Export thread

To see things I wasted money on!
If you're not much into World War I or II you should probably turn around. I just thought I'd show off my newest additions to my collection.
I don't have a good camera so I had to settle with photos of other peoples shit to convey the idea.

This is a Barong sword from the Philippines, World War II. Mine doesn't have the fancy sheath but I do rather think the upper grip/pommel is nicer. It's all original, the dealer talked to me for awhile about sidearms and let it go for $110 off, nice guy.

The Africa Star, awarded for service to Great Britain in North Africa.

Honor Cross for Combatants - Awarded in 1934 to German and later Austrian veterans of the front lines in World War I.

---------- Post added at 06:27 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:22 AM ----------

So basically yeah, showing off.

Working for the firearms departement at the office of public safety in my city I had lots of guns (pistols, revolvers, rifles, even some submachineguns) from both world wars in my hands, some of them even showed their use i.e. one had grenade fragments buried in its stock.

My paternal grandfather was fighting in a recon company in North Africa and I got two original documents when he died. The first is a photograph of Rommel in a staff car talking to a soldier, taken in 1942.
The other is kind of a diary from his time as a POW. He was captured 1943 by british troops and spent his time with the french in Morocco, returning home in 1947. Most of its content is what he learned about agriculture in this camp for the future rebuilding of germany, but there are several pages I yet have to decipher that are written in Sütterlin and I gues those are more private (which partly is why I didn't decipher them yet).

I also have yet to find the time to research my maternal grandpa's time, he served with cavalry in Russia.

Awesome. There's a 1914-era British reenacting unit in San Diego. If I was still at home I'd probably get a Short Magazine Lee-Enfield so I could join up.

We have my great-grandfather's helmet. He served as a runner in the 91st Infantry Division during WWI. You can see a dent where a bullet ricocheted off. The front part also displays the division symbol (a pine tree).

Very nice. The only paraphernalia I have from the wars is an old photo album my maternal grandfather kept. He was originally in cavalry, but as that segment of the army lost its influence, he was apparently transferred to infantry (I don't know for sure; he rarely talked about these things to my mother who was born after WWII, and he died fifteen years before I was born). It's pretty interesting, mostly portraits and such, postcards from the front... and one quite eerie one: a postcard from Hitler's visit to Finland, showing him shaking hands with Marshal Mannerheim and other generals.

Being stingy (not to mention without a steady source of income) I don't think I could ever put that kind of money on the table to buy memorabilia. Buuuut... there's a part of me that would really like to own a Lahti L-35 pistol, the standard-issue sidearm of the Finnish Army during the Winter and Continuation Wars.

Hmm... looks like a Luger with a simpler action. Very nice.

My vacations over the past ten years have been so full of both World Wars that I got sick of 'em. My (step)dad still thinks they're fascinating though so he still goes out every year. He's visited Ipres/Ieper, Verdun, the Somme river, the landing beaches, he's got the shell of this huge artillery round, a piece of barb wire, some bullet shells and that's it I think.

All i got are some commie medals for doing "patriotic work"... but they're a family heirloom \, so there...

Very nice everyone, it's always cool to have heirlooms. Just me you must be very proud of your Grandfather, Afrika Korps and all.

Just Me said:

Rommel

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You magnificent bastard, I read your BOOK!

Sorry, carry on.

CynicismKills;310002][quote=Just Me said:

Rommel

Click to expand...

You magnificent bastard, I read your BOOK!

Sorry, carry on.[/QUOTE]
We probably all know this but the battle he this quote refers to did not involve Rommel. He was already gone.

Twitch;310006][quote=CynicismKills;310002][quote=Just Me said:

Rommel

Click to expand...

You magnificent bastard, I read your BOOK!

Sorry, carry on.[/QUOTE]
We probably all know this but the battle he this quote refers to did not involve Rommel. He was already gone.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, my dad used to mention that every time we'd watch Patton, even though it's one of his favorite movies. My dad does radar and electronic system repair on F-18's (and F-14's before that) so his other favorite, Top Gun, is a total gripe-fest for him (that button doesn't do that, he just fired the same missile with a different button two times, etc). He worked at Miramar, where Top Gun was mostly filmed, and the bar they go to is in downtown San Diego.

Rommel was a pretty cool guy, eh plans Hitler's assassination and doesn't afraid of anything.

CynicismKills said:

Yeah, my dad used to mention that every time we'd watch Patton, even though it's one of his favorite movies. My dad does radar and electronic system repair on F-18's (and F-14's before that) so his other favorite, Top Gun, is a total gripe-fest for him (that button doesn't do that, he just fired the same missile with a different button two times, etc). He worked at Miramar, where Top Gun was mostly filmed, and the bar they go to is in downtown San Diego.

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The Kansas City Barbeque! I went there last year durin' comic-con. Yeah, it's kind of wierd watching a movie and being able to recognize every scene as something you've grown up around. "Hey, I've used that volleyball court. Hey, I drove past that building every day to get to my elementary school!"

Also, I demand more awesome relics in this thread. Next time I'm at my grandparent's place in colorado I needa dig out some of their war stuff.

All I have for war stuff, is a WWI Iron Cross First Class with Screw Backer (no pic sorry).

and this:


These are my Grandfathers "belly button" medals (the ones everyone got lol).

Was your grandfather in the RCAF?

Did he fly at all?

He was in the RCAF. He repaired Lancasters. He was only 17 when he volunteered. All of 5' 4" and 107 lbs. His dad had to sign to let him in. He never talked about it, I guess cleaning guts out of planes was not that much fun.

Wow yeah :\

the air crews of the airforce always go unacknoweldged.. Imagine having to see countless pilots not come back from missions over and over..

RealBigNuke said:

The Kansas City Barbeque! I went there last year durin' comic-con. Yeah, it's kind of wierd watching a movie and being able to recognize every scene as something you've grown up around. "Hey, I've used that volleyball court. Hey, I drove past that building every day to get to my elementary school!"

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Top Gun was THE San Diego movie until Anchorman. Kansas City Barbecue is a cool place to visit, but the food sucks.

AshburnerX said:

Hmm... looks like a Luger with a simpler action. Very nice.

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Thank you. It's probably best known for being built specifically to withstand colder climates. While Soviet handguns were quite susceptible to jamming due to the extreme colds, the Lahti L-35 would stay operational much longer.

My grandfather gave me some of his stuff from WWII. Most of it's pictures of him in various states of drunkness & letters from a bunch of different women. I find it hilarious that my grandad used to be such a bad boy.

From my father I have an old hat & machete from the Vietnam war.

My family has a U.S. Civil War sword that was from my maternal side of the family. I have a WWII 1944 British Enfield, and a 1943 M1 Garand. Both were used in the European Theater. The Garand was used by a paratrooper. My dad bought it from him. It's the most badass thing I will ever own. I also bought a bayonet for it.

My dad served in Vietnam as a Green Beret, Ranger in the 101st Airborne. We made him a shadowbox of his medals and ribbons. He received 2 bronze stars, 2 silver stars, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross, Air Medal, Distinguished Service Cross, and 4 Purple Hearts. It's quite something. When my mom and I dug out his DD214, he hadn't even picked up half of the medals. We wrote and got them sent to us, and made the case. He just looked at the case and said that he appreciated the work we put into it, but he didn't do what he did to get some medals. My dad is an awesome guy.