Born December 26, 1926
Died March 24, 2003
Inventor, Collector, Hero, Entrepreneur, Historian, Friend

How do we describe genius? How do we measure courage? William Edward “Ed” Anthony’s life has defined those standards. Ed’s long battle with cancer is over. However, this final battle was only one of many that would have embittered and destroyed a lesser man. Many of us have known him as this era’s greatest single source of military firearms history and technical knowledge. His collections are legend. But the man was so much more than his knowledge and accomplishments.

William Edward Anthony was a native of Gastonia, North Carolina where his family’s history predates the Civil War. In conversations with Ed, he told us much about his early life. He always represented himself as a “private and modest man” who loved his country, but who might not trust his government. He is a classic Southern Entrepreneur who made the most out of what opportunities were available to him.

He served as a Navy Corpsman in World War II and was practicing beach landings with the Marine Corps at Camp LeJeune, N.C. in 1944 when he became ill with a Strep A infection. It is ironic that, while Ed was fighting for his life from what we now know as “Toxic Shock,” his fellow Marines were fighting and dying in the South Pacific. His fight took him to the Norfolk Naval Hospital, Walter Reed Army Hospital, and finally to the Dublin Georgia Veterans Hospital where he had to learn to walk and talk again because of the effects of his illness. Discharged in 1946, Ed chose the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for his degree in chemistry and physics. A week after graduation, his father was gravely injured in a farm accident. Ed nursed him for eight months until his death. This tragic event kept Ed Anthony in Gastonia, instead of going to work for a large corporation.

Ed’s extraordinary business career included building a few “Dairy Queens on I-85,” a large machine shop operation servicing the textile industry, an auto parts and oil filter distributorship, his farm, a golf course, and his firearms and ordnance related activities. He held many patents for textile machinery and ordnance. Business success gave him the opportunity to indulge his love of firearms. He served as a Gastonia City Commissioner for twelve years, and considered his election six times without campaigning or spending a dime to be a major personal accomplishment.

Once during a visit, Ed showed me his pictures of firing tank cannon at Ft. Bragg. He said, “They called me and asked if I wanted to shoot some excess cannon shells. They asked if I would mind shooting from two different tanks because of excess barrel wear.” The reason for this invitation became clear during another visit when Ed showed us his patent for standoff defense against shaped charge anti-tank projectiles. He resented the US military’s unwillingness to use this technology to defend our troops in light tanks, APC’s and river craft against the RPG early in the Viet Nam fighting. His eventual patent for reactive armor was vindicated by the Israeli military success during the 1967 Six Day War and has become the universal standard for armored fighting vehicles.

I never knew Ed Anthony in his prime. He had beaten prostrate cancer and suffered from Parkinsons when we were introduced. Perhaps the fact that I had known Dr. Helmut Walther, the World War II German scientist who developed the panzerschreck and the panzerfaust anti-tank weapons interested him. Perhaps he appreciated someone who listened and soaked up the amazing information he presented. Whatever the reason, there was a bond that developed for which I will be forever grateful. He listened intently to what others said and used his brilliant analytical mind to challenge his own body of knowledge against what he heard. Kent Lomont said that once at Knob Creek, Ed was standing with a group of “cannon guys” listening to their descriptions of World War I artillery. After a while, Ed Anthony began describing obscure improvements that differentiated the models. His knowledge of all areas of ordnance was unique.

I purchased my PPSh41 from Ed Anthony. During that visit, he showed me the 2,000-rpm Soviet ShKas 1939 flexible aircraft gun pictured in Col. Chinn’s book (Re: Col. George M. Chinn, THE MACHINE GUN, Vol. II, Part VII, Chapter 4, PP. 72-82). Recently, Bob Landies related that after selling the gun to Ed, he received a call from him because the feed arm that controlled the rotary loading mechanism was missing. Bob offered to obtain a part to copy from the British MOD Pattern Room, but Ed wouldn’t hear of it. He had designed and machined a new linkage without any pattern. This is a simple example of his engineering mastery, mental discipline, and intense inner drive to be creative in spite of the Parkinsons. I and another friend purchased a large North Carolina machinegun collection in 1999 and took the 25 pieces by Gastonia to show him. His joy in handling each firearm was priceless and he described unique features of each gun. Ed Anthony never forgot anything mechanical.

