Colonel Dietrick’s (P-51 Pilot) Bring Back Luger & Beretta Consigned at LSB

Taking Stock # 19

1934 Beretta and a 1939 Luger,  Brought back from World War II by Lt. Col. Emery A. Dietrick have been consigned at LSB. A P-51 pilot and, from the impressive list of citations and medals awarded, Col. Dietrick was a true American hero!

(1x) Silver Star Air Medal
(1x)Bronze Star Medal
(4x) Bronze Star Air Medal
(1x) USAF Commendation Medal
(4x) USAF Longevity Service award Ribbons
(1x) American Defense Service Medal
(1x) American Campaign Medal
(1x) Silver Star European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
(1x) WWII Victory Medal
(1x) National Defense Service Medal
(1x) Korean Service Medal
(1x) United Nations Service Medal
(1x) Armed Forces Reserve Medal

In addition, look at the list of aircraft that he was qualified on, and flew:

P-40, P-47, P-51, B-25, B-26, C-47, F-80 (Jet Aircraft), L-5, ME-109. (The last two are Russian and German aircraft!)

We like Lugers.  They’re cool, and an interesting look at the early industrial era of gunmaking.  They are iconic, but to have one like this, with this back story, is just remarkable.   Lt. Col. Dietrick was – well, a brave man, and a badass.  In a flying career that spanning two wars, and more continents, he flew over 10 combat missions.  Not many men who did that died in bed, folks.  Fighter pilots were a special breed, and only the best of the best sat behind the controls.

The stories told by his grandson are compelling, and a rich segment of the history of our great nation.  Great nations are only built by great men of great character, and Lt. Col. Dietrick was surely such a man.

And here, we have a war trophy (actually 2), brought back by this young hero in 1944.  The story accompanying these pistols is that the ground crews often gifted captured trophies to the pilots, as they rarely had the opportunity to capture their own. These pistols were gifted to Colonel Dietrick in theater. This is a mismatched Luger – as thousands of them must have been, in the dire exigencies of war, but you could own this piece of martial history, and help celebrate the memory of the man who helped make this country what it is today.

A salute to you, Colonel Deitrick.  And thanks.  We at Lock, Stock & Barrel are honored to be even a tiny part of your legacy.

By: Mark Romano

Colonel Dietrick's Bring Back Luger & Beretta (P-51 Pilot)