So my wife brought me home a grenade today...

Gee, I wouldn't mind having one of those in my junk. I wouldn't have called the cops, I would have went with some friends and tossed it in a pond full of fish. The DNR can't give me a ticket for dreaming about fishing with explosives.

I bet that grenade was worth a lot of money.

I had an elderly neighbor who passed away. When the family cleaned out his house, they found two grenades and several sticks of dynamite in his freezer. They tossed them into garbage bags with everything else they were tossing and they sat outside the house for two weeks until they had a dumpster delivered and everything was loaded up and sent to the local land fill. I only found out later while talking to the gentleman's grand daughter.
It was kind of an "Oh Crap" moment.

Wow! Must have been a little bit of a difficult decision knowing you'd never see it again. Wonder If any of gramps old buddies are still around who might know the back story.

I was expecting to read a lot of replies like ~ If you want to see them detonate it call 911 and tell them your neighbors dog is running loose in the yard.

Good luck getting on a plane from now on.

a reply to: HomeBrew

My dad had one of those, he got it from Kiska in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands 1943. Dad was the radio officer on one of the troop ships. He said that they found a crate of them when they went ashore after the battle, and threw some and each took one for a souvenir, after they were disarmed by the Army engineers. Don't have it anymore, lost it in moving 40 years ago.

Did you get the john deer lunch box back? ...that's probably worth some money too....cool post.

originally posted by: Quauhtli
Wow! Must have been a little bit of a difficult decision knowing you'd never see it again. Wonder If any of gramps old buddies are still around who might know the back story.

I was expecting to read a lot of replies like ~ If you want to see them detonate it call 911 and tell them your neighbors dog is running loose in the yard.

Honestly, I was just more concerned with getting rid of it then anything else. In hindsight though I would have love to kept it! Such a cool piece of history!

originally posted by: CraftBuilder
Good luck getting on a plane from now on.

That's funny!

originally posted by: Meldionne1
Did you get the john deer lunch box back? ...that's probably worth some money too....cool post.

I did, yes


Not sure it's value but looks great on the fireplace mantle!

Also, I love the personal stories some are sharing!

Keep them coming!!!

Like I mentioned before, she took home about 40 or so things as mementos, however we are going back next week to really go through what is to be kept, tossed, donated, ect... So I hope to discover much more. Here are a few photo's of said keepsake's.

Wow!! I love old stuff!! ...make sure you look through all books...the older generation kept money in books, matteress's , under carpets, etc.....

originally posted by: Meldionne1
Did you get the john deer lunch box back? ...that's probably worth some money too....cool post.

If it has the thermos with it that would double the value.

a reply to: intrptr

I did, and still do love my grandfather (the only one I had). I also have an immense amount of respect for the service he gave his country. I am told that he almost never spoke of his experiences; which included WWII, Korea and 3 tours in Vietnam. However, the most he ever said was to his daughter in law, my mother.

How I wish I had been older and wise enough to try to get him to tell me some things. Not the horror stories,I have heard some of those, and while I am thankful for the opportunity (in a history of the Vietnam War class), I am a bit haunted by the images said stories produced.

a reply to: chelsdh

Not the horror stories,I have heard some of those, and while I am thankful for the opportunity (in a history of the Vietnam War class), I am a bit haunted by the images said stories produced.

Wow, quite a character to have endured all that. Some of those stories might make good threads. War sucks and we should be reminded of the past from time to time lest we forget it.

I grew up and came of age during the Vietnam "conflict" and have since studied it a bit. The veterans of that era are dying off now and a whole generation of kids won't know how awful war, any war, is.

With America on the fast track to world domination its a good time to shout it out. You don't have to be pro or anti war or flag or democracy, just tell the tale. People should be haunted by war and its consequences.

a reply to: HomeBrew

Totally cool HomeBrew! Those are interesting,..

Did he blow that harp in WWII?. Imagine the tales it could tell.

a reply to: intrptr

I would, but..... they are stories that our teacher, who was a veteran himself, told to us on the last day of class. And some of the info was so horrific, involving a man whose wife and kids were not told his fate, to protect them from the horrors of his last moments.
Pretty much the worse of the worse of torture.

There are countless students, probably thousands, that this teacher imparted these stories to, so he is dping his part.

Sorry, not trying to get off topic, but he is a history instructor, and that kinda relates

a reply to: chelsdh

Oh, okay. Thought you were talking about your grandfather. Regardless, the veterans know what war is really about. They resist telling it because it is so horrible. Thats to everyones detriment.

And you're right. We're off topic. Been nice chatting, see ya on the boards.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: HomeBrew

Totally cool HomeBrew! Those are interesting,..

Did he blow that harp in WWII?. Imagine the tales it could tell.

I wish I knew!

Her grandfather passed well before I ever met her (about 20 years ago, and we have been married just under 10). I do wish I had known him though as all describe him as a most interesting, caring, and well versed fellow!

a reply to: HomeBrew

Judging by the age of it, I'll just bet he did. There is a feel to old peoples belongings. I know, I have dug thru many a box of their discarded belongings for years. They keep sometimes simple things that were so precious (to them). Figuring out their life puzzle is like doing archeological forensics.

Those old military field manuals are quite neat too. Can you blow up the labels on those for us maybe? Military field manuals are the most informative how to practical books on the planet.

One looks like "unarmed defense". Thats a treasure trove of hand to hand defensive measures made by people that survived trench warfare with the enemy at close quarters. Those who know what works.

A nomenclature for the manual (numbers at the top) would help find it in archives.

Enjoy your treasure hunt there when you go back. Keep your eyes peeled and explore ever nook and cranny…