Gold Engraved Walther PPK | Amazing WW2 Capture Story!

[@stephenstenger5344]

Tom - This entire experience has been First Class! I don’t think I could have dealt with a finer individual. Not only did you purchase this weapon, but the video production is a true “Legacy” for our family. Thank you so much!!

[@scottthompson5855]

I just want to say a quick think you for allowing Tom to purchase your heirloom PPK. I agree that Tom did a fine review of your dad's meritorious service in both WWII and Korea. Through your sale it has allowed many that enjoy viewing and collecting such fine pieces of history. This engraved PPK is undoubtedly a work of art and it has weathered 80ish years still looking magnificient. Thanks Stephen and Tom for sharing.

[@nagjrcjasonbower]

Such a great piece of history! Thank you!!! Also, quite the amazing HERO story that so many of us would never have seen without this video...

[@nathanmclaughlin7862]

My grandfather...Robert Stenger. I love ❤ this video. My dad Stephen( who provides the Ppk) glad this provided.

[@chuckboyle8456]

Superb episode, thanks. Excellent pistol, glad to see it being preserved for history. The background story of this courageous American soldier is truly priceless. Most Americans today cannot understand the level of personal sacrifice that these men and women of the WWII era made to our freedom. So many more of this generation fell in combat against a despicable ideology, and never made it home to build their own families. God bless America! Carry on!

[@grumpyoldfart1945]

Thanks, Tom, for another fascinating “bring back” story. Please keep ‘em coming. (If only these old guns could talk!)

[@dw566]

Thank you for another fusion of gun and life history. I'm humbled by the commitment and service that LTC Stenger gave to our country and offer a salute to him and his family.

[@nathanmclaughlin7862]

LTC Stenger is my grandfather.

[@cleondubois1270]

Great man....Great story....Great Gun...History is where you find it & thanks for bringing us this chapter.

[@joshuagibson2520]

Thank you Tom. It's quite honorable of you to share all these treasures with us. Some of these objects would never be seen by some of us otherwise. It's important for these pieces to be seen and shared. Keep 'em coming.

[@edwardpetty5401]

Thank you for sharing. God bless Robert Stenger.

[@sgtmajtrapp3391]

US 1917 ENFIELD .30-06. Actually more prolific in WW1 than the 1903 Springfield. What a beautiful PPK

[@lavida57]

Tom you always have some incredible guns. Thanks Our Humble Brave Americans doing what they were needed to do. God Bless them All.

[@jonathanl2748]

What a tremendous man. America needs more people like him. I thank him for his service.

[@David3o3]

That is beautiful, amazing piece of art and history!

[@MPGunther1]

Wonderful story

[@oldocsimms7411]

Thanks again Tom amazing story and an amazing find.

[@comancherodesperado9498]

I am so jealous, what a wonderful piece. I have Walthers , but nothing so grand.

[@larrypesek8818]

Thank You for sharing.

[@MGB-learning]

Great video!

[@JayKayKay7]

I am old and soon to 'shuffle off these mortal coils' and hope that my story, as trite and common as it may be, is preserved by remembrance by my children as Col. Stengler was by his. ( Only to you I would sell such a item wanting to keep it in the family as long as possible.) I have a post-war pre-1968 gun control act Walther PPK stamped 'Made in West Germany" that is pretty nice. (PPK bites the hand that feeds it if gripped high.)

[@taylormullis4942]

Love these stories.

[@Teleman01]

Amazing example!

[@jensenwilliam5434]

Thank you !!

[@richhiway]

Beautiful pistol. If only it could tell you the story.

[@cameronmccreary4758]

I have made the grips and the finger extensions on the magazines from very dense English Walnut; they end up looking very beautiful and finish to a high polish. I also made ivory grips and magazine bases for these. PPk's grips were one piece so the grain structure had to be precisely machined. For me it would be extremely difficult to do very nice work while a war raged on. I did alot of work for John Martz, Luger and Watlher P-38 carbine maker from Lincoln, CA. I did the PPk and PP work on the side.

