Pacific Theater Guns (In Honor of the HBO Series, "THe Pacific")

Status
Not open for further replies.
Here's two sidearms you would have seen on Guadalcanal during the battle. Keep in mind no 1911a1's had been Parkerized yet, that came shortly afterwards - they were still all blued at that point. And the Marines at that time mostly would have had 1911's - the a1 variant was still ramping up production. The 1917 is accurate save the hack of someone removing the lanyard loop long ago (I have this for sale, actually).

1) Colt 1911 (Colt reproduction, not original):
IMGP5656PEF.jpg

2) S&W 1917, 1917 production:
IMGP5649PEF.jpg
 
Personally, I didn't care for the scene where the Japanese soldier who was giving up was shot (actually toyed with before firing the killing shot). Now I know, a Hollywood depiction of it is excused because they just lost buddies to sniper fire, but that portrayal didn't add to the story, and in my opinion was just to make the guys look like murderers.

I watched the first episode, didn't exactly grab me like "Band of Brothers" did, but I admit a prejudice about that series, the unit in that series was my old unit from the 101st Airborne. I'll give this one a chance, but if they continue this stance in how they show our guys, I may rethink that.
 
Lonestar..wasn't that Charleton Hestons private collection in his basement.
Click to expand...

That was a rumor but that was all it was. I think that rumor was actually started by antis to smear him as some kook. IIRC, it was actually a SC physician's collection photographed for his estate a few years back. Not that it would diminish the impressiveness, of course.

I'll give this one a chance, but if they continue this stance in how they show our guys, I may rethink that.
Click to expand...

You don't have to be an ex member of the 101st or 516th to not "love" this show. Narratively, it's scatter-shot and not well stitched together. The battle scenes are good and some of the details just perfect (there are errors), but it is just not a great "story." It's trying to weave a few different ones together, and doing it poorly.
 
Dude, there's 14 BAR's in that picture!! Plus over 11 M-16 variants, several Thomspns, an AUG, an FN FNC (I think), 4x M2s, some AT rifle, an M1919, several flamethrowers, a Stoner M63 (above the FNC), and random WW2 SMGs. THere's even a Madsen machinegun in the top pic, the only other one I've seen was at a gun show. I justt hope has has some realy good security.
 
You don't actually believe the scene in the river was somebody's wierd fantasy, do you?

I think every scene is based on a factual event.

I fought for 18 months as an advisor to Cambodian and Montagnard irregulars.

If I told stories, people would think I was lying.
 
I don't think that there is any historical doubt that often prisoners were shot by both sides. My step-grandfather saw it done in the Italian campaign, and my understanding is that things were a lot worse in the Pacific. If you just want American guys heroically portrayed, without a more nuanced perspective, Hollywood has plenty of films like that. Me, I'll take history every time.
 
stickhauler said:
Personally, I didn't care for the scene where the Japanese soldier who was giving up was shot (actually toyed with before firing the killing shot). Now I know, a Hollywood depiction of it is excused because they just lost buddies to sniper fire, but that portrayal didn't add to the story, and in my opinion was just to make the guys look like murderers.

I watched the first episode, didn't exactly grab me like "Band of Brothers" did, but I admit a prejudice about that series, the unit in that series was my old unit from the 101st Airborne. I'll give this one a chance, but if they continue this stance in how they show our guys, I may rethink that.
Click to expand...
What about that scene in Band of Brothers where they gave the German prisoners cigarettes, just before shooting them all at the side of the road?
 
I highly recommend reading "Helmet for my Pillow," by Private Leckie who is one of the mainstays of the HBO series. It is an amazing war biography, going from Parris Island to Guadalcanal to Australia to New Britain to Pelilu where he was blast-wounded and evacuated.

Amazing story, it's gathering dust in your local library.

Watch or don't watch the HBO series, but I strongly urge you to read the book the series is based upon.
 
My brother has my departed grand-fathers Nambu pistol. He had new springs put into it, but I don't know if he had the courage to try shooting it. The last time we spoke about it he didn't want to spend the money to buy ammo. He thought it was too pricey.