Ed Anthony was a respected firearms engineering consultant. During the 1950’s, he represented U.S. Army Ordnance at Ft. Bragg and traveled extensively overseas to study ordnance technology and to find parts for foreign weapons. One of his later assignments took him to Morocco to deal with a problem involving a shaped charge anti-tank rocket propelled grenade. The weapon, designed by German and European engineers, had blinded several personnel because of the intense back blast in spite of blast shields. The problem was described as “Chuuff.” Ed studied the rockets and immediately diagnosed the initiating charge as the culprit. The designers had improperly used a high intensity rocket fuel for the initiating charge. With the correct initiating charge, over 5000 of the rockets were tested with no other injuries. Ed Anthony integrated his chemistry, physics, engineering and experience into every project or challenge he encountered

In November of 2001, Ed, his grandson Miles Harris and his old friend Richard Hill who collaborated with Ed to write their classic book “Confederate Longarms and Pistols,” were able to attend the Red Hills Machinegun Shoot near Toccoa, GA. The weather was clear and warm and the beltfeds were roaring. Ed and Miles shot the MG42 and MG08 and you could see the joy and pride of a grandfather being able to share this experience with his grandson. Maxwell G. “Max” Atchisson was shooting his patented M1 Thompson .22LR conversion. They shared the pleasure of two remarkable inventors examining and firing Max’s work. Ed did not have a Sterling SMG in his collection, and we offered him the chance to fire The David Co. MK VI from the Stembridge collection. He, Miles and Richard gave the Sterling a good workout. His response was, “Boy, That is just so smooth”. Two months later the recurrence of the cancer ended the chance for them to repeat this experience.

Ed Anthony knew Marshall “Carbine” Williams well and owned several of his personal firearms. Ed displayed a unique affection for the Browning 1917A1 .22LR conversion Williams developed for the U.S. Army and owned two of the original three prototypes and several of the 1,300 to 1,500 U.S military built sub-caliber Browning’s. Kent Lomont examined one of these models at the 1999 SHOT SHOW. Kent called Ed and the 1917A1 .22 found a new home. On our next visit, Ed was happy as a kid with a new toy, when he demonstrated his newly designed extractor cam that allowed this military production gun to function correctly. Marsh Williams told Ed that Gen. Julian Hatcher asked him to design a .22LR 1917A1 after the U.S. Army Ordnance Department’s complete failure to make a satisfactory model. Hatcher sent Williams a gun to use and his first attempt created so much energy that the Browning was destroyed. The inventor of the short stroke piston and auxiliary chamber apologized to General Hatcher. The General enthusiastically encouraged Williams to continue his work and immediately sent him several more guns.

I last talked to Ed on December 26, 2002. It was his birthday. He talked about converting Type 96 and 99 Japanese LMG’s to 7.62x39mm. I discussed a new early 1917 DWM MG08 Maxim in my collection. He talked about his pain. He talked about his family. He was sharp. I thanked him for teaching us so very much. He said, “I just wish I could teach you more. I love you.” I told him that I loved him too. What else can you say to a friend like Ed Anthony!

In 1996, Congress established the Corporation for the Promotion of Rifle Practice and Firearms Safety as a non-profit private corporation. The U.S. Army’s Director of Civilian Marksmanship (DCM) was replaced with the new Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) with the mission to instruct the citizens of the United States in marksmanship. The highest priority of this program is the training of junior shooters. The CMP program is offered through 1,500 affiliated clubs with adult membership of over 380,000 and junior membership of 68,000. These affiliates include traditional shooting clubs and state shooting associations, plus over 2,00 JROTC local school programs, 3,000 county extension agents (4-H) and over 300 Boy Scout Councils.

