Anyone collect Vietnam bring back weapons?

[Vietnam1965]

GI bring back weapons are a collecting theme of mine. Anyone else collect these? All have capture papers except the top SKS and bottom VC made pistol.
1. SKS with battle damage no bring back papers
2. SKS brought home by LTC Griffis -a 3 war vet. He also brought home the German P38 (deceased)
3. French MAS 36 brought home by Marine Major Robert McKinney (Deceased)
4. Nagant Type 53 brought home by Captain Peter Adams direct decendant of Presidents John and John Quincy Adams. (deceased)
5. Russian K98 brought home by Marine Major Donald McQuinn (Still living aged 91)
6. Remington M1903A3 brought home by Sergeant Bobby Gilbert rifle still has bring back papers affixed to the stock since 1971. (deceased)
7. Not posted in picture Russian M44 brought home by Frank DeMarco III a combat corpsman of the 1st Marine Division (deceased)

Pistols:
1. Chinese Type 54 pistol brought home by General Albin Irzyk (deceased) famous general tons of info of him on the net.
2. Luger brought home by Kevin Ulerick ARVN advisor. (living) I got the first-hand account on how it was captured.
3. German P38 LTC Griffis bring back
4. Field made VC copy of 45 in 45 caliber inscribed with capture information

I will post stories and info on each.
Enjoy these pieces of history. I'm happy to be the caretaker of them.

 

[Vietnam1965]

M44 rifle

 

[Cavman]

Thats incredible. I cant even imagine those storys. Annoys me we were never allowed to bring back weapons from the desert

 

[Vietnam1965]

Thanks Cavman! Yep Vietnam was the last war where weapon souvenirs were allowed to be brought back home.

 

[BE Mike]

The most valuable weapon, at least to me, was bringing back myself in one piece! I did bring back a Russian Simonov SKS which was found in a cache, along with 74 more in the Ashau Valley. A few years ago, I gave it away to my daughter who was born when I was there.

 

[Vietnam1965]

BE MIKE thanks for your service sir!
I'll start with the VC Pistol: Its a VC crudely made copy of a 1911. It was captured by a Advisor to the 25th Division 2nd Battalion ARVN 49th Infantry regiment on May, 29 1967. No associated paperwork came with it. Looks like some battle damage near the magazine well. I'm not an expert on these but from what I gathered on the net they made multiple copies of these and I think I have a Type 2. I think its a blow-back type action.

 

[r3126]

Not a collector but... The attached picture is the Tokarev (TT series) that I brought home from Vietnam in 1968. I recovered it from a (former) NVA warrant officer in the vicinity of Hue City. The holster came with it and, as you can see, it still has the 550 cord lanyard that he used. I also brought back a green cloth bag that he carried his spare ammo (37 rounds) in as well as his hat badge.

 

[Vietnam1965]

Very cool thanks for sharing it. I am writing a book on Vietnam bring backs. Would you be interested in contributing? Thanks

 

[MongooseLaw]

I have a couple bring-back Type 53's, no documentation though but the buttstock plaque sort of speaks for itself on one of the rifles. All matching except the bolt and a surprisingly nice shiny bore. Picked it up off this forum actually, very surprised no one else was interested in it.

The other rifle is also a 1960 Type 53, no matching numbers with a sewer pipe for a bore, again no documentation but certainly looks the part and did come from a Vietnam vet.

I would love to collect more, especially a K98k or SKS but availability and price are certainly a factor

 

[Vietnam1965]

Awesome MongooseLaw. I was hoping someone on the forum would post that plaqued rifle. I guess your the one who bought it last year from someone here. I would love to see that in my book if your interested? Thanks Keith

 

[Noble Sniper]

Truly an amazing collection!!!

 

[MongooseLaw]

Awesome MooseLaw. I was hoping someone on the forum would post that plaqued rifle. I guess your the one who bought it last year from someone here. I would love to see that in my book if your interested? Thanks Keith

That would be fine Keith, send me a private message and I can work on getting some better pictures of the rifle

 

[Vietnam1965]

Thanks MongooseLaw! The pics you provided are high resolution and will work.

 

[Vietnam1965]

Luger bring back by Kevin Ulerick back, a member of the ARVN Airborne Advisory Team 162. Vietnam Luger bring backs are pretty rare and I'm excited to add one to my growing Nam bring back collection. I was able to speak to the vet. Here is the interview:

I wasn’t with the Americans over there, I was with the ARVN’s. I enlisted and after training, I left Ft Benning Georgia to an address in Vietnam and stayed there with that outfit for two years. When I got there I was with ARVN Airborne in 68 and came home Christmas day 69. There was 60 or 70 of us on the whole team; from senior advisor to a PFC. There just wasn’t many of us. I basically have one picture of me from over there. It was at an awards ceremony. We were not allowed to carry cameras and take pictures out in the field. I was with the ARVN Airborne for two years and at the time we weren’t allowed in US PX’s, mess halls or anything else like that. We advisors weren’t really well liked. In Vietnam, the Americans themselves didn’t like the Advisors. We were called the Red Hats. AAD162 or Airborne Advisory Detachment is what it stood for. On our uniforms we wore the ARNV Division patch and on the front pocket we had what we called the Gladiator patch which was a sword with a wing on it. We also had our Division patch or task force what it was called when I first got over there. In order to make the Americans happy they changed it to the American lingo like division and brigade, battalion all that good stuff. When I got there in 68 we were task force.

