Signal Battalion for the duration of the war. Or maybe not, as I have noted. His records are a must to know for sure.

 

Nice find by the way!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Totally agree with your statement. About a third of my bring backs have the officer of his original outfit signing the papers.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...