[@steveshoemaker6347]

What a very beautiful Gun👀 from history......Thanks Tom....Also you very good video's.👍

[@alexkalish8288]

He was wounded three times - good guy and a very decorated veteran. Fantastic item with exquisite engraving aand design, not really a war trophy as it wasn't taken in combat. Must be a presentation piece presented to a very high ranking flag officer.

[@stoneblue1795]

Great story, beautiful Walther!

[@rafsmith1993]

In regards to that US Army Constabulary that he joined after the war, there is a pretty good video explaining it. Look up “Circle C Cowboy’s - America’s Cold War Cavalry “. Interesting stuff.

[@gerrypowell2748]

Beautiful gun and story❤️

[@kevinh891]

What a beautiful Pistol. Had my father brought back such a gun. And left it in a drawer to eventually become mine, wow. I could never sell such a gun. Whenever I do sell a gun. Just ordinary ones. It seems I always regret it eventually. I do have a WW1 era Colt 1911. It is in decent shape, well worn for it's age. But I don't think I could ever sell it...

[@kritizismmusics9737]

I know the feeling dont sell no aged 1911. They're worth their weight in gold. Got a 1891 20ga that is so old i cant find a record of the company

[@kevinh891]

@@kritizismmusics9737 Yeah. I could never sell the 1911. I could never sell my modern 1911 either...

[@andrewbates6840]

She having grew up so close to the Walther factory. I would imagine she had friends, family, acquaintances that worked there or new folks that did. Perhaps this was given to him as a Wedding gift.

[@altergreenhorn]

nope more as possession of one of her relatives (father,brothers...)that's why nobody was talking about.

[@chellybub]

Very clever video Tom.

[@williamthomas3620]

The 36th Infantry was formed from Texas and Oklahoma units, so the Arrowhead is for Oklahoma and the T is for Texas (of course). I was in the 36th Infantry when it was the Texas National Guard in 1957-62 and a lot of the officers who had been in the European campaign were still there serving out their time until retirement. First class men.

[@828enigma6]

Coincidentally, my Mother was there in Anzio, in the US Army Nurse Corp. According to records, she landed with the first wave, which was the first and last time Army Nurses landed in the first wave in WW2. I still have her ribbon with a spearhead on it denoting her combat landing. Like many combat veterans, she rarely spoke of her experiences in the war.

[@mabbrey]

great stuff tom

[@dominickcolasanto6582]

Amazing Veteran's story lived the American dream. Too bad his son doesn't have the back up information on the Silver Star Medels mabe a viewer can specify instructions on how to obtain them from the Department of Defense. I bet it will be interesting reading. Incredible bring back piece. Excellent video!

[@keithmoore5306]

Tom the 19817 rifle was the Enfield and the belt fed is the browning 1917 water cooled machine gun! probably the M1917A1 or A2 model!

[@williamgunnarsson]

I'm willing to bet that my FEG SMC-380 pistol made in Hungry and bought for $229 several years ago, will match your gun for accuracy and reliability any time. It eats whatever you feed it, and is fun to shoot. I have my Galco James Bond shoulder holster for when I wear my tux, and my CZ side holster, originally made for their 50s and 70s, but my SMC 380 fits perfectly, as though it had been intentionally made for it. I'm happy, without the gold and engraving.

[@haroldkreye8770]

?

[@williamgunnarsson]

@@haroldkreye8770 Hello, Mr.Kreye ! Why the question mark ? Is it because you doubt my story ? I stand by everything I wrote. Let me know, ok ?

[@Crangaso]

F'n A - Absolutely Beautiful!!

[@jbb823]

Amazing!!!

[@dmg4415]

A part of a person's life, that never ever will be told, is their experiences in WW I AN WW II probably even from Korea, those who fought never tell and those who tell never fought. I think they had to bury their feelings deep down into their hearts and minds to survive afterwards. Probably sounds smells and other little things brought some memories in to light, but the quickly put the lid on. Maybe the gun was a thing that was used to bring forward something that made him relax, and as time went by it was not needed so much?

[@jamesboring6445]

I wish Tom was my grandfather.

