Description:

('BAND OF BROTHERS' 506TH P.I.R.) LT. ROBERT E. HALEY'S CAPTURED MAUSER C96 'RED 9 BROOMHANDLE' PISTOL
ROBERT E. HALEY (1919-2004) American military officer in the 101st Airborne Division, a well-rounded student and athlete from Connecticut who served first with the 541st P.I.R., then more famously as 506 P.I.R. Headquarters platoon leader, company commander, and executive officer from late June, 1944 to August, 1945 during which he participated in the Operation Market Garden jump, Bastogne, and many other significant engagements of that famous regiment. He remained with the 506th, transferred to Co. E in July, 1945, until June, 1947. One of the best 506th PIR relics one could hope for, Haley's captured German C96 German Mauser 'Broomhandle' semi-automatic pistol with which he would shoot a fleeing German guard near a Dachau sub-camp at war's end. The distinctive characteristics of the C96 are the integral box magazine in front of the trigger, the long barrel, the wooden shoulder stock, which gives it the stability of a short-barreled rifle and doubles as a holster or carrying case, and a grip shaped like the handle of a broom. With its long barrel and high-velocity cartridge, the Mauser C96 had superior range and better penetration than most other pistols of its era. Haley's example is the rarer 9mm. version, made by 'WAFFENFABRIK MAUSER' with the receiver marked: 'OBERNDORF A. NECKAR'. The barrel is marked with the year of production '1920' on the right side, and the serial no. 111826 on the left side, with the top of the barrel reading: 'WAFFENFABRIK MAUSER OBERNDORF A/N'. The frame, lower receiver, hammer and bolt have matching serial numbers, abbreviated in places. The pistol bears an adjustable tangent side, though the locking button for the sliding sight is missing. The wood grip shows the iconic 'Red 9' carved therein, and it bears only a small chip at the top of the right side. Mechanism is operable and smooth, most bluing is gone but for that in recessed areas. Bolt stop button seems loose and should be examined as spring within may be broken. The pistol is complete with original leather holster containing the slide-on wood stock and cleaning rod, the stock difficult difficult to remove due to leather shrinkage. The bottom of the holster shows some wear and a 2 in. narrow crack appears on the stock, otherwise in better condition than often seen. Additionally, Haley had an armorer in the field fashion him a custom holster of sorts. It was assembled using a brown leather upper belt attachment with the lower holster itself constructed of lighter weight black leather stitched and riveted together with a snap strap and also incorporating a stiffener salvaged from a brown American leather holster. Shows clear signs of use. According to his son, late in the war Haley encountered a German guard in the vicinity of the infamous Landsberg prison where Adolf Hitler was incarcerated in 1924. The 506th PIR was involved in liberating the area, including the nearby Kaufering subcamps of the Dachau concentration camp complex. When the guard started to make a move to reach for his weapon, Haley shot him with this very pistol. SOLD WITH: an original photograph of this same pistol lying atop Haley's trunk, the grip photo-matched to our example and a photograph of Haley with fellow members of the 506th. SOLD WITH: a military document signed twice by Haley, 1p. 4to., Fort Bragg, Jan. 7, 1947 setting forth his qualifications and mentioning his two years of overseas service, put forth in an effort to obtain a position in the Counter Intelligence Corps and adding he is willing to 'Forfeit jump pay...'. Fine. Obtained directly from Haley's family. With supporting documentation from Haley's records. A very significant relic.

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March 26, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
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$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000