I recently acquired a United States Marine Corps unit bell with a well‑documented and unusual history. According to the account preserved by the family I obtained it from, the bell was taken in 1957 by Lance Corporal Glenn (Glenn Richard “Butch” Harris), who served with the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment at Camp Pendleton. The family’s account states that LCpl Glenn removed the bell after becoming frustrated with its sound and frequent use. He buried it directly under where it hung above a flowerbed. When the bell was recorded missing, unit leadership conducted a thorough frustrated search of Camp Pendleton. After the search concluded and the situation calmed, Glenn returned, recovered the bell at the dead of night from where he had buried it, and somehow got it home. His friends and relatives consistently described him as someone known for taking bold actions, and this incident aligns with their recollections of his personality. You'll notice a 22. dent in the bell; it's said he shot it when he got drunk in his garage. His FindaGrave has many interesting stories.  Lance Corporal Glenn served in 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon of the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment under the 1st Marine Division from 1956 to 1959. I've come to this forum in need of help in learning more about this bell, what it was used for, history about the unit during this era, any recorded history on the bell, any records of the bell being missing, and similar examples. I've tried researching bells like this, but I haven't found any information about it other than what the family told me. If someone can help me out on this bell or find documentation of it or similar, I'd be really grateful. I hope this bell sparks an interest in you like it did for me, and maybe it can shed some light on this niche area of Camp Pendleton history. 

You're welcome.  Thank YOU for sharing those two.  Those are pretty cool.

Thanks.  I had to look up Bannerman's to see what their company was all about.  I've heard of the company before but did really know anything about it, so now that I know I appreciate you mentioning the company.

"Variation No. 1 & 2" are identical. There's absolutely no difference in the placement of the letters. White back or not doesn't matter because the same manufacturer can make either one based upon return thread tension. So "whiteback" is not a variation because you see more return threads because both of them have whiteback return threads. Cmon

That’s just awesome! This project keeps getting better and better. What is next? A full size knitted C-47? 😁 mikie

I’m pretty sure I have a couple of the unpainted brown plastic buttons somewhere I’d like to post. I believe they are inside the cupboard in the corner. Unfortunately at the moment I can’t easily get to it. We are having the house interior patched and painted. The area in front of that cupboard has become a prime dumping ground for stuff moved ahead of the painting in progress from room to room. Packing and moving to a new office at work for the past week, only to come home and moving furniture etc around when I get home. All during a record breaking heatwave. I’m getting too old for all this 🥵.  I’ll post the button someday if I can ever get to it again 😊 mikie 

Sometime in the 1960's The exact date hasn't been found yet.

Seeking some opinions on a set of Army airborne wings.   I bought this small lot of badges/pins at a local estate sale a couple of weeks ago. They are not my area of expertise but the price was too good to pass up.   Are the Army airborne wings in the lot original? If so, can anyone tell me the era/timeframe they are from?   Thanks very much for any insight you may be able to offer. Pictures follow.   Dennis  

Awesome scrapbook find. Original bombing run and crash damage pictures during the ETO. Roughly 25 pictures in total. Several pictures of a B-24 are dated 6-6-44. 

Laverne & Shirley In The Army in the early 60s we suppose LOL, as the series begins in the year 1958. Wearing Liners Laverne's on the right looks like legit WWII or the early 50s Korean War made ones, while Shirly's on the left a mid 50s no front grommet type, albeit with both repainted a Semi Gloss Dark-sh OD.   In this 1979 episode the story is the girls tired  of not getting promotions and or raises at the Milwaukie Brewery they both work at decide to join the Army, but in Basic they find the Army's tough and not for them after all and pull  Corporal Klinger routines to get a 4F, which apparently succeeds and both go home and get their old jobs back LOL