When asked about how he acquired the bring back he said, I usually don’t talk about stuff like that. I was a combat advisor and made enemy contact and that’s about all I can say. There was a holster with the Luger but it wasn’t for a Luger it was like for a 45. The guy I got it off of he wasn’t on the friendly side of the fence! As young kids were trophy hungry. The only thing about that gun that was not matching was the firing pin. I don’t know what the gun is like now but it was all matching except for the firing pin. That wasn’t the only weapon I brought back. They didn’t have security back then like they do now. I’ve been home 51 years so does that tell you anything? After the first tour, I came home with a couple of SKS’s. Believe me I wish I had those back again. The three SKS’s were sold for less than $400. I sold the Luger for $50! That was back in 1973 or 74. I needed the money and didn’t need the pistol so I let loose of it. The weapon I carried over there for two years was a WWII or Korean War M1 Carbine – 30 caliber. I did not carry the current issued US weapon over there. I didn’t like the M16. About eight months ago, I tried to purchase a carbine like I carried in Nam and when given the price, I said good god I don’t want to buy the gun shop, I just want to buy your gun!

 

[Hkindiana]

Thanks Cavman! Yep Vietnam was the last war where weapon souvenirs were allowed to be brought back home.

Not quite. I used to own a type 53 rifle with capture papers from the invasion of Granada

 

[Vietnam1965]

Thats true I have seen a handful of Granada bring backs but I mentioned war and as you stated Granada was an operation and not a war where standardized bring back forms were utilized by thousands.

 

[Vietnam1965]

MongooseLaw I found some info on LTC Gendron. His son added new pics yesterday:

Alvin J Gendron (1930-2017) - Find a Grave...

HEADSTONE with Ruth E. OBITUARY Iron County Reporter Oct 4 2017 with photo (at right). Age 87. OBITUARY of Eino Aho 2000 says Colonel Alvin Gendron of Melbourne FL is his nephew.

www.findagrave.com

 

[Hopper]

My uncle, the last branch of his generation's family tree and a hero to me as a kid before I truly knew how much of a hero he was, gifted this to me after his son/my cousin passed unexpectedly. My uncle did two tours driving a tank recovery vehicle in Vietnam. This was taken from an officer after a fierce skirmish.

To say this man fills a hole in my heart after losing my father/his older brother is an understatement. And while not worth much on the open market, it's priceless to me. And shoots surprisingly well.

And it's driving me crazy waiting in line to be his guardian on the Indy Honor Flight.

 

[Vietnam1965]

Awesome Hopper! Definitely a priceless family heirloom! You will thoroughly enjoy the honor flight with your uncle. I took a WWII vet a few years ago and it was an amazing experience.

 

[KellyinAvon]

Luger bring back by Kevin Ulerick back, a member of the ARVN Airborne Advisory Team 162. Vietnam Luger bring backs are pretty rare and I'm excited to add one to my growing Nam bring back collection. I was able to speak to the vet. Here is the interview:

I wasn’t with the Americans over there, I was with the ARVN’s. I enlisted and after training, I left Ft Benning Georgia to an address in Vietnam and stayed there with that outfit for two years. When I got there I was with ARVN Airborne in 68 and came home Christmas day 69. There was 60 or 70 of us on the whole team; from senior advisor to a PFC. There just wasn’t many of us. I basically have one picture of me from over there. It was at an awards ceremony. We were not allowed to carry cameras and take pictures out in the field. I was with the ARVN Airborne for two years and at the time we weren’t allowed in US PX’s, mess halls or anything else like that. We advisors weren’t really well liked. In Vietnam, the Americans themselves didn’t like the Advisors. We were called the Red Hats. AAD162 or Airborne Advisory Detachment is what it stood for. On our uniforms we wore the ARNV Division patch and on the front pocket we had what we called the Gladiator patch which was a sword with a wing on it. We also had our Division patch or task force what it was called when I first got over there. In order to make the Americans happy they changed it to the American lingo like division and brigade, battalion all that good stuff. When I got there in 68 we were task force.

When asked about how he acquired the bring back he said, I usually don’t talk about stuff like that. I was a combat advisor and made enemy contact and that’s about all I can say. There was a holster with the Luger but it wasn’t for a Luger it was like for a 45. The guy I got it off of he wasn’t on the friendly side of the fence! As young kids were trophy hungry. The only thing about that gun that was not matching was the firing pin. I don’t know what the gun is like now but it was all matching except for the firing pin. That wasn’t the only weapon I brought back. They didn’t have security back then like they do now. I’ve been home 51 years so does that tell you anything? After the first tour, I came home with a couple of SKS’s. Believe me I wish I had those back again. The three SKS’s were sold for less than $400. I sold the Luger for $50! That was back in 1973 or 74. I needed the money and didn’t need the pistol so I let loose of it. The weapon I carried over there for two years was a WWII or Korean War M1 Carbine – 30 caliber. I did not carry the current issued US weapon over there. I didn’t like the M16. About eight months ago, I tried to purchase a carbine like I carried in Nam and when given the price, I said good god I don’t want to buy the gun shop, I just want to buy your gun!
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German Luger bring back from Vietnam. I have to think it arrived in country with a French Soldier or Foreign Legionnaire.