WWIIBuff1945 Posted March 11, 2021 Share #1 Posted March 11, 2021 PFC Albert Landurant brought home this all matching (including mag) Russian TT-33 Tokarev. He was a member of the 450th Engineer Company. He enlisted in 1939 and was discharged in 1945. He passed in 1989 at age 69. I sure would love to have the story behind the gun. I'm having trouble finding much info on the 450th. I noticed a 2nd Army patch on the right shoulder of his Class A jacket. The Russian bring backs are tough to find and this fills a hole in my bring back collection. I know the finish is gone but that doesn't bother me at all. Its probably rare to find an all matching Tokarev from WWII. You can see that the gun was stored in the Modified French 1892 Lebel Revovler Holster for sometime as the slide serrations are grooved into the leather. Much thanks to Matt from the group for all the great information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCapturephotos Posted March 11, 2021 Share #2 Posted March 11, 2021 Wonder if the 460th was one of the units along the Elbe who met up with the Russians? Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWIIBuff1945 Posted March 11, 2021 Author Share #3 Posted March 11, 2021 Paul, I sure would like to know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted March 12, 2021 Share #4 Posted March 12, 2021 I had an uncle that served in the 7th Armored Division in WWII and part of his souvenir group was an enameled Russian cap star and medals. He told me that he took them from German soldiers that probably took them from the Russians as souvenirs. Maybe that's what happened with your pistol too. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWIIBuff1945 Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share #5 Posted March 12, 2021 Definitely a possibility Mike. I'm also wondering if the 450th was near the Elbe River when we met the Russians? It could of been traded with one of them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 12, 2021 Share #6 Posted March 12, 2021 That's a great pickup! I'm betting he took this from a German rather than a Soviet soldier. Losing one's sidearm...even if it was traded with an "ally" would have resulted in a bad outcome for the Russian. Plenty of Germans took souvenirs though, and then those were "liberated" back to the Allied side by US forces. Regardless...great piece!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntssurplus Posted March 12, 2021 Share #7 Posted March 12, 2021 https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/eng/0450enco.htm Nice find! Link shows their campaigns they participated in. Looks like they were in it from the beginning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awm Posted March 12, 2021 Share #8 Posted March 12, 2021 I visited with a WWII veteran who also brought one back. He explained that a Russian soldier had fired at him, so he went after him, had an altercation, and took the pistol from him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWIIBuff1945 Posted March 13, 2021 Author Share #9 Posted March 13, 2021 Thanks guys!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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