[@thomaswhiteman4261]

Hope Im not that old !!

[@828enigma6]

Looks like something a Bond villian would use.

[@Freko1970]

(Glares at gun) Ok...that time machine you have hidden somewhere, we want in...

[@mayfieldca]

Being British, I tend to find Germanic engraving too brash and heavy, even crude often, but even I like the oak leaf and acorn pattern that you show on these Walthers; please keep them coming 🙂

[@skigdividerx4991]

🤣🤣

[@wizardofahhhs759]

There's a dirt road less than a mile from my house that was built by the CCC, it's always been known as the "CC" Road in our community.

[@vickipps6821]

Wow very nice what great history

[@arthurgains8787]

I inherited a 1936 luger all the parts 23 number frame 1923 number I have 2 magazines but they where ground down with and put new serial numbers like you showed on your program it has little pitting shoots fine but I think the magazines are not working properly want to get new ones it has the eagles with 63 under them was wondering if you could more information thanks

[@altergreenhorn]

The reason he never talk about that gun and the son had no clue of its existence it could be a fact that this gun wasn't bought by him in Germany, but was made for one of his wife family member.

[@mfreund15448]

They finally caught you! Now with advertisements.

[@darrellenglish2704]

My Dad told me I brought back enough to Make You.

[@leesherman100]

Springfield Armory did not manufacture the Model of 1917 rifle. That was accomplished by Winchester, and Remington and Eddystone.

[@mattsantana7701]

Great video. Thank you. The cathedral in what was noted ("9:12") as the city of "Olm" is Cologne (in German known as Köln). This amazing cathedral, the tallest twin spiraled church in the world, in gothic style, construction began 1248, was spared during allied bombing campaigns in WW II because it's height was used as a beacon for allied pilots during missions over unfamiliar enemy territory. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cologne_Cathedral

[@scottmartin6019]

There is a chance that the gun was from his wife's family. Be interesting to find out what her maiden name was and if she had a father, brother, uncle, etc. that might have been presented this beautiful gun. Since she kept it hidden after her husband passed away show it was special for maybe more than just her husband bringing it back. Just a thought.

[@scottthompson5855]

That is an excellent thought. Very possible.

[@altergreenhorn]

Agreed, just wrote the same, you beat me for a day, alhoug the son may know more that he is willing to tell

[@blueskyliao8480]

Nice piece of history and presentation. The title of the video clip is a bit misleading. I thought the gun was the result of a captured German officer.

[@brianblackwell2308]

By chance would you have information about trade guns?

[@AdamosDad]

🤜🏼👍🏾👍🏻👍🏿👍🏼👍🏻

[@skizzo84]

Just take my money,man

[@Gambitt1970]

1917 Enfield?

[@alvinuselton912]

Check the serial number and compare it to ADOLF ‘a gold engraved

[@kenibnanak5554]

"the 1917 Springfield" LoL Well half tight. 1917 yes, but nothing to do with Springfield. I am wondering if the pistol, found hidden in the wife's bureau drawer, wasn't actually her possession, something someone in her family had earned which she had inherited before the marriage.

[@paulbervid1610]

That is a 1917 Enfield .

[@snowlothar45]

United States Rifle, cal .30, Model of 1917

[@nagjrcjasonbower]

WOW!

[@Nathan123Davis]

Imagine working at the Walther factory in late 1944 with the enemy closing in at all fronts and your trying your best to churn out guns as fast as possible to try and save your country from being wiped off the map and then you get an order for 100 gold plated guns.... I don't think it would of went down too well with the staff.

[@mohammedines6182]

How much?👍✌️

[@dwarden3]

Honestly I think it belonged to his mother not his father.

[@sambone8213]

She was German, could have been hitched with the former German soldier it was awarded to..

[@johnchristopherrobert1839]

The 1917 was more of a WWII rifle over a WWI one.

[@cdixy302]

Were the wife's family high up in the government or well off during the war? That may explain why the engraved gun and why it was a secret...

[@browngreen933]

National Socialism seems to have been an art movement as much as a political movement.