Community Stories

A few US Issued watches from WW2

river rat
Posts
1,028
Likes
5,428
A few WW2 US issued watches from the greatest generation that stopped Hitler in his tracks.
tOTmoxG.jpg
Got all three models of A-11 Waltham, Elgin, Bulova and a Elgin ORD watch and a Waltham A-17 from the Korean War. When I first got into collecting military watches I started with these. The price was right and growing up around a neighborhood were every ones Dad or school teacher was a WW2 vet they were hero's to us kids growing up including my Dad. Also got some navigation issued pocket watches I mite post later. I keep them for there history the world a great place due to them. Four of them got original WW2 era straps and one has a remake strap.
Edited:
 
Shailor
Posts
415
Likes
489
I have a mint Benrus wood box within a mint heavy paper box. Will post pictures if you're interested. It was my Uncle's who was killed in Bardenberg, Germany in October, 1944. The watch never made it back.
 
Kmart
Posts
1,228
Likes
3,791
Killer set! They look great with the original straps.
 
river rat
Posts
1,028
Likes
5,428
Here are a few WW2 US issued pocket watches
wZ7HF9c.jpg
The one in the wooden case a Hamilton 4992B the one in a metal canister a Elgin type A-13 that has a BW Raymond movement they were for Navigation for bomber aircraft the metal canister had spring for shock and metal to protect from flack. At a air show I went on board a B-24 liberator bomber the skin was just thin aluminum flack and bullets just goes through like butter they were brave men to fly in them in combat. Then a Hamilton Model 23 chronograph also used for navigation, And a Elgin stop watch I got that for 20 bucks at a antique show it was not working a few drops of oil she started working a great deal that was use for bomb runs and navigation.
 
river rat
Posts
1,028
Likes
5,428
Shailor Shailor
I have a mint Benrus wood box within a mint heavy paper box. Will post pictures if you're interested. It was my Uncle's who was killed in Bardenberg, Germany in October, 1944. The watch never made it back.
Go ahead and post a photo of it. And if any one else got any WW2 US issued watches go ahead and post them. People forget how many Americans and other Nations gave there life's in WW2 to knock out Hitler after what happen last week in America we need to retrain our youth in History so it don't repeat it self.
 
river rat
Posts
1,028
Likes
5,428
Here is a Hamilton Model 22 US Navy chronometer and a Hamilton Comparing watch all used for Navigation at sea they did not have GPS in WW2 they had to do it the old fashion way maybe the US Navy should go back to the old ways to many mishaps have been happening at sea with use high tech crap that don't work. And a WW2 era chart you can see names not used for counties today cool to look at. A older member at NAWCC chapter 5 that collected these chronometers told me that ships in WW2 had about 2-3 located at different spots of the ship incase the bridge got hit so they all don't get destroyed in one shot they were that important.
AYdUWpW.jpg
Edited:
 
SeanO
Posts
1,306
Likes
1,456
Can you give us some dirty shots of the comparing?
 
river rat
Posts
1,028
Likes
5,428
I can later most of my older photo's are on photobucket and we all know they screwed most of us. So got to take new photo's of it. Use to have two of them I sold my doubles some years ago.
 
river rat
Posts
1,028
Likes
5,428
Here is a few shots of the comparing watch
eUMrcj3.jpg
d6U8epn.jpg
CUXsnnd.jpg
iwEq5Ve.jpg
It has a 17 jewel movement and hacks. Has a inside dust cover. The Navigator would get the time from the ships chronometer set the comparing watch and go on main deck to do the navigation fix with the sextant. Has some strange issue marks a friend gave me this one was his Dads I hold on to stuff people give me so this ones a keeper. With those issue marks I wonder if it came from a Liberty Ship from the merchant marine during WW2. Liberty ship were built like a assembly line they had premade sections and welded them together fast the German U-boats were sinking merchant ships like crazy so we built more than they can sink with out the liberty ships they would not had the equipment over in England for D-Day there are only two Liberty Ships I know of afloat today as museums.
Edited:
 
river rat
Posts
1,028
Likes
5,428
The first one a Waltham A-11 with lume. I got that one for my Dad he told me he was issued one in WW2 when a ball turret gunner on a Avenger Torpedo aircraft and he lost his through the years. So I bought this for him had it serviced and put a remake Navy type strap on it. I got it back a few year ago when my Dad passed away not the way I wanted it back. So many WW2 vets are passing away one of my Dads best friend Bob passed away last year he was a Marine served in WW2,Korea, Vietnam he did recon in Vietnam they shot him out of a subs torpedo tube off the cost they swam in. You know a WW2 vet talk to them so there story's live on. Bob was in the retreat at of Chosin reservoir in the Korean war in the dead of winter he told me some bad stuff it bothered him the rest of his life.
Edited:
 
river rat
Posts
1,028
Likes
5,428
Billy93 Billy93
Well it looks like a really nice model. Is it still in good condition?
Yes but I am holding on to it sentimental value.
 
river rat
Posts
1,028
Likes
5,428
TexOmega TexOmega
Dial.JPG Hamilton Military Navigation Watch for British and Canadian.jpg



Not seen very often
Like the censure over the aircraft clock on the advertisement. Mite have the clock in the collection.
 
TexOmega
Posts
7,876
Likes
57,057
My Waltham A17 was spotted and "requisitioned" by my niece on her last visit, period correct OD strap, too

Waltham A17.JPG


A good eye she has.
 
TexOmega
Posts
7,876
Likes
57,057
An early BW Raymond.

US Army A.C. example before the US had a separate Air Force.

Dial.JPG BW Raymond 581 US Army A.C..JPG


"Gold" flashing to check corrosion, not all received this.
 
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

river rat

Bulova A-17A US issued navigation watch.

river rat Other Watch Brands Forum
Fallout Boy
Fallout Boy
Posts
2
Views
620