I met both Boyington and Kawato in the back corner of an airplane hanger back in 1978. These two men were said to have developed a close friendship after the war. In his later years he would frequently make public appearances alongside Masajiro Kawato, the Japanese fighter pilot purported to have shot him down. However, his hard-drinking lifestyle did eventually catch up to him, and Boyington died in 1988 at age 75. Greg Boyington apparently did not shoot the lights out of any more bars after the war. The same attributes that made it effective for Greg Boyington in 1943 likewise ensured that the pistol would render fine service on the vests of Army helicopter pilots in Vietnam and beyond. 38 Special FMJ ammunition notwithstanding, the Victory. The gun took up very little space and was remarkably lightweight.
38 was being phased out of the military inventory. I came on active duty as an Army Aviator in 1989 just as the Victory. Filling the cylinder with loose rounds is not a major chore, though it would no doubt become much more daunting were someone shooting back at me. However, the ejection system is essentially instantaneous. In its military guise, the gun is reloaded manually one round at a time. 38 Special round (right) is shown here alongside the 9mm Parabellum. The ejector rod is partially shrouded underneath the barrel. The cylinder release is located on the left side of the frame and presses forward for activation. 38 is a delightfully compact and comfortable handgun. These guns are still found around the world even today.
The double action Beretta M9 ultimately displaced the weapon in US military service.
As such, the 1911A1 required both hands to put the weapon into action.Īmerican combat aircrews in Korea, Vietnam, and Operation Desert Storm used the Victory. While the 1911A1 was an undeniably superb combat pistol, Condition 1 carry was never authorized among common soldiers and Marines. Should an aviator lose the use of a limb in a crash his sidearm must not be deadlined. Wartime Victory models featured a lanyard ring on the butt and a rugged sandblasted and Parkerized finish.Ī proper personal defense handgun for a military aviator must be capable of being operated one-handed. 38 was the standard issue defensive sidearm for US Navy and Marine Corps aviators. 38 Special round fired by the S&W Victory Model is soft shooting and comfortable, even through a small-framed revolver.
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