Author Topic: War relic 1911 IWO Jima Veteran  (Read 2299 times)

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Offline Tackleberry

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War relic 1911 IWO Jima Veteran
« on: April 05, 2011, 08:36:44 AM »
Thought I'd pass on to you all 1911 buffs something that came to me via my Benton County, Tenn  Geneological society newsletter.  I'll just post as I received it and the photos...interesting stuff

Rick Lambert   Benton County geneological Society
This special item is from my friend, and former shipmate, Jim Rothermel of Pennsylvania...

SUBJECT: Marine's .45 shot by sniper on Iwo Jima

This belongs in a museum! WWll memorabilia!!!

One of the older technicians at work was telling me a story

today about a pistol that was in his in-laws family.

He tells me that his wife's late father, who was a Marine in the

battle of Iwo Jima, had brought back his pistol from the war. I'm

thinking, ok must be a nice old 1911 model, one that has probably

seen more than a few soldiers hands. Then comes the rest of the

story.

Turns out that the guy's father in law had a camera with him in his

sack, and had taken  some pictures of when they raised the flag on Mt.

Suribachi.  He submitted his photo, but it was not chosen as the one

that is now famous. The family still has this picture hanging in

their living room.

   A few days after the flag raising, the Japanese attacked the

Marines, and another fight broke out. As they are in the middle of

everything, a Japanese sniper takes a shot at him. The bullet hits

him in the right wrist, and hits his gun hanging from his belt. The

round, after completely disabling his right hand, penetrates his

leather pistol holster and embeds itself into the slide of his 1911.

Fragments from the round penetrate through the other side of

the holster, and into his leg, injuring him  further. The Marine was

able to get to the medic, where he was then evacuated to care for

his injuries.

So the technician asks me if I would like to see it. After telling

him the obvious, he calls his wife's brother and asks if he could

bring it up to the shop.

Here are the pictures I took after listening to the same story again

from the Marine's son. (it was a good story, I had no problem

listening twice.)

I asked him if he would mind me posting them on here, as long as I

blocked out the serial number. He said go right ahead.

Although I had to blur out the serial #, it fell into the early/mid

600,000 range. Found this Colt record: S/N 450,000 to 629,500

= Oct. 24, 1918 to April 10, 1919

The Marine's name was Horace Arthur "Arty" Smith. He passed away

3 years ago.
David Berry
LCDR USN (ret)
NRA Life member
Texan by birth and the grace of GOD
OLE MISS graduate

Offline Avyctes

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Re: War relic 1911 IWO Jima Veteran
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2011, 08:31:36 AM »
Fascinating piece.  If that story were documented as provenance to accompany the side arm, it would make an amazing display in a museum.
"There exists a law, not written down anywhere, but in our hearts.. that, if our lives are endangered by plots or violence or armed robbers or enemies, any and every method of protecting ourselves is morally right."
Marcus Tullius Cicero

Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: War relic 1911 IWO Jima Veteran
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2011, 08:49:26 AM »
Thanks great story , that gun and holster should have its own place in a museum for sure .
If ya can see it ya can hit it !

Offline Rotten RJ

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Re: War relic 1911 IWO Jima Veteran
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2011, 04:54:01 AM »
Nice story and pix.
And to think, all those years that I carried a 1911 I never tought to use it to STOP bullets. ;)
Thanx for sharing.
RJ
US Army (ret) EOD Master Blaster

Offline Forestclimber

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Re: War relic 1911 IWO Jima Veteran
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2011, 05:21:49 AM »
WOW!  That should be in a museum.  The museum in Admiral Nimitz's hometown in Texas would be a great place for the pistol.  I can't remember the name of the town.  It might be Fredericksburg.  Anyway, it's a nice museum of the WWII in the South Pacific.  The museum also has the mini Japanese sub that was captured at Pearl Harbor on December 7th.  It's quite an interesting place.

Offline Avyctes

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Re: War relic 1911 IWO Jima Veteran
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2011, 09:37:05 AM »
"There exists a law, not written down anywhere, but in our hearts.. that, if our lives are endangered by plots or violence or armed robbers or enemies, any and every method of protecting ourselves is morally right."
Marcus Tullius Cicero

Offline AkRay

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Re: War relic 1911 IWO Jima Veteran
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2011, 11:00:05 AM »
I think it's great that this man's family chooses to treat it as a valued family heirloom.  I don't fault them at all for keeping this one in their family.  After all, it saved grampa's leg if not his life. 

Offline us920669

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Re: War relic 1911 IWO Jima Veteran
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2011, 01:23:40 PM »
Fantastic.  If they're going to hang on to it, the oldest family member should execute a document and get it notarized - not to sell it but just for posterity.  And I hate to say it but someone should - there may well be a round in the chamber.

Offline Jim_Ole_Timer

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Re: War relic 1911 IWO Jima Veteran
« Reply #8 on: June 13, 2011, 12:11:50 PM »
that is a great story and nice pics. My dad was also a Marine who fought on Iwo Jima. He was an MP amd I know he carried a pistol but he never mentioned it much. He also carried a carbine for guard duty. Wished I could remember more of his stories.
Protect our constitution, all of it. Our kids future depends on it. And please teach them Conservatism.

Offline OldSchoolRanger

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Re: War relic 1911 IWO Jima Veteran
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2011, 05:49:45 AM »
If the family wanted to, they could loan it to the museum to be used for a display.
That way, Horace Arthur "Arty" Smith, and his family would receive the recognition they so rightly deserve, and the public would get the gift of history of what our brave military went thru in WWII.  The ownership of the gun would still remain with the family.

Interesting story, the suggestion about executing a notarized statement is an excellent one, if not done soon, the story will eventually fade into memory and become a family legend.
"You are entitled to your own opinions, but you are not entitled to your own facts." - Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan

When you allow a lie to go unchallenged, it becomes the truth.

My quandary, I personally, don't think I have enough Handi's but, I know I have more Handi's than I really need or should have.

Offline robert4570

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Re: War relic 1911 IWO Jima Veteran
« Reply #10 on: July 03, 2011, 04:41:45 PM »
Amazing story and pictures .
Thanks for sharing .
Robert
NRA BENEFACTOR
United Sportsmen of America

Offline The Hermit

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Re: War relic 1911 IWO Jima Veteran
« Reply #11 on: July 03, 2011, 06:44:26 PM »
Great story, thanks for sharing it with us.

  The Hermit