There is still honor in this world today

Alan · Aug 17, 2011

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110808/NEWS/108080320/-1/NEWSMAP

August 08, 2011 (Doing the right thing)

By Paul Fattig
Mail Tribune
A historic Colt .45-caliber, semi-automatic pistol stolen more than 30 years
ago from a Medal of Honor winner in South Carolina has been returned to its
rightful owner.

The gun and owner were reunited after a history buff in Medford, who bought
the old handgun in an online auction last month, tracked down the retired
Marine whose name is engraved on it.

MARINE JOHN J. MCGINTY'S BRAVE ACT ON MARCH 12, 1968

President Lyndon Johnson presented John J. McGinty with the Medal of Honor
during a ceremony at the White House on March 12, 1968. In the presentation,
then Marine Staff Sgt. McGinty was cited for "conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty"
during Operation Hastings in July of 1966.
The troops had been battling toe-to-toe with a larger force of North
Vietnamese army troops attempting to push south near the demilitarized zone.
McGinty was commanding a 32-man platoon serving as a rear guard as the
Marine battalion withdrew at the end of a three-day battle.
For four hours, his platoon was attacked by small arms, automatic weapons
and mortar fire, the citation reads. At one point, two squads became
separated from the main body of the platoon.
"With complete disregard for his safety, McGinty charged through intense
automatic weapons and mortar fire to their position," it read. "Finding 20
men wounded and the medical corpsman killed, he quickly reloaded ammunition
magazines and weapons for the wounded men and directed their fire upon the
enemy.
"Although he was painfully wounded as he moved to care for the disabled men,
he continued to shout encouragement to his troops and to direct their fire
so effectively that the attacking hordes were beaten off," it continued.
The citation mentions his Colt .45 pistol.
"When the enemy tried to out-flank his position, he killed five of them at
point-blank range with his pistol," it concluded.
— Paul Fattig
"I knew if I found him and it was his gun, I couldn't keep it," said George
Berry, 71, who knew little about the history of the gun when he purchased it
from an auction house in Pennsylvania.

The story begins when Berry, a retired Navy warrant officer who also served
in the Marine Corps, decided this summer to fulfill a lifelong dream of
owning one of the historic handguns.

"I've always wanted to own a Colt Model 1911 ..45 automatic — always wanted
one," he says. "John Wayne had one in every World War II movie I've ever
seen him in."

Early in July, he began searching the Internet and discovered that Alderfer
Auction, a well-known auction firm in Hatfield, Pa., would be offering three
of the Colt .45s in a July 12 auction.

In particular, lot No. 78 caught his eye: "Colt 1911 A1 semi-automatic
pistol. Cal. 45. 5" bbl. SN 0103889. Reblued finish on all metal, plain
walnut Colt grips, after-market rear sight, no magazine," the description
read.

"Faint 'USMC' stamped on right side of slide, partial 'United States
Property' wording is visible," it continued. "The name 'John J. McGinty
USMC' stamped on left side of slide. Very good."

Berry was hesitant because it had been "reblued" and no longer had its
original sights or grips, all factors decreasing its value.

"And it had somebody's name engraved on the left side of the slide," he
observed.

He had no idea that McGinty was a war hero, let alone a recipient of the
nation's highest military medal for valor.

Still, the gun was manufactured in 1914, making it an early model. And there
was the USMC stamp he coveted..

"I decided to buy it in spite of the knocks against it," Berry said. "It was
the only one I knew of with 'USMC' stamped on it."

Berry paid less than $1,000 for the pistol. The two other Model 1911 Colt
.45s in the auction went for roughly $4,000 and $6,000 each, he noted.

Curious about who this McGinty fellow was, he began an Internet search. Up
popped numerous articles on a John J. McGinty, a retired marine who was
awarded the Medal of Honor for his courage in South Vietnam in 1966.

"The value of the gun just went up five-fold — that was my first thought,
anyway," Berry recalled.