Through these sport shooting programs and dedicated volunteer coaches and instructors, thousands of young men and women are learning the skills and discipline of marksmanship as well as the responsibilities of gun ownership and citizenship. The enabling CMP legislation authorizes the sale of surplus .22 rimfire and .30-caliber rifles, ammunition, repair parts and supplies to members of affiliated clubs and organizations sponsoring shooting instructional programs. The proceeds from every purchase are used to support the operation of the CMP and build an endowment to fund youth programs in perpetuity.

The Headquarters of the Civilian Marksmanship Program is located at Port Clinton, Ohio. This office is contiguous to the historic Camp Perry Firing ranges, which are still home of the CMP National Matches. The National Matches are conducted through a partnership of the CMP and the National Rifle Association. The U.S. Army Reserve and the Ohio National Guard provide support for the National Match Program. All support of the competitive rifle program, affiliated club services, sales of firearms, ammunition and parts and coordination of the junior and adult safety and marksmanship programs is based at Port Clinton. CMP at Anniston is the receiving and processing site for material, parts, ammunition and firearms drawn down from the U.S. Army. CMP at Anniston serves as the distribution center for processed orders from CMP Headquarters.

Recently I and several others traveled to Anniston, Alabama to the Anniston Army Depot to visit the Civilian Marksmanship Program. We were the guests of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CMP, Mr. Charles W. Maddox, and Mr. Orest Michaels, Chief Operating Officer for CMP.

We were first given an extensive a tour of the then-on-base facility for storage, processing, and shipping firearms and materials. Following our introduction to the CMP-South staff, we were allowed to examine the variety of firearms available to the membership as well as a substantial number of rare, and often one-of-a-kind, items that are auctioned on the CMP website, www.odcmp.com. We were also introduced to the armorers and watched them preparing M1s for sale. Many full-time staff are retired military and/or Civil Service. This staff is augmented by a limited volunteer program, which was suspended at the time of our visit because of 9-11 security constraints. Everyone we met was professional, knowledgeable, committed to their work and believes strongly in the mission of the CMP.

Mr. Maddox and Mr. Michaels briefed us on the history of the CMP and presented an exciting vision for the future of their programs. We learned that the on-base operations were being transferred to a new secure facility off base in the city of Anniston and that there were a ‘few’ 1903 and 03-A3 Springfield rifles that were being delivered and unloaded there. We were invited to visit the new warehouse and offices after lunch.

The new CMP-South office and warehouse facility was a modern, light industrial building in excellent condition. No work had been started to renovate the offices and the building was empty with one substantial exception. There were over 2,000 crates of 1903/03-A3 rifles being unloaded and stacked. In a small room, Michael J. Parker, from Oak Park, Virginia, was removing rifles in a random sampling of these containers and checking their manufacturer, serial number, barrel dates, stock type, and stock markings and cartouches. Parker’s objective was to survey the overall condition of the rifles to establish a range of values and how they could best be used in the CMP program.

All the 1903 rifles had been arsenal reworked and many appeared to be in very good to excellent condition considering their age and use. The rifles were low and high serial numbered Springfield and Rock Island arsenal rifles, post-World-War-I Springfield and Rock Island ‘03’s, Remington ‘03’s and Remington and Smith Corona 03-A3s. Stock types varied from early finger groove, pre and post-World-War-II C Stocks, ‘scant’ or S type semi-pistol grip stocks and Remington straight stocks. Barrel dates for the low numbered guns were as early as 1910. Many of the 03’s had been re-barreled with World-War-II Remington or Sedgley barrels. Most interesting were the large number of 1903 Mark I rifles with the left side of the receiver milled for the ejection port of the “Automatic Pistol .30 Model 1918,” also known as the Pederson device. We felt privileged watching history being pulled from these old crates. Here were the guns that served those who fought for freedom in World War I and World War II. Now, they were going to serve again, teaching generations to come of the sacrifices made for freedom in the past. The sheer number and variety of these guns made an unbelievable impression on each of us. We headed back home with the resolve to return and do some volunteer work at the first opportunity.

