Fionn Posted September 5, 1999 Share Posted September 5, 1999 This is culled from an oral history given by an American veteran. "There was a Sergeant Bailey. He was from Fort Benning, Georgia. Where he made a bad mistake, he had a German scabbard that he picked up. That was a bad deal when they saw that; they shot him. They shot him right through the head. Because anything you take from the Germans, like a P-38 or anything, they think you robbed the dead. And they don’t like that. If you see a dead German, "Oh, he’s got a P-38, I think I’m gonna get that," you’d just better not. Because if you ever get captured with that gun on you, you’re done." That Schmeisser might give you a little firepower as opposed to your Garand but once you pick up the Schmeiser there's no more surrendering for you. ------------------ ___________ Fionn Kelly Manager of Historical Research, The Gamers Net - Gaming for Gamers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big Time Software Posted September 5, 1999 Share Posted September 5, 1999 Ooooh... I hate hearing that word "Schmeiser". There is no weapon in the German inventory with that name, even though Schmeiser was the brains behind quite a few of the best. There is one that people use his name with, the MP38/40, but he had nothing to do with its development. Apparently he had a HUGE EGO so he never bothered to correct anybody and so the name stuck. Now even museums have the gun listed as "Schmeiser" sometimes. "Burp Gun" or MP40 if you please Sorry, pet peeve! GIs actually collected LOTS of German stuff, but they were very careful about it. Most were smart enough to sell it quick to rearline guys, who then shipped 'em back to someone else for a price. Quite a black market in captured stuff. Some, like an artillery man I just read about, usually had a whole duffel bag full of captured stuff. But because he heard about out of hand shootings (I am sure they were few with lots of grapevine folklore) he kept his in the back of a truck. He figured that if he were caught they wouldn't be able to pin it on him specifically 'cause he removed his nametag from the bag Then he would ship stuff home and fill up the bag again. German POWs (I have a nice book about them in the US) said that the GIs usually would strip them clean of everything they had that looked neat. From wrist watches to medals to entire uniforms. And if they resisted... good old rifle but upside the head usually convinced the guy to let the GI have whatever it was he wanted. Spoils of war Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted September 5, 1999 Share Posted September 5, 1999 Yes, Steve is quite correct. Schmeiser isn't proper in this case. MP40 is the proper term. And a very effective weapon it is. I would rate it as the finest handling submachinegun around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted September 5, 1999 Author Share Posted September 5, 1999 I consider myself nitpicked Of course you're both right but at 2am (local time) I get lazy when it comes to weapon designations. So bite me ! In an attempt to win back goodie points on the TGN history site ( http://historians.thegamers.net ) I do go into some detail on why its incorrect to call the MP40 a Schmeisser. Guess I should practice what I preach though ------------------ ___________ Fionn Kelly Manager of Historical Research, The Gamers Net - Gaming for Gamers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big Time Software Posted September 5, 1999 Share Posted September 5, 1999 I don't have to "bite you", cause I already did. You just don't know it yet On Turn 25 Martin's 8in battery FOs (yes, plural) show up. I can't remember if the M18s come in before or after that, but I am sure it is before the Pershing Platoon does. Well, I suppose it doesn't matter 'cause that artillery is going to send you all the way to Berlin Steve P.S. Just kidding. Only ONE 8in FO is scheduled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted September 5, 1999 Share Posted September 5, 1999 Hehe. I wasn't trying to nitpick, it's just that when that particular gun comes up in a conversation I find it rather difficult not to say a word or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted September 5, 1999 Author Share Posted September 5, 1999 LOL. No problems guys. I've nitpicked more than enough people about the Schmeisser thing myself on boards to get upset about it... Umm Steve, why do you hate me so? I really doubt any 8 inch FOs are coming in since Steve wouldn't have said it if they were BUT for those of you who haven't seen what an 8 inch barrage can do let me give you the short version... It kills pretty much everything occupying the ground where and around which it lands. I remember making a forestfighting scenario with Martin in which I gave him 2 8 inch FOs (this was before I had figured out how lethal arty was)... Anyways, he advanced his troops slowly because it was an infantry battalion vs an infantry battalion DEEP in a forest. He guessed my llikely locations and got them very, very right.. Anyways, one turn 8 inch arty hit me and I lost roughly 80% of each of the companies he'd targetted. That's roughly 200 KIA out of a total force of 360 or so in only 1 minute.. OUCH ! ------------------ ___________ Fionn Kelly Manager of Historical Research, The Gamers Net - Gaming for Gamers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest R Cunningham Posted September 5, 1999 Share Posted September 5, 1999 Re: captured stuff. My grandfather (comabt infantryman, 85th ID)sent home the items he picked up in Italy. I've since inherited them, a Mauser Kar98k (that he rechambered for winchester .270!) and a P-38. He got them as souvenirs, not to use in combat. He never got captured so it didn't come up. He described how easy it was to just mail them home in boxes he had made solely for that purpose. He also once told me story about how he almost brought home an MG42 after the war. It was anounced repeatedly that no one was allowed to take war booty home. He had the gun in the center of a duffle bag and thought he'd be alright. The Army kept insisting that it would inspect each man's baggage. So granddad chickend out and dumped the gun in the woods somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pak40 Posted September 5, 1999 Share Posted September 5, 1999 Although I've read many accounts where soldiers said that they were afraid of being captured with the enemy's weapons, the fact of the matter is that it happened. It seems mainly to happen in desparate situations such as the British at Arnhem or the 101st at Bastogne. The battle for Arnhem saw soldiers from both sides picking up whatever they could find. Most germans units at this state were refitting and didn't have much ammo or weapons. Sten guns found on dead British paratroopers were taken more often than not. The British were surrounded and used whatever they could find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted September 6, 1999 Share Posted September 6, 1999 Hi there! The MPi 38/40 was developed 1938 by a guy named Heinrich Vollmer from the Erfurter Waffenfabrik company. But there is a Schmeisser MPi; the MPi 41 (Schmeisser-Haenel model). Not quite this famous as the MPi 40... Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big Time Software Posted September 7, 1999 Share Posted September 7, 1999 The MP41 was just an MP40 with a wooden stock [slight addition, the firing mechanism as well as the stock were from the MP28]. Not popular as the stock threw the balance off (or so I recall) and added a few pounds to the gun. Produced in limited numbers, it was pretty much just issued to police units for rear duty security. If Schmeiser had something to do with it, I would say it was the most low tech of his contributions to firearms development A couple of years ago a decent quantity came into the US as "dummy guns" (deactivated, but real parts) and were sold through various dealers (IMA being the largest I think). Steve [This message has been edited by Big Time Software (edited 09-06-99).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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