Incredible USMC LT Colonel Nam Bring Back Weapons Grouping!

[WWIIBuff1945]

My friend decided to part with his amazing Vietnam bring back grouping and I was happy to add it to my collection. LT Colonel Joseph K. Griffis Jr, a 3 war vet, brought home a SKS & P38 pistol from Vietnam. He was an amazing man from what I have read about him. My friend met him in 1998 when he was walking around a local gun show carrying the SKS and with the P38 tucked inside the waist of his pants! No one was interested in the guns so my friend bought the pair and eventually became friends with the Colonel. He had the Colonel write up the story on how each bring back was acquired. Would you believe he even wrote down the quadrants on where they were taken! The LT Colonel that was carrying the P38 was a paymaster and 50 thousand in Vietnamese money was found in his briefcase. The homemade holster he had the P38 in at one time probably held a Nagant revolver because one fits perfectly in it and the cylinder imprint is still there. The P38 also fits perfectly in it. I have a lot of paperwork that comes with the group including bring back papers for each gun. I also have the Machete the Colonel was issued when he went through survival school. I have linked some great articles about the LT Colonel. He tried to join the Marines at age 15 and was rejected so he served in the Merchant Marines for a year before finally joining the Marines at 16 and served in the Pacific during WWII. He also served in Korea and 2 tours in Vietnam. What a badass! I am so fortunate to be the caretaker of this great grouping! Enjoy! I forgot to mention how strange it is that the sling buckle was cut down like it was!

Joseph Griffis Obituary (2008) - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Sun-Sentinel

LTC Joseph K “Joe” Griffis Jr. (1928-2008) - Find A Grave Memorial

AROUND THE SCUTTLEBUTT: LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOSEPH K. GRIFFIS, Jr., USMC

[MAP]

Pretty awesome story and grouping.

[PRE]

Excellent! I realize that the Nagant revolver fit perfectly into the holster shown, but I do wonder what type of holster this was originally?

That SKS is gorgeous, and probably came straight out of a shipping crate.

Pat

[Richard2]

Really remarkable man and great guns.

[Anderson]

Now that's what I call provenance.