Unit marked CZ 24 WWII War Trophy brought home by Sol Denmark who was a member of the 531st Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) Automatic Weapons Battalion. They were a United States Army unit that served in the European Theater during World War II. Activated at Fort Bliss, Texas, the battalion underwent extensive training in desert conditions as well as at Richmond Army Air Base and Fort Devens. The unit deployed to Europe and landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, during the Allied invasion of Western Europe. From there, it advanced with Allied forces, helping push through the heavily fortified Siegfried Line and into Germany. The battalion’s primary role was to provide anti-aircraft defense for forward-deployed artillery units, protecting them from enemy aircraft while they supported ground operations. Organizational records show that the battalion included several batteries, notably Battery B and Battery D. Battery B served in campaigns in the Netherlands, Bavaria, and Germany, operating alongside formations such as the 30th Infantry Division (United States) and forces of the Third United States Army. The pistol has been shipped to me. I'm trying to learn more about the CZ24's. It looks like this one was made in 1931. From searching the forum, I believe all P marked pistols were issued to infantry units? What is the letter before the P signify? Thanks for any information. Keith

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Kinda ridiculous, you would think they would want you to keep stuff out of the trash and landfills. 

About 2 yeas came across an old 37mm that was made into a lamp. The wiring was old 30s or 40s. the covering worn out,  wire exposed, dangerous A fire hazard really. I decided I wanted to repair it. I bought a lamp kit from HomeDepot and gave it new wiring, set it up for a bigger bulb and gave it a new shade.   It's a 37mmx94mmR hotchkiss common type shell, specifically it's a US made Mk.II HE (High Explosive) shell for M1916 Gun.

Thanks for your confirmation. It was a headscratcher for me.

Thats horrible news. 

. For the last eighteen years I and many others have pulled WWI & WWII militaria out the village dump, and there have been some very nice finds, when I had a pickup truck I also brought a lot of timber home for buying in the log burner, and various usable items for garden use / decoration. A really nice find I made about sixteen years ago was a 1940 German Bakelite field phone case and contents complete even the 1942 original battery.    However new laws have come down from above it's no longer possible to retrieve items thrown in the village dumpster, in fact at great expense they have erected barriers to prevent reaching into the dumpsters.    Many historical pieces will be lost now to landfill or furnaces, some of the items recovered where simply thrown as householders wanted a change of fashion not because the item had simply worn out. Lots of wartime pieces came about whilst family were clearing out grandparents houses that lived here in Normandy during WWII       regards lewis.   ... 

A small bit of the unfinished 11th unit history.   Scott

"Duke" Ellington

Some more from the Aleutians. Turns out part of what I have is an incomplete, meaning never fully compiled and published, history of the 11th Fighter Squadron. Most of these are Attu with one being Elmendorf and possibly a couple at Adak Island.     Scott