Bugs Bonney SASS # 10171 Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 My P38 By Paul Mazan AC44 is stamped on the slide Manufactured by Walther but not with pride Made by slaves from conquered lands Issued to men with blood on their hands. Sent to war to enslave and kill As if the gun had a soul and a will What has it seen what has it done How many were wounded or slain with this gun? Patton’s army invaded the land The gun and its owner made a stand Croutched in a hole in his native soil With machine-gun and loader after much toil. With loader on watch the sergeant slept without fear Until he awoke with my fathers gun in his ear He gave up his pistol and Hitler Youth knife And marched into captivity to save his own life. The loader covered his eyes and wept He was on watch but exhausted, he slept Don’t be upset my father said Had you been awake you both would be dead. Not so, said the loader, had I been awake We would have cut you down for the Fatherland’s sake Father just laughed, you worked so hard when night held sway You fell asleep not knowing your gun pointed the wrong way. I’ve carried it long as my duty gun Never fired in anger but often in fun It’s stood ready to defend innocent life A nobler profession than serving Hitler’s strife. Today I’ve retired, the gun and I rest No longer required to serve with the best Still we stand ready should duty call To defend freedom or family we’ll give our all. Guns last longer than the lives of men Their steel much stronger than human skin My father’s deed left this gun to me I’ll pass it on to my son when life’s done with me. Conceived in hate and built in shame A defender of freedom it became In the hands of my father and then in mine Next in my son’s, and down our line. Steel doesn’t know good from bad It served the German it served my dad May it ever be for targets and games But if tyranny arises its function remains. Bugs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grouchy Greg, SASS#71981 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 My P38 By Paul Mazan AC44 is stamped on the slide Manufactured by Walther but not with pride Made by slaves from conquered lands Issued to men with blood on their hands. Sent to war to enslave and kill As if the gun had a soul and a will What has it seen what has it done How many were wounded or slain with this gun? Patton’s army invaded the land The gun and its owner made a stand Croutched in a hole in his native soil With machine-gun and loader after much toil. With loader on watch the sergeant slept without fear Until he awoke with my fathers gun in his ear He gave up his pistol and Hitler Youth knife And marched into captivity to save his own life. The loader covered his eyes and wept He was on watch but exhausted, he slept Don’t be upset my father said Had you been awake you both would be dead. Not so, said the loader, had I been awake We would have cut you down for the Fatherland’s sake Father just laughed, you worked so hard when night held sway You fell asleep not knowing your gun pointed the wrong way. I’ve carried it long as my duty gun Never fired in anger but often in fun It’s stood ready to defend innocent life A nobler profession than serving Hitler’s strife. Today I’ve retired, the gun and I rest No longer required to serve with the best Still we stand ready should duty call To defend freedom or family we’ll give our all. Guns last longer than the lives of men Their steel much stronger than human skin My father’s deed left this gun to me I’ll pass it on to my son when life’s done with me. Conceived in hate and built in shame A defender of freedom it became In the hands of my father and then in mine Next in my son’s, and down our line. Steel doesn’t know good from bad It served the German it served my dad May it ever be for targets and games But if tyranny arises its function remains. Bugs ===================================================== What a great poem! It makes me appreciate the AC 44 Walther that my step-mom's brother Dick brought back from Italy at the end of WWII even more. When Dick moved to Florida in 1980, he gave it to Dad, who passed it along to me last year. It came with the original soft brown leather holster, an extra magazine, and 48 rounds of 1943 dated ammo in 16 rounds boxes (one box can charge two 8 round magazines). In the bottom of the spare mag well in the holster, I found a tightly wadded up piece of the German newspaper Die Grune Post, dated 2 April 1944, that appears to be a piece of a classified ad section. The pistol is a great shooter that hits dead-on-the-money at 25 yards and just a tad low at 50. Every time I take it out of the safe, I can't help wondering where it has been and what it has done. Guns like ours are history you can hold in your hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seamus McGillicuddy Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Very cool, Bugs. Wish some of my "old vets" has the history & provenance your P38 does. Seamus P.S. Seen your brother William lately? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugs Bonney SASS # 10171 Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 Very cool, Bugs. Wish some of my "old vets" has the history & provenance your P38 does. Seamus P.S. Seen your brother William lately? Ain't seen Billy in a while. Heard he was out New Mexico way. My daughter and her Husband are out there now and report no sign of him around Roswell. Bugs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Bugs, that was thrilling. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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