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Thread: My favorite July 4 pistol

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  1. #21
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    3rd March 2010
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    Very interesting bit of history, thanks for posting!

  2. #22
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    25th March 2005
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    Great Story.

    For what it is worth, there was a practice of a rescued aviator giving his pistol to the service member who rescued him. This may be how this pistol was taken off the books yet returned to the US.

    Thanks again for that report.

    Bill

  3. #23
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    16th July 2010
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    Icon17

    Hi Scott, it's a superb 1911 collection and of course with great history value.....VIVA 1911 Pistols!!!!!!

  4. #24
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    17th August 2010
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    Wheew what a very interesting and informative post you have there in connection with your pistol, i do salute you for that mate....

  5. #25
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    11th January 2011
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    Interesting story. I read through your post but did not see the explanation for why the pistol was declared lost when it was not lost. Can you clarify that point?

  6. #26
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    1st June 2004
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    Quote Originally Posted by swampdog
    Interesting story. I read through your post but did not see the explanation for why the pistol was declared lost when it was not lost. Can you clarify that point?
    The answer is in the first post;
    Obviously the pistol was not lost at sea, or was at least recovered immediately. So I assumed the record in the National Archives was baloney...that someone had cooked up a story to steal a pistol. However, I bought the gun, not the story...and I had a beautiful pistol that had been asigned to the USS Cabot CVL-28 on 4 July 1944.
    "The pistol, learn it well, carry it always ..." - Jeff Cooper

  7. #27
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    2nd June 2004
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    Indiana
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    Thanks for helping out, Dan. I meant to reply the other night, but didn't take the time. I've been a little swamped writing inspections.

    For further clarification, when a plane was shot down, all equipment on board would have typically been lost. In fact the military press release states the pilot, Lt.(J.G.) Bob Wilson, managed to bail out and immediately be picked up one of our Destroyers in the task force at Iwo Jima implies the pistol remained secured on his person.

    The pistol may have been in his holster, or perhaps in his C-1 survival vest. The C-1 was developed for the AAF pilots, but was widely used by pilots in the Navy and Marine Air Corps during WWII.

    I'm relatively sure surviving having your fighter shot out from under in the aerial combat at Iwo Jima on 4 July 1944 wasn't a common feat. I included information in my first post from the military press release about the battle. The aerial combat at Iwo Jima on 4 July was tough.

    From that press release:

    "In that predawn attack, we ran into some of
    the best pilots the Japs ever put up against us,"
    WILSON said. "Until our Hellcats thinned
    them out, the Zeros outnumbered us and had
    the altitude advantage. During the fight, I
    engaged seven Zeros, damaged two and helped
    destroy another. But one of them finally got on
    my tail down close to the deck and got in plenty
    of good shots. My plane was badly damaged,
    and I was too low to bail out.
    "All I could do was sit and wait for the Jap to
    finish me off, but in the nick of time, two
    planes from my squadron came down and
    knocked off the Zero.
    "By some very strenuous operation, I managed
    to get the flying junk heap back to the Task
    Force where I bailed out and was immediately
    picked up by one of our destroyers. I learned
    later that my squadron commander, Lt. Cmdr.
    D. J. WALLACE Jr. and Lt. James T. ANDERSON,
    were the pilots that drove the
    Zero away. Lt. ANDERSON shot him down
    shortly afterwards," WILSON said.

    It is still a mystery about why the pistol was reported lost on the 31 July monthly report. Wilson and the Gunnery Officer, Frank Zimanski (who later retired as a Navy Captain) were both already deceased by the time I attempted to contact them. I just missed Captain Zimanski by a year or so, according to a gentleman who replied to my request.

    I did speak with another VF-31 pilot who knew Bob Wilson and recalled the battle on 4 July 1944, but did not recall anything specifically about the pistol. Perhaps the pistol was tucked away and never reported as being recovered with the pilot. If so, it wouldn't be the first pistol that was brought home in somebody's duffel bag or sea bag.

    The pistol was reported lost at sea on the report in the National Archives I showed in my first post. If it was lost, it was obviously recovered. I just haven't been able to locate any report of it being found.
    A lot of people ruin old .45s by trying to improve them.
    Last edited by Scott Gahimer; 31st January 2011 at 07:58.


  8. #28
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    1st June 2004
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    The new business keeping you pretty busy is it, Scott?
    "The pistol, learn it well, carry it always ..." - Jeff Cooper

  9. #29
    Join Date
    2nd June 2004
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    Indiana
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    Quote Originally Posted by OD*
    The new business keeping you pretty busy is it, Scott?
    I have no one to blame except myself. Most of the inspections I write are 3-4 pages in 10 or 11 pt. font. Then there is the inspection data sheet and photo CD I provide. On the site, I say 20, 30 or 40 photos will be provided, depending on what the pistol is. They all seem to be more like 35-60 photos to show everything, inside and out.

    Most of the pieces that go through my hands get that service, and obviously, it takes time.

    We are currently doing about 35 gun shows annually. I think I've placed about 60-70 pieces in collections since launching the site...everything from early 3-digit Colts to a couple Army Air Corps pieces with S serial number prefixes. I do spend a lot of time photographing and uploading images. I haven't checked recently, but suspect, I've uploaded easily more than 1500 photos to the site and add more just about every week.

    I do thoroughly enjoy doing the work and providing the information. It allows me to see that many more pieces without ever leaving home. Of course...that means I rarely get to leave home! I guess you can't have it both ways. I suppose I hope to burn out, rather than to rust out.
    A lot of people ruin old .45s by trying to improve them.
    Last edited by Scott Gahimer; 31st January 2011 at 11:15.


  10. #30
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    1st June 2004
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    It's great to hear you are doing so well, Scott!!
    I hope you and Vicki are well.
    "The pistol, learn it well, carry it always ..." - Jeff Cooper

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