Volunteering to work with the CMP-South became possible in mid April. We found that the new CMP-South facility at 1401 Commerce Blvd. was fully operational and a beehive of activity. The transfer of the day-to-day operation from Anniston Army Depot had been completed. The armorers were busy inspecting and preparing .30 M1 Garands for shipment. Other full time staff was busy preparing firearms and ammunition for shipping. The warehouse operation was a fine example of military precision. Security was excellent and the material handling process showed that an experienced and very capable management team was in charge.

The original rifles we observed in October had been sorted by maker, low or high serial numbers, type of stock and model and placed in large boxes for further processing. Some of us were tasked to place correct straight handled bolts in low number 03 Springfield’s. The receivers of low number guns don’t meet safety standards because of some having improper heat-treating, and are sold as collectables only, with the tips of the firing pins ground off. We spent our time demilling firing pins, replacing bolts and checking the headspace with “field” and “go” gages. Others had the more desirable job of sorting post-World-War-I 03’s.

At the end of the second day, we had a chance to sit and talk shop with Mr.Orest Michaels and Joe Malinowski, Sales Representatives, and Mark Johnson, Business Development Officer. We learned that these ‘03’s represent the last known large stock of this service rifle. Their release to the CMP shows the confidence that the U.S. Army has in the program. The business-like approach that we observed in the CMP program did not just happen. The Board of Directors and the CMP staff are committed to make this program work successfully as a cost effective business.

How can an individual purchase a rifle from the CMP? You must be a member of an affiliated club, have a qualifying shooting certificate or have served in the military, and show proof of citizenship and qualifications to purchase and possess a firearm. “The Small Arms Review”, Vol. 5 No.9, has an excellent article on the John C. Garand Rifle Match, which will qualify a shooter for CMP purchase eligibility. Order forms can be obtained from the CMP at P.O. Box 576, Port Clinton, OH 43452, 419-635-2141 or at www.odcmp.com. The web site contains everything that you need to know purchasing a rifle. Every active shooting club should consider affiliation with the CMP to promote junior shooting programs and be eligible for member benefits.

The Civilian Marksmanship Program and its people are a strong voice for responsible private ownership of firearms in our country. The program and its volunteer instructors and coaches are recruiting and training thousands of young shooters each day. The CMP is one positive force working to preserve our right to firearms ownership and encourage the shooting sports. There is no stronger force for the future of firearms ownership and marksmanship than preserving our history and preparing young men and women to take our place as the responsible gun owners of the future.

By Rick Cartledge

Many of SAR’s readers use their firearms during interesting events. Here is a story of the making of one part of the movie “Pearl Harbor”, and the effect that some of SAR’s readers and contributors had on ensuring authenticity in the film.

The telephone rang on a Thursday evening. When answered, the other end of the line yielded the distinctive voice of Kevin Brittingham. Kevin telephoned to discuss a shoot on Saturday, November 11, 2000. I said, ‘The 11th will be Armistice Day. You have a great sense of timing.’

Kevin, Vince Mueller, and Harold Shinn had done the shooting for the sound recording of the landmark film ‘Saving Private Ryan’ (see SAR Oct 99). Christopher Boyes, one of the Academy Award winners for ‘Saving Private Ryan’, again had contacted him at Advanced Armament Corporation.. Kevin had assembled a crew to do the firearms sound effects for a new motion picture. Kevin also stated the he already had contacted his brother Greg to open his large private gun range for motion picture use. Kevin invited me to come and put some brass on the ground for the new motion picture ‘Pearl Harbor’.

Advanced Armament possessed nearly all of the automatic guns required. Kevin knew that, in our area, a number of Title II owners shot Japanese weapons. Kevin wanted specific vintage weapons to capture not similar sounds but the exact sounds of early World War II. We had the rest of what he required. We also had a surprise.

