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Memorial Day

Author	Comment
MP1978	Memorial Day	Lead	[-]
Posts: 156 (05/25/09 02:08 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Tags : None I went down to my local Memorial Day activities and most everything was as it should be but I noticed one thing I felt was out of place. On a presentation to honor American WWll Vets the rifle used in the presentation, under the American helmet and impaled into the ground, on it's bayonette, was an Arisaka. That particular rifle could have been used to take an American soldiers life. In my way of thinking an American m/1915, m/1917, m/1903 or m-1 of either type would have been way more fitting, out of respect, for those fallen American soldiers. Am I being way too anal on this subject? I was thinking It may be possable to get a demilled drill rifle, of the model I mentioned, through the CMP for a reasonable price. After all it would be given to my local Veterans Adminitration for the display. Have any of you guys ever done this for one of your groups? If so, where did you start or who did you contact first?...Jim
m1 talker		#1	[-]
Posts: 6754 (05/25/09 02:40 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Hell, that just shows the ignorance of the people putting it on! They don't get the idea that details like this are very important and I doubt any of them ever wore a uniform of the US military. To me, its the little things like this that either make or break any ceremony. I would consider what you saw an insult to OUR vets. Others may think differently and say it is simply the thought that counts. Believe what you wish, but that is my opinion and I will stick with it. I would even loan them a proper firearm if they needed one. Something like that ruins the day for me! Next they will be displaying the Swastika on flag day as a US flag was "not available"! Grrrr! Curt
7GREEN		#2	[-]
Posts: 589 (05/25/09 05:01 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	You're not being anal about it (I am tired of that word), rather like so many of us you have an eye for details and insist that things be depicted correctly. I found a website a few years ago that showed reenactors in France at a commemoration of the Battle of the Somme. I noted that some of the "Tommies" had No. 4 Mark Is instead of the correct SMLEs (the No. 1 Mark III designation was not adopted until 1926) and some of the French soldiers were in the 1914 uniform of blue overcoat and red pants. No different than pointing out mistakes in movies, e.g.
MP1978		#3	[-]
Posts: 157 (05/26/09 07:31 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	The ingnorance in this instance was my local Veterans Administration officials. The Administrator of the Ocala, Fl. branch of that office told me "They couldn't get a correct rifle because nobody wanted to let them use one of their collectable rifles because, Those rifles were worth a lot of money." He also stated " We only get one or two complaints a year about it so we continue to use that rifle." I just thought it was insulting to a Pacific Theater veteran. I've seen correct American rifles that have been demilled listed somewhere but at this time I can't remember where...Jim P.S. I would have loned them a rifle if I had one but I collect Mausers with most of them being of Swedish origin. Last Edited By: MP1978 05/26/09 08:13 PM. Edited 1 times.
Alibi	Memorializing passed service members.	#4	[-]
Posts: 472 (06/02/09 03:29 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Although in movies KIAs are marked with their own or a handy helmet and rifle, it would make sense on a battlefield to use captured equipment to temporarily mark the body(s) for graves registration people. I think it might have seemed offensive to troops on the battlefied to use enemy equipment rather than "American" equipment for this purpose, so the VA display may carry an offensivness that is counter to a sense of propriety by Americans even in the contingency on a battlefield. I am not aware that in any circumstances were permanant internments marked in this way. Plasma bottles are almost invariably depicted attached to U.S. equipment when a captured rifle would serve as well, but Hollywood never had any qualms about sticking a prop bayonet into the dirt. The use of this symbolism as a memorial tribute seems odd to me, obviously more dramatic than a headstone or grave marker, but I think it would have been more appropriate in this case to use a U.S. service rifle. I suppose the explanation given for the Japanese rifle was a case where they would rather do it "wrong" than not at all. You really can't blame collectors from declining to allow equipment, especially firearms, to be used in displays by people like the VA official mentioned in post #3. I have loaned equipment, including firearms, out for display purposes and items came back in a condition that indicated lack of care and appreciation for the equipment. BTW what's a m/1915 rifle? Memorial day this year I spent half the day on the U.S.S. Midway, in San Diego. Around noon a PA announcer asked for a moment of silence and an active duty sailor played taps from a prominent height on the island. I noticed that all the people standing on the flight deck stood quietly and I thought that the "tribute" was simple, effective and appropriate to the location and occasion. Last Edited By: Alibi 06/02/09 03:41 PM. Edited 1 times.
MP1978		#5	[-]
Posts: 160 (06/05/09 05:49 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	The correct term for the rifle I mentioned is P-15. They were at least used by an Ali...Jim

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