(George H.W.) Bush donates WWII revolver to center

AP on Yahoo ^ | 7/18/07 | Joann Loviglio - ap

[NormsRevenge]

PHILADELPHIA - Former President George H.W. Bush got his World War II service revolver back Wednesday, 60 years after giving it to a Navy lieutenant aboard the submarine that rescued him when his plane was shot down over the Pacific Ocean.

Bush donated the revolver to the National Constitution Center the same day the son of late Lt. J.G. Albert Brostrom returned the .38-caliber Smith & Wesson and its leather shoulder holster to him.

Brostrom was the sonar man on the USS Finback, which rescued Bush, a Navy pilot, after he was shot down by Japanese anti-aircraft fire on Sept. 2, 1944. Brostrom brought the future president to the infirmary and later shared his bunk with him.

"It was a little grubby in there, but that's how it was done in those days," Bush said. He gave Brostrom the revolver in gratitude.

Ron Brostrom, 59, of Chester Springs, Pa., said his father never spoke to his family about the war, except for the kindness and sense of humor of the combat pilot who gave him the revolver.

"We only knew it was a 20-year-old lieutenant," Ron Brostrom said.

The family did not realize who the pilot was until 1980 when Bush — then a vice-presidential candidate — announced he was looking for crew members from the submarine.

"Dad was kind of like, 'The kid did OK,'" Brostrom said with a laugh.

Bush presented the gun to Constitution Center president and CEO Joseph Torsella for permanent display in the museum.

Bush is chairman of the center's board of trustees. The Constitution Center, a nonprofit organization founded in 2003, contains more than 100 exhibits dedicated to increasing public understanding of the Constitution.

[NormsRevenge]

Former President George H.W. Bush takes a last look before donating his World War II service revolver to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Wednesday, July 18, 2007. (AP Photo/George Widman)

[Pontiac]

Former President George H.W. Bush got his World War II service revolver back Wednesday, 60 years after giving it to a Navy lieutenant aboard the submarine that rescued him when his plane was shot down over the Pacific Ocean.

Not to show any disrespect to the former President but the revolver was not his to give to the lieutenant.

The revolver was government property issued to him in time of war.

No doubt he reported the firearm lost. A youthful indiscretion at a time when he was feeling grateful and with nothing else to give to someone he felt he owed much.

And technically the revolver is still government property so he is repeating his error.

[AlaskaErik]

Stuff happens in time of war. At least he served.

[Sax]

The man rode his plane into the drink after engaging Japs, and luckily an American sub was in position to help with his rescue. He paid his dues to this great nation, and in my opinion, the balance sheet was in his favor ‘a bit more’ than the cost of a revolver. Of course there is, and always will be, a place for ‘the letter of the law crowd.’ Thankfully, they don’t always get the last word.

[Pontiac]

Of course there is, and always will be, a place for ‘the letter of the law crowd.’ Thankfully, they don’t always get the last word.

The main reason I mentioned the that the revoever is technically government property is that the rich and politically connected will get a pass on this sort of thing. And the President of course is both.

I respect his service and I respect that he laid his life on the line for his country.

But it bugs me still that the men doing the same today are prevented from even collecting a few battle field souvenirs.

If you remember when the troops first took Baghdad and found Saddam’s gun collection the grunts were required to return all of the liberated guns that they had taken as trophies (certainly the looting of national treasures and blatant greed should be prevented but the taking of your vanquish foe’s sword and armor is a long honored tradition).

I get a little irritated some times at the double standards. I think the rich and powerful should have their feet held to the fires every once in a while.

[battlegearboat]

Pontiac, I served in Vietnam and knew several individuals who brought their own pieces.

Many Navy pilots carry their own favorite pistols on missions.

I still have my Smith & Wesson .38 that I carried along with my M-14 and .45 sidearm, the latter two being issued to me at Annapolis BOQ/BEQ, Saigon.

Hell, one Navy guy (Alan Shepard) carried a nine iron to the moon.

But you know all about it and that's that.

Sure are a lot of "know-it-alls" here at FR.

[Pontiac]

But you know all about it and that's that.

Yes you are correct I did know that.

I elected to (as many of us do) omit information that does not support the point we are trying to make.

The exceptions do not disprove the rule.