After Kevin hung up, I telephoned Forbes Mathews and told him of the project. Forbes responded enthusiastically. He stated that he would bring a Japanese Type 96, a Japanese Type 99, and Japanese Type 11 (see SAR Dec 00). I then asked Forbes to bring the first gun that he ever bought — an immaculate Colt Commercial .50 caliber water-cooled gun made in 1922. Though we will do a later article on this particular gun, the short story follows. This gun contains an adjustable buffer. With a few flicks of the wrist, the gunner may set the RPM from 550 to nearly 1200. A weapon such as this sat in the later named Tora Tora Tora rigs at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

After hanging up, I thought about the Saturday to come. I remembered a particular story from the U.S.S. Nevada. On that fateful morning, her band and Marine Guard assembled on her deck to raise the colors. About half way through the ceremony, a Japanese dive bomber swooped across her decks. The tail gunner sprayed the assembled band and Honor Guard. He hit no one. The assembled men said ‘To Hell with them’ and finished raising our flag and playing the Star Spangled Banner. They then went to their battle stations and galantly defended their ship. We would go on Saturday to pay tribute to these men and the many others who stood for us so long ago. No one could not have kept any of us away.

Advanced Armament

Forbes came by before sunrise on Saturday morning. We loaded up and rode northward toward Advanced Armament Corporation in Lawrenceville, Georgia and rolled up at the front entrance about 9 o’clock. In front of us sat two large trucks. Vince Mueller completed the loading of cased guns into the front truck. Vince then loaded some extra crates of ammunition into the rear truck Kevin came out the front entrance and offered coffee. We gratefully accepted. As we finished the coffee, Chris Boyes and the Skywalker Sound crew arrived.

We motored northward through several counties to Greg Brittingham’s farm. There we rolled up in front of the gun range. A pickup truck (read that “target”) sat parked at the far end near the high berm. We unloaded equipment and talked guns as the Skywalker crew set microphones and recording consoles. The conversation as well as the efficiency of the crew proved nothing short of amazing.

A few words about Advanced Armament Corporation. Over a number of years Kevin Brittingham has built a prosperous and nationally respected business. In addition to the well-stocked inventory of regular firearms, Advanced Armament carries a fine selection of Title 2. At their indoor gun range next door, they rent Title 2 for practice and test firing. Advanced Armament also manufactures suppressors for commercial sales. During this weekend, Advanced Armament suppressors would assist Skywalker Sound. These suppressors would help the Skywalker technicians capture bullets in flight. The skilled technicians of Skywalker would then deliver those recordings to the soundtrack of ‘Pearl Harbor’.

Armistice Day

Motion picture shooting differs from group shooting. The recording engineers seek pure sound on the track. They mix the sound in their studios to fit the action on screen. In studio they may combine, abbreviate, or round off shots. Thus the shooting done rates as pure sound. With this understanding, we set up the guns. The men of Skywalker Sound set up their recorders and microphones to capture it all.

We finished the safety meeting about 10:45 in the morning. The technicians of Skywalker Sound finished the preliminary set-ups down range about 10:55. I noted that we had gathered on Armistice Day. We should fire the first shot at 11:00am, the traditional time to remember the Armistice- the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month. In so doing we would put some brass on the ground to honor the Men and Women of 1918. Michael Mathews, the youngest member of the shooting team, took his position at the line. At 11:00 he let off a burst and we let out a cheer. The Skywalker crew went through their final sound checks. Then we got down to business.

Michael Mathews fired all of the Japanese light machine guns that one will hear in ‘Pearl Harbor’. He first fired the Japanese Type 11 previously written up in SAR. The Type 11 takes 6.5 Norma loads. The supply of ammunition stood as adequate but not large. Aren Downey gave the call ‘Type 11 light machine gun!’. A pause followed. Michael then let off a short burst. Another pause followed. Aren yelled ‘Cut!’. We all applauded. Chris then asked