I've got some cool wwii stuff left from gramps but prolly should not post. One item (luger) has the ss bolts on the grips, taken off an officer by gramps. Also have the rifle and bayonet, and a Russian bayonet as well... Also have gramps zippo lighter and harmonica he carried at all times during the war, along with his paperwork and journal. Pretty cool entry in his journal says "saw our first jet powered fighter today" which obviously would have been a me 262. On the day he got his purple heart it just says "shot today", lol. Gramps was a man of few words....
Both 1942 International Harvester M-1-4 USMC front line ambulances. 8xx built in total. M=military, 1=half ton, 4= four wheels driven. Restored M-1-4 was restored and owned by the late great Shirley Laird of North Bend , OR. The other I was directed to sitting on a mountain in southern OR. I had it better than half restored before I sold it . IH built a one ton cargo variant, M-2-4; 2= one ton. Both the M-1-4 and M-2-4s shared the same tonner rear axle, with a front end specially cast by Eaton to accept the Eaton third member from the tonner rear. The half ton had less leaves in spring pack and a one foot shorter frame. Both had a massive 2 speed transfer case and 4.86:1 ratios.
Was asked to follow up with a few pics of stuff. I will not post firearms in deference to Ryan, I don't know his stance on that and generally it's frowned upon online, so.... But here's the bayonets. The German is a short dress for a 98, designed by Eichman I think? Something like that. I do have the 98 it goes on. Don't know much about the Russian one. Both have the sheaths and are in pretty good shape for their age.
His marine band harmonica he carried in his pocket, and his Christmas card to my grandmother, before my mother was ever even thought of!
Have a bayonet, I think German WWII. I was with my mother when she was cleaning, sorting things at my grandmother’s house after she passed. We were talking and she reaches up on top of the corner cabinet and pulls down the bayonet- apparently was found in one of the corn cribs after they bought the farm in ‘62. Everything but the blade was rusty, I sandblasted, painted, and made some handles to clean it up years ago .., Have what I think is WWI era grenade that my dad had. And my grandfather’s service ribbons from the army - served at the end of pacific theatre campaign.
Almost forgot … have a 90mm artillery round as well … My paternal grandfather worked as machinist at the*****nal in Arden Hills, MN during WWII. He had a few old shells laying in the basement from the war that must have been defects … thankfully not live!
My Dad joined the Arny as soon as he was old enough in 1946 with the goal to qualify for the G.I.Bill for college money. He became a paratrooper because it paid $10 per month more...11th Airborne and later 511th Airborne. Got stationed in Occupied Japan right after the war...said he had a*****-load of fun over there.
The entire collection is in disarray since absorbing all of dad's stuff. Every thing here is WWII dated.
The Jalopy Journal
