PFCs don't get Lugers

[Blicero]

Here's a sweet pistol with capture papers I just picked up. It's an a-block fixed sight BHP, and one of the nicer ones I've ever handled. The garbage finish on these late war High Powers was not meant to beat the test of time, so it's always a pleasure to see one in nice shape.

The pistol was captured and brought home by PFC Treadway of the 334 Infantry, a unit that was wrapped up in some nasty business in both France and Germany. A buddy helped find the enlistment and death records for Treadway. He died young, in his sixties, and is buried just down the road from me in Johnson City, TN. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=treadway&GSfn=jack&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=12482834&df=all&

The title of this thread comes from a jokey scene that unfolds in my head as I ponder capture papers. The more capture papers I look at, the more I'm convinced that the higher ranks got first crack at the Lugers, leaving the HSCs, Sauers, BHPs, and other lesser popular trophies as dregs for the privates.

Overall I'm ecstatic about this deal. It's a beautiful gun with an illuminating document adding a nice personal history behind it. Enjoy some pics.

[Phosphorus32]

If you're not careful, your papered pistol collection is going to outstrip your K98k collection  Great pistol and provenance 

You may be onto something with the pistol ranking reflecting E-# and O-# ranks, at least in the rear areas or when they ran into large caches. It'd be rather heartless for some O-4 to take the Luger from an E-3 who won it the hard way on the field of battle, but who knows, it takes all kinds 

[carls sks]

very cool, thanks for sharing. 

[Loose}{Cannon]

I think the PFCs may be smarter then credited.   

[Dillar Dog]

That is a great pistol.

[Greasemonkey]

My Luger was brought back by a T-4.. Which is still above a PFC..

[Loose}{Cannon]

My Luger was brought back by a T-4.. Which is still above a PFC..

Do mean an E4? 

[Greasemonkey]

My Luger was brought back by a T-4.. Which is still above a PFC..

Do mean an E4?

Naw...I'm pretty sure it says T-4.... Technician 4th grade.  My MAS 36 was brought back by an E-7..Master Sgt.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Interesting....  Now days its just E for enlisted and O for officer. 

How things change...

[Loose}{Cannon]

Unless of course, its a title description and not a paygrade.

[Greasemonkey]

Unless of course, its a title description and not a paygrade.

Technicians possessed specialized skills that were rewarded with a higher pay grade, so it was a different pay scale.
U.S. Army shoulder badge for a T-4 in WWII...



Today they would be equal to a Specialist.

[Phosphorus32]

The only one left in the US Army now is the Specialist (formerly T4), an E-4 (corporal pay grade equivalent).

[Loose}{Cannon]

corporal    ..  like me.   

You love it. 

[Greasemonkey]

In '42 through '48 there were 3 Technician ranks in the U.S. Army, T/3, T/4 and T/5. T/5 as Corporal, T/4 as Sergeant, T/3 as Sergeant/Staff Sergeant with an altered pay scale to represent their speciality. Medics, Mechanics, Radio and other speciality areas were typically Technician were used. In those days they didn't have much authority to issue orders, but could be placed in second command under combat situations.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Take a look at that highpower eh Charlie.   

[Donp236]

Blicero don't shoot it the heat treating may not be correct on some parts causing them to get brittle.

[Blicero]

I will do nothing to this pistol besides lick it.

Here's a history on Treadway's outfit. http://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1093&context=ww_reg_his

[Phosphorus32]

I will do nothing to this pistol besides lick it.

Here's a history on Treadway's outfit. http://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1093&context=ww_reg_his

Citizen soldiers performing admirably!

p. 11: For a regiment which was later to grind its way through the Siegfried Line…the beginnings were not sensational. In 1942 Selective Service began to look more carefully into the manpower pool, and the Army began to develop a reservoir of Infantry. Many original men of the fiegiment had been classified 4F by lenient draft boards who subsequently reclassified them when the quotas were made more stringent.

p. 28 "We had been told that we were to be attacked by green troops," said one (German) officer at the 343rd, "and we thought it would
be easy. I have fought in Africa and Russia, and have never seen soldiers attack with the ferocity of your division.''