P.08 byf 42 vet bringback rig

[Hambone]

Matching pistol, holster, spare mag a numbered spare (not matching pistol), fxo black resin bottomed mag with pistol (original, these were unnumbered by 1942) with capture papers. This Luger was brought back by a Tec.4 Glenn O. Sine with the 133rd Field Artillery, an organic unit of the 36th Infantry Div. that hit the beach at Salerno, Southern France, fought up through and into Germany. They were truck pulled 105 howitzers, hit the beach at Salerno and had to direct fire open sights to keep German tanks from pushing them back into the sea.
133d F.A. Batt.:
North Africa/Salerno/Anzio/Southern France/Vosges: After staging in North Africa, the 133 Field Artillery Battalion unit was assigned as direct support for the 143d Infantry and landed in the assault at Salerno 9 September, 1943. The 133d fought the bloody battles up the boot of Italy until relieved, retrained and committed to reinforce the Anzio landing on 22 May, 1944, participating in the liberation of Rome on 5 July 1944. Later the unit made a third amphibious landing in Southern France, 15 August, 1944, and fought with the 36th during the later months of the war, ending the war on the German-Austrian border area. The unit was returned to the United States and demobilized in December, 1945 at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia.
http://www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum...133/133lin.htm

[Hambone]

more pics of P.08

[Hambone]

and more pics of P.08

[Col.Klink]

That is stunning....

[Peter U]

Beautiful set Hambone, congratulations.


Peter

[Hambone]

Thanks guys. Below are 105s used by the 133d. The first pic could actually be the 133d as the pic was staging in Tunisia.

[Caflashbob]

I am a newby with a "u" block 1941 byf Luger and it is interesting to note the detail in the milling on yours versus mine. Mine has no or very little tooling marks. By 1942 they were working faster it seems. Or different machinists than before which would match the way the war was going by 1942?

Beautiful condition original.

Bob

[RyanE]

Can't go wrong with a Luger especially in that condition.

I like seeings these late Lugers with the wood grips. Maybe its is just all of the annoying "Black Widow" crap, but I've never been a fan of the synthetic grips.

[George R.]

Ham, that is a nice rig, capture papers to boot, excellent history thanks for sharing. GR

[Hambone]

Thanks George.

I've seen these humorously referred to as "Brown Recluse" Lugers Ryan, I like these better as well. There is no question that the grips are original to it and not replaced. That whole "Black Widow" thing was a marketing concept from a surplus dealer to get more interest in the black resin gripped P.08s when wood grips were preferred. The marketing took off and now it seems like that's what is favored. I'm sure a few wood gripped original P.08s have been "upgraded" to "Black Widow" status.