Description:

LT. COL. WILLIAM B. GARA'S CAPTURED GERMAN COLONEL'S LUGER
WILLIAM B. GARA (1917-2001) American Army Lieutenant Colonel, commander of the 1st Engineer Combat Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. Gara was a genuine war hero by any definition. He led his 700 men from North Africa to Sicily, he landed among the very first soldiers on Omaha Beach, was heavily engaged at the Battle of the Bulge, and fought into Germany until the end of the war. His most valiant service was at Omaha Beach in the initial assault fighting while they cleared obstacles where the 1st Engineers were tasked with landing to allow more landing craft to safely arrive, and continuing to clear barbed wire, mines, anti-tank obstacles and ravines, etc. from the beaches to a point a few miles inland to clear the path for infantry, tanks, and then truck transports. Under intense enemy small arms and anti-tank fire, Gara's engineers, along with elements of the 37th Engineers Battalion, opened the first and most important exit from Omaha Beach, E-1, allowing American GIs to flank the German defenses and begin their drive inland. By war's end, Gara had received two Silver Stars and two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts. Offered here is a German Luger surrendered to Col. William Gara by a German colonel during World War II, including a signed and dated 'bring back' record dated July 25,1945 for its return with him from active duty. The pistol's serial number 9744 is shown on the form, taken from the barrel of the DWM Luger, with the remaining parts all showing Gesichert Crown N DWM 8471. Gara's son, our consignor, remembers his father's account of a German colonel requesting Gara's presence to officially surrender his troops, saluting Colonel Gara, and turning the Luger backwards as he presented it, officially surrendering this weapon and his command. Although it cannot be confirmed, there is a possibility that the German officer was Lt. Colonel Gerhard Wilck (1898-1985) who surrendered Aachen on Oct. 21, 1944 after a hard-fought, extended battle. Records exist that 'a company commander returned...' following Wilck's surrender and the official journal entry from October 21,1944 from the US Army First Engineer Combat Battalion (Gara was the commanding officer) states 'CO and Exec O...visited 3rd Bn, 26th Inf, shortly after surrender of Col. Wilck...' It was members of that battalion who first made contact with Wilck and learned of his desire to surrender. One history indicates that a liberated American GI: '...nabbed the prize souvenir of the occasion, the colonel's pistol...' though it is inconceivable that Wilck would have given up his pistol to anyone of such an insignificant rank. At Col. John Corley's headquarters (the headquarters visited by Gara), the assistant division commander, Brig. Gen. George A. Taylor, accepted the German surrender. Thus the possibility remains that Gara physically took possession of the pistol during his visit, perhaps from Wilck himself due to the difference in rank between General Taylor and Colonel Wilck. Included also is a leather holster hand-made for Colonel Gara and designed for the pistol and magazine. In any event, an excellent relic from a genuine war hero.

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April 26, 2024 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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