| Description |
German P-08 semi-automatic blow-back 9 mm pistol with 4" barrel, commonly known as a "Luger." Manufactured and stamped "1936". Right side of frame has three Nazi acceptance marks, as does right side of barrel near chamber. Serial number 4153 stamped on front of frame and matching number "53" on all major parts except clips. Safety marked "GESICHERT." Clip has serial number 7420 along with letter "c", Maltese Cross, Nazi acceptance mark with number 154. Toggle stamped S/42, the Nazi manufacturing code for the Mauser Werke factory. See related holster and clip, 2002.110.2.
The S/42 is the most frequently encountered Luger variant and was manufactured in Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1940. This pistol was captured by Adrian Hansen, an Oshkosh man who was a soldier in the 82nd Airborne. He saw action in the Italian campaign and France. See archives for official "capture papers" and U.S. Customs Declaration papers listing pistol.
Adrian Donald Hansen was born in Eldorado, WI on 02/07/1919, the son of Margaret May Griffiths Hansen and Pearl Steven Hansen. He attended Slough Bridge School, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Before World War II, he worked for his father and the Wisconsin Diamond Match Company. He entered the U. S. Army on September 29, 1942. He was in the 1st Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division, 325 Glider Infantry. He was awarded the Purple Heart after being wounded in action in France in 1944. He also received the good Conduct Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Service Ribbon with one Silver Star for gallantry in action and one Bronze Battle Star for service above and beyond the call of duty, Glider Badge, five overseas Service Bars, Distinguished Unit Badge, Bronze Service Arrowhead, Combat Infantryman Badge and glider Wings. He also received a Presidential Citation for volunteering to go behind enemy lines to rescue troops in the Battle of the Bulge. He served with the 325th glider Infantry in French Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, Ireland, France, Holland, Belgium and Germany. He was part of the Normandy Invasion on D-Day. He served in Foreign Service for 2 years, 4 months, 16 days. He was honorably discharged on September 22, 1945. He returned to the Diamond Match Company to work until it closed. He worked for the Turner Horse Stables and the Universal Foundry, Oshkosh until he retired at age 62. He died 09/08/1998 in Oshkosh WI. |
| Dimensions |
L-8.5 D-1.125 inches |
| Event |
World War II |
| Material |
Steel/Wood |
| Object ID |
2002.110.1 |
| Object Name |
Pistol |
| Owned |
Hansen, Adrian Donald |
| People |
Hansen, Adrian Donald |
| Place of Origin |
Germany |
| Related Publications |
Larson, Bradley G. "Voices of History 1941-1945". Oshkosh Public Museum, 2003. |
| Year Range from |
1936 |
| Year range to |
1936 |
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Last modified on: July 22, 2007
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