As he read more about McGinty and his story, he knew he had to locate him to
see if he was the same man who once owned the gun. He also wanted to find
out how he parted with the pistol, and whether the former Marine wanted it
back.

"His medal citation actually mentions the pistol," Berry observed, referring
to the fact the wounded McGinty used it to kill five enemy soldiers
attacking his position.

However, Berry did not yet know whether it was the same McGinty associated
with his newly acquired pistol. He used the Internet to track down McGinty,
71, in Beaufort, S.C. McGinty had retired from the corps as a captain in
October 1976.

The retired Navy warrant officer called the retired Marine Corps officer and
asked him if it was his pistol.

"He said, 'Do you mean 0103889?' " Berry recalled, noting McGinty had just
recited the gun's serial number.

That's when McGinty informed him the pistol had been stolen in 1978 when it
was on display along with his uniform and sword. It was the very same pistol
McGinty had used in Vietnam to repulse that final assault.

Berry sent the pistol to Beaufort. After receiving it, McGinty called and
wanted to pay Berry for all his expenses.

"I told him I didn't want any money, that I had just wanted a Model 1911,"
Berry said.

Turns out that McGinty had a completely original Colt 1911 manufactured in
1918 that had been owned by John Finn, a longtime friend. Out of gratitude
for having received his pistol back, he sent the Finn pistol to Medford for
Berry to pick up last week.

"Can't thank you enough for your kindness," read a July 24 note accompanying
the weapon. "I have enclosed some cards and a (Medal of Honor) challenge
coin. The John W. Finn card was printed on the occasion of his 100th
birthday. John passed away last year. Thank you again, George.."

With his signature, McGinty, who could not be reached for comment by the
Mail Tribune, added "Semper fi."

Finn, who died in the spring of 2010 at age 100, was the last survivor of
the 15 Navy sailors who received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Wounded nine times, Finn,
who acquired the pistol during the war, was the oldest living recipient of
the medal.

"I am absolutely deliriously happy it turned out this way," Berry said.

With the Finn pistol he finally acquired a Model 1911 Colt, but he will tell
you that's not the point.

"John McGinty could have just said, 'Thanks, have a good life,' " Berry
said. "But no matter what was going to happen, I knew I would feel good
about getting that gun back to him.

"Concern yourself with what is right and you'll never second-guess that
decision," he concluded.

Berry and his wife, Lilliana, plan to visit McGinty later this year
Click to expand...

Just Piddling · Aug 17, 2011

This post is hidden to guests.
To view this post, please log in.
If you are not a member, you will need to sign up.

Hunt22-250 · Aug 17, 2011

This post is hidden to guests.
To view this post, please log in.
If you are not a member, you will need to sign up.

braveheart · Aug 17, 2011

This post is hidden to guests.
To view this post, please log in.
If you are not a member, you will need to sign up.

mworkman · Aug 17, 2011

This post is hidden to guests.
To view this post, please log in.
If you are not a member, you will need to sign up.

cd4th · Aug 17, 2011

This post is hidden to guests.
To view this post, please log in.
If you are not a member, you will need to sign up.

ACBass · Aug 17, 2011

This post is hidden to guests.
To view this post, please log in.
If you are not a member, you will need to sign up.

Droopy · Aug 17, 2011

This post is hidden to guests.
To view this post, please log in.
If you are not a member, you will need to sign up.

DIXIEDOG · Aug 17, 2011

This post is hidden to guests.
To view this post, please log in.
If you are not a member, you will need to sign up.

Log in or Sign up

There is still honor in this world today

Alan Proud Infidel

Just Piddling .

Hunt22-250 Scuba Steve

braveheart Well-Known Member

mworkman Well-Known Member

cd4th Shoot first, shoot again

ACBass Well-Known Member

Droopy Well-Known Member

DIXIEDOG Prostaff for Taylor worms

Dang Gridleak, It's Still Happening

Still just...

For Chaw, if he is still around Hope Wiz iz doing OK too

Well they're still here

Clearly staged --- but still risky

Share This Page