Incredible USMC LT Colonel Nam Bring Back Weapons Grouping!

[WWIIBuff1945]

My friend decided to part with his amazing Vietnam bring back grouping and I was happy to add it to my collection. LT Colonel Joseph K. Griffis Jr, a 3 war vet, brought home a SKS & P38 pistol from Vietnam. He was an amazing man from what I have read about him. My friend met him in 1998 when he was walking around a local gun show carrying the SKS and with the P38 tucked inside the waist of his pants! No one was interested in the guns so my friend bought the pair and eventually became friends with the Colonel. He had the Colonel write up the story on how each bring back was acquired. Would you believe he even wrote down the quadrants on where they were taken! The LT Colonel that was carrying the P38 was a paymaster and 50 thousand in Vietnamese money was found in his briefcase. The homemade holster he had the P38 in at one time probably held a Nagant revolver because one fits perfectly in it and the cylinder imprint is still there. The P38 also fits perfectly in it. I have a lot of paperwork that comes with the group including bring back papers for each gun. I also have the Machete the Colonel was issued when he went through survival school. I have linked some great articles about the LT Colonel. He tried to join the Marines at age 15 and was rejected so he served in the Merchant Marines for a year before finally joining the Marines at 16 and served in the Pacific during WWII. He also served in Korea and 2 tours in Vietnam. What a badass! I am so fortunate to be the caretaker of this great grouping! Enjoy! I forgot to mention how strange it is that the sling buckle was cut down like it was!

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sunsentinel/name/joseph-griffis-obituary?pid=105320533

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34228844/joseph-k-griffis

http://aoundthescuttlebutt.blogspot.com/2010/03/lieutenant-colonel-joseph-k-griffis-jr.html

 

 

[Bryant U.]

Amazing grouping! Congrats. 

[WWIIBuff1945]

Thanks!!

[agate hunter]

Great grouping, that holster you have pictured looks like the typical south Vietnamese made ones sold at markets to service members and used by US and ARVN troops a lot.

[Tom Kibler]

Awesome 

[katieony]

An interesting group of bring backs with great provenance!

 

Mike

[Bluehawk]

Now that, is something...

[marineflyer]

Great items for a bring back from VN. Without divulging the Serial # can you tell me the number of digits9ie 1,2,3,4) and the suffix letter if any. I collected P38's for years and the BYF41 yo pictured is a valuable weapon by itself. So all the numbers match? including the breach block? I can't see the waffen amp on the right of the slide but is it whermacht or? Thanks for showing us these. Richard

[Dave T]

6 hours ago, marineflyer said:

Great items for a bring back from VN. Without divulging the Serial # can you tell me the number of digits9ie 1,2,3,4) and the suffix letter if any. I collected P38's for years and the BYF41 yo pictured is a valuable weapon by itself. So all the numbers match? including the breach block? I can't see the waffen amp on the right of the slide but is it whermacht or? Thanks for showing us these. Richard

Its a "byf 43"

[doyler]

Great pair of bring backs.

 

The holster for the P38 looks like one of the generic shop made holsters from Vietnam that were available for sale. Really a interesting addition as the holsters are typically seen worn by US or ARVN troops. First holster I have seen used with a documented bring back. Thanks for sharing them. 

 

 

[doyler]

Topic on the Vietnamese holsters

 

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/354469-what-a-buck-buys/

[marineflyer]

Sorry my eyes are getting old. Sure looked like a 41. But a 43 is still very interesting but not the same. Great bring backs from the VN war. I worked with some PF's when I was a FAC with 1/1 and they picked up some very unusual items along the way and this was  69 Aug thru Dec. Still like to know the suffix letter of the serial and the number of digits and if it was matched. Thanks for setting us straight I think I'll get my glasses changed. Richard

[WWIIBuff1945]

Guys thanks for all the nice comments! The info on the holsters was great!

Richard it is all matching and I sent you a PM.

[pwcosol]

17 hours ago, doyler said:

Topic on the Vietnamese holsters:

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/354469-what-a-buck-buys/

 

Nice thread. I like what looks like modified US sling adapted for use on the SKS. Also, posted my own Chinese T54 pistol in a Vietnamese "Cowboy Holster" to the link you provided...

[WWIIBuff1945]

Here are two pictures from the LTC's group. Some captured weapons he was somehow involved in when he served as an Advisor. It would be interesting to know where these were captured?