Author Topic: Neat Iwo Jima story  (Read 660 times)

Offline Nypsy

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Neat Iwo Jima story
« on: October 25, 2012, 03:13:07 PM »
Passed along to me by a friend...


One of the older technicians at work was telling me a story today about a pistol that was in his in-laws family.

He tells me that his wife's late father, who was a marine in the battle of Iwo Jima , had brought back his pistol from the war. I'm thinking, ok must be a nice old 1911 model, one that has probably seen more than a few soldiers hands. then comes the rest of the story.

A few days after the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi, the Japanese attacked the marines, and another fight broke out. As they are in the middle of everything, a Japanese sniper takes a shot at him. The bullet hits him in the right wrist, and hits his gun hanging from his belt. The round, after completely disabling his right hand, penetrates his leather pistol holster, and embeds itself into the slide of his 1911. fragments from the round penetrate through the other side of the holster, and into his leg, injuring him further. The marine was able to get to the medic, where he was then evacuated to care for his injuries.

So the technician asks me if I would like to see it. After telling him the obvious, he calls his wife's brother and asks if he could bring it up to the shop.

Here are the pictures I took after listening to the same story again from the Marine's son. (it was a good story, I had no problem listening twice.

I asked him if he would mind me posting them on here, as long as I blocked out the serial number. He said go right ahead.

Although I had to blur out the serial #, it fell into the early/mid 600,000 range. Found this Colt: S/N 450,000 to 629,500 = Oct. 24, 1918 to April 10, 1919
 
The Marine's name was Horace Arthur Smith "Arty". he passed away 3 years ago.

















Offline Melvin

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Re: Neat Iwo Jima story
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2012, 03:16:34 PM »
What a great piece of history. Thanks for sharing.

 :salute
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Offline BaDkaRmA158Th

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Re: Neat Iwo Jima story
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2012, 04:34:21 PM »
Thank you for sharing.



Man, this just go's to show how powerful the weapons of war were. Punched through that 45 like nothing...and his flesh.  :salute
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Offline Shuffler

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Re: Neat Iwo Jima story
« Reply #3 on: October 25, 2012, 04:38:54 PM »
Absolutely speechless.
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Offline MarineUS

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Re: Neat Iwo Jima story
« Reply #4 on: October 25, 2012, 08:02:49 PM »
Simply amazing. Thank you for sharing!
Like, ya know, when that thing that makes you move, it has pistons and things, When your thingamajigy is providing power, you do not hear other peoples thingamajig when they are providing power.

HiTech

Offline SmokinLoon

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Re: Neat Iwo Jima story
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2012, 08:47:16 AM »
That is an amazing piece of history.  I really hope the story is written down and passed along to someone somewhere so it can be published and recorded. 

Wow.

and  :salute to the late Arthur "Arty" Smith. 
Proud grandson of the late Lt. Col. Darrell M. "Bud" Gray, USAF (ret.), B24D pilot, 5th BG/72nd BS. 28 combat missions within the "slot", PTO.

Offline Yeager

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Re: Neat Iwo Jima story
« Reply #6 on: October 27, 2012, 12:26:33 AM »
I wonder how much Pawn Stars would pay for that?........Im thinking 4 to 6k
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Offline Guppy35

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Re: Neat Iwo Jima story
« Reply #7 on: October 27, 2012, 08:54:28 PM »
I wonder how much Pawn Stars would pay for that?........Im thinking 4 to 6k

Not directly aimed at you so don't misunderstand :)

What I hate these days is that everything has to have a monetary price on it. Every history show I see now seems to do that.   Somehow it seems to be the only value that matters.

That battered 1911 is priceless.  It represents so much more then any monetary price could cover.  To put a money value on it, is in some ways an insult.  I hope it stays in the family and the story stays alive through them and that 1911.
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Offline MarineUS

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Re: Neat Iwo Jima story
« Reply #8 on: October 27, 2012, 08:58:31 PM »


That battered 1911 is priceless.  It represents so much more then any monetary price could cover.  To put a money value on it, is in some ways an insult.  I hope it stays in the family and the story stays alive through them and that 1911.
Quoted for truth.
Like, ya know, when that thing that makes you move, it has pistons and things, When your thingamajigy is providing power, you do not hear other peoples thingamajig when they are providing power.

HiTech

Offline StrayDog

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Re: Neat Iwo Jima story
« Reply #9 on: October 28, 2012, 10:55:14 AM »
So many stories like this have been lost.   
Yesterday I made  a third trip looking for my great-uncle's grave and noticed a submerged, half convered marker .
"Name" "TSgt US Marine Corps"  "1923 -1974".
 I wonder what forgoten stories rest there.    People make history.

SD

Offline cpxxx

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Re: Neat Iwo Jima story
« Reply #10 on: October 28, 2012, 11:13:04 AM »
Indeed so many experiences and stories have been lost. At my local cemetary here in Galway, Ireland there's a grave decorated with the Stars and Stripes. It's that of an Irishman a soldier in the US Army who landed at D-day who obviously came home later. What stories he must have had. All gone. Interestly also buried in the same graveyard is 'Lord Haw Haw', William Joyce. Interesting contrast.

I would love to own that gun. In the National Museum of Ireland here there is something similar. A Lee Enfield SMLE that was hit by a bullet during the 1916 Rising in Dublin. I always found it fascinating. All the more so because it was actually hit only a few streets away from the museum.

That gun deserves to be on display in a museum.

Offline Ripsnort

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Re: Neat Iwo Jima story
« Reply #11 on: October 31, 2012, 12:24:34 PM »
Very cool!
And I agree with the previous poster, there is not a doubt in my mind that a museum currator somewhere would be interested displaying that in a museum along size a placard explaining the history of the pistol.

Offline Nwbie

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Re: Neat Iwo Jima story
« Reply #12 on: October 31, 2012, 11:16:44 PM »
There is a WWII museum in New Orleans that would most likely display it

NwBie
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Offline Maverick

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Re: Neat Iwo Jima story
« Reply #13 on: November 01, 2012, 09:34:19 AM »
Since it is from the Pacific theater I'd bet the Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg TX would love to display that with the history of the gun.

Good way to preserve it and see that it helps to tell a story, loan it to the museum for others to see.
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Offline Shuffler

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Re: Neat Iwo Jima story
« Reply #14 on: November 01, 2012, 09:44:30 AM »
Since it is from the Pacific theater I'd bet the Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg TX would love to display that with the history of the gun.

Good way to preserve it and see that it helps to tell a story, loan it to the museum for others to see.

This would be a great idea. It would be safe and well taken care of.

No offense, but I would not place anything in new orleans.
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