Hello from Mempfis, yall.

[Custermen]

Some guys at US Militaria Forum recommended I check this place out.  Every since I retired a few years ago, I have been down-sizing and selling some of my small collection.  I did have some Non-US militaria but I've almost moved all of it.  But I'm keeping the souvenirs my Dad brought back from Italy.  

I spend my time between reading about the Italian Campaign of WW2 and the American Civil War.  I enjoy researching service records of Veterans from both conflicts.  Due to the large scope of WW2, I have focused my interest on the last 12 months of the Italian Campaign.  This is the period that my Father was there with the 85th Infantry Division and it is also the period of the "Forgotten Front".  Most Americans have never heard of those Italian places.  As a small kid, I had learned the names of towns such as Firenzoula, Casa Del Rio, Livergnano---which my Dad called Liver 'n Onions, Minturno, and Lucca.  But it took years before he could talk about it---and laugh.  

Back in the 1980's, I spent a lot of time searching for a Rebel in the Attic.  When I finally had the documentation to prove it, my Aunt gave me an newspaper clipping of my Gr-Grandfather's obit which told everything I was searching for.  Arrgh.  Now I've built up my family tree and have identified 30 ancestors who fought for the Confederacy.  I haven't found any Yankees---but I'm not looking.  

 

Since my retirement, I have added 2 pistols and 1 rifle to my collection of Black Powder guns---which I do shoot for fun.  

 

My Dad was in the forward observation section of the 328th Field Artillery Battalion, 85th Division.  This is one of the best photos of my Dad.  This was taken sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas of 1944.  He spent some down-time at a rugged rest camp called Gagliano(now Galliano) and was then sent to Lucca to boost up the disheveled 92nd Infantry Division.  

 

Dad wrote this caption in his scrapbook:
"Me, Davis, Aridas & Fink. Dec. 1944."
(listed right to left)
A good study of uniforms.

 

Ciao,

Steve

Not Really from Memphis, but close.

[mikie]

Welcome to the WMF!  This forum is a lot newer than the USMF.  So the more the merrier for both new members and new stuff to post about.  I look forward to seeing you in both places. 

 

Mikie

[Proud Kraut]

Hello Custermen and welcome to the WMF. Thanks very much for sharing parts of your family history here. Looking forward to see more of your outstanding work in our modeling section!

[Custermen]

21 hours ago, mikie said:

Welcome to the WMF!  This forum is a lot newer than the USMF.

Thanks.  I tried to get by with posting some of my Dad's souvenirs on the USMF site.  I may repost them here so others could comment on them.   If you see my post in MODELING, you will get a glimpse of the German field binoculars that he brought home.  I also have a few good stories about his other souvenirs.  The best story is the one about the Zeiss camera he "Liberated" from a German.  

[Fortunes Of War]

Hi Steve-

     Welcome aboard!  Your father's Italian service sounds interesting and I look forward to seeing his souvenirs posted on the WMF at some point.  Thank you in advance for sharing.

[Custermen]

20 hours ago, Fortunes Of War said:

 Welcome aboard!  Your father's Italian service sounds interesting and I look forward to seeing his souvenirs posted on the WMF at some point.

Thanks.  I may have posted some to the sister site USMF but not many.  

I will see how I can work it in. 

 

[Fortunes Of War]

Thank you for sharing your dad's items.  My dad brought back a Luger in its matching holster (matching year stamps on the pistol and holster.)  Unfortunately, he let it go many years ago. 

[Custermen]

48 minutes ago, Fortunes Of War said:

My dad brought back a Luger in its matching holster (matching year stamps on the pistol and holster.) 

I didn't know they holster was matched.  Same serial number or what?

Dad's Luger has all matching serial numbers including the magazine.  

 

My Dad brought back a Luger in a P-38 Holster.  He had to cut off a corner of the back flap so to allow the grip to stick up. 

Here he is in Verona wearing his P-38 Holster.  This is definitely NOT a 1911.  Of course I'm sure he didn't wear it until the last weeks of the War.

 

Then In 1969, I bought a P-38 from a Vet who said he was the first to shoot it and only fired one mag through it.  

And guess what----it was in a Luger holster.  I eventually sold this Czech-made P-38 but kept the dated holster.

 

 

[Fortunes Of War]

If you open the flap on a Luger holster and look inside, you often see the date of mfg. stamped into the leather.  My dad's Luger was marked with a 1942 date on the receiver; the holster was similarly dated.  Very interesting photo of your dad; I appreciated the P-38 story too!