Favorite Finds

In preparation for General Douglas MacArthur’s return to the Philippines, then Army 34th Infantry Regimental Commander, Col. Aubrey S. Newman, shouted the following to his men who were stalled on the beach by enemy gun re: The Army’s of cial version was: “Get the Hell off the Beach. ... Get Up and Get Moving, FOLLOW ME.”

It was the invasion of Leyte Island. Col. Newman would receive the “Distinguished Service Cross” for heroic actions on that day. From then on the well-known infantry battle cry “FOLLOW ME” would always be attributed to Col. Newman. Later in the campaign, he was wounded in the stomach. This wound would take him out of combat for the rest of the war. Among other decorations, he would become the recipient of the Purple Heart Medal.

On Sept. 12, 1952 then Brigadier Gen. Aubrey Strode Newman was issued a Colt .32 Pocket Hammerless Pistol with serial number 567789. ( Reference: U. S. General Officer Pistols: A Collectors’ Guide by Kevin Williams and Dr. John W. Brunner, Ph. D.) He would later retire as a Major General.

General Newman’s neighbor in Sarasota Florida was a sailor in the Navy during WWII and had seen combat as well. Both men had survived the war and had become close friends. Upon the death of General Newman, the coveted pistol was left to his friend and neighbor.

I had written two books on WWII and the souvenirs that were brought home by returning soldiers, sailors and marines. One of those books ended up in the hands of this same sailor and I was fortunate enough to purchase from him both the General’s pistol and holster. I don’t think the sailor was necessarily looking for a monetary gain but rather a home that would care for them as he had. He found that home with me and today I am the proud caretaker of this remarkable piece of history once owned by a remarkable man.

Maj. Gen. “Red” Newman, USA, Retired, authored three books titled “FOLLOW ME”. I am in possession of the rst published in 1981. Its subtitle is (“The Human Element in Leadership”). General Newman graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1925. He died at the age of 90 and is buried at West Point.

This pistol and its holster and their history are, of course, one of my favorite finds.

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