Are war trophies a thing of the past?

[Adrian]

Here's an interesting article:

Is the era of the war trophy over?

[Cadillac]

They have definitely made it harder to get war trophies in the sense of firearms. Some things are still rather easy to get. Knives and such can be difficult, but clothing (from my experience head scarves, dishdasha's, etc.) are easy to bring back. I brought back two of the head scarves and a dishdasha, a necklace, and a dress. Though, these weren't "war trophies" in the sense of me taking them off of a dead enemy, but were given to me during my humanitarian missions with medicine. I also received a 100 year old bottle of scotch, and a necklace from a sheik for giving medical aid to his granddaughter. The only real war trophy we took was a box of cigars that fell onto the floor during a raid. They were amazing cigars and we smoked them there, didn't bring them back or anything. But I do feel traditional war trophies are indeed a thing of the past.

[AMTG]

I know in the Aussie Army in Iraq it was discouraged to pick up things....but I was able to send home an Iraqi flag and uniform I was given, and some traditional Iraqi clothing that was also given to me.....larger items like unit signs and logos used in country were bought back by units and bits of Iraqi equipment like weapons and vehicles were sent by by official channels

[drmessimer]

Adrian: This is an interesting and very appropriate thread you have launched. Military historian Dr. Peter Caddick-Adams hit the nail on the head when he wrote, "As long as there are wars, trophies will be sought, and the practice is no issue as long as items are not dangerous or offensive." To a greater or lesser degree, the current political correctness movement will set the standard for what is "offensive" and stem the flow of war trophies coming home from the front. But the flow will still continue; only the nature of the trophies will change. But you can bet that trophies, or artifacts, such as are found on this Forum, will always be available for any recent or future war. Helmets, hats, badges, medals, and belt buckles will remain popular battlefield acquisitions for so long as there are wars. Dwight

[Adrian]

Souvenir collecting still happens as our above members have mentioned but I wonder if it's kept quieter due to 'political correctness'?

[AMTG]

I remember that one of the M113 APC fitters tracks in our unit went in for a refurb and they found a Vietcong pistol at the bottom of the fuel tank that someone had dumped in there in order to bing it back after Vietnam, but could never get it out! 30 years of being drowned in diesel did it no harm!

[AMTG]

The Australian army has the "Army history unit" that goes ino country and earmarks items for the war memorial and army museum.....they came to visit us and identified a lot of items, and also asked us if we'd let them download photos from diggers cameras.....

[Cadillac]

I remember that one of the M113 APC fitters tracks in our unit went in for a refurb and they found a Vietcong pistol at the bottom of the fuel tank that someone had dumped in there in order to bing it back after Vietnam, but could never get it out! 30 years of being drowned in diesel did it no harm!

Thats impressive. The armory I was based out of in NY had a bunch of weapons and different trophies from WWI, WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam on display in it. I believe with the right people signing off on it, units can still bring weapons back (though ours didn't), but individuals can not bring back weapons.

[Thanatos]

All politics and political correctness aside soldiers will be soldiers.War trophys will always be taken as long as warfare exists IMO.
It's a human nature thing.
Cheers
Dave

[AMTG]

Yeh it's the same here....our mob bought back RPG and AK47's,but they were pooled together and the relevant paperwork done through official channels and they made it home.....also a Iraqi AA gun, that we "relocated" from a US airbase and bought to our camp was also I believe able to be sent home