But, I bring up this part of the story because of how my brother 'earned' the gun. We both knew my grandfather had this gun. I found it while snooping in his bedroom as a kid. He kept it by his bed in a drawer, but there wasn't any ammo to be found. The springs, according to my brother, were long since worn out anyway. I don't know how my brother discovered the gun; probably the same way I did.

Anyway, after grandpa died, my brother stopped by his house during the week my aunt (one of the executors) was preparing for the estate sale. He looks everywhere for the gun and can't find it. "Where's that gun grandpa had?", he asks.

Well, guess where she put it? Just where she thought it belonged; in the garbage. Doesn't that just kill you?! Thankfully, he got it out before trash day. That just begs the question: 'how many collectible guns are thrown in the dumpster every year?' It just blows my mind that she'd throw it out and not tell anyone her intentions.
 
I've got an M-1 Carbine made by Underwood that I bought from a brother officer in the early '70s.

He was a Navy SeaBee in the Pacific during WWII and brought it back. He also offered to sell me a Nambu at the time, but I declined because of the cost and scarcity of the ammo.

I got into law enforcement just about the time several "old timers" were retiring, many were WWII Vets. I also wound up with 3 pistols from the European Theater, a 1911 Colt, an S-42 (Mauser) Luger, and a Nazi marked FN Hi-Power.

The only gun I still have is the Carbine. It was pristine when I got it, doesn't look like it led a hard life.
 
I watched episodes 1 & 2, I will probably filp past it when it's on but I wont be making a point of looking for it.

With Band of Brothers being an A+, this is a C+ so far.
 
Calification.. not mine, sadly

Quote:
Lonestar..wasn't that Charleton Hestons private collection in his basement.
Click to expand...

That was a rumor but that was all it was. I think that rumor was actually started by antis to smear him as some kook. IIRC, it was actually a SC physician's collection photographed for his estate a few years back. Not that it would diminish the impressiveness, of course.
Click to expand...
...

I wish it were mine but it isn't.. I think, as mentioned, it is a SC physicians collection, as this is the house, a southern mansion/manor and as pic says, vault room below house.. :eek:

Have to say, being a pilot, whoever this guy is, he's got the best of all 3 worlds.. Guns, House/large/spread, with own runway, and a fine plane..

hero1.jpg

I wish,



Ls
 
Here's my two for "Pacific"....the primary LMGs for both sides...

200651616532rifles067.jpg


Or the rifle they SHOULD have had during filming..

S7300077.jpg ..

Always need a good top cocker thompson too...

range022a.jpg
 
WWII did turn out some good weapons! I'm still wotking on my collection.

BTW Tom Hanks should thank our .mil he was able to make the movie in english,
 
OK - these aren't mine. I found them on GunBroker (nods head to "jackcounty" who has them listed for sale)

First is a Type 94 Pistol in 8mm Nambu

Second is a Type 26 Revolver in 9mm

Third is a Type 1 Carbine in 6.5x50 Ariska (made in Italy for the Japanese Navy)
 

Attachments

  • WWII Japanese Type 26 9mm Revolver.jpg
    WWII Japanese Type 26 9mm Revolver.jpg
    56.1 KB · Views: 2
  • WWII Japanese Type 94 8mm Nambu.jpg
    WWII Japanese Type 94 8mm Nambu.jpg
    55.6 KB · Views: 2
  • WWII Japanese Navy Type 1 in 6.5x50 Ariska.jpg
    WWII Japanese Navy Type 1 in 6.5x50 Ariska.jpg
    36.4 KB · Views: 6
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

C
  • Locked
South Pacific: "Illegal guns threaten Pacific peace"
Replies
2
Views
384
SDC
S
G
  • Locked
Movie theater gun crime?
Replies
9
Views
857
Jeff White
J
C
  • Locked
New Zealand: "Pacific neighbours under the gun"
Replies
0
Views
359
cuchulainn
C
Husker1911
  • Locked
SMG In Family Trunk
2
Replies
26
Views
2K
Carl N. Brown
Carl N. Brown
G
  • Locked
Guns issued during WW2/Vietnam?
Replies
8
Views
2K
Ron James
R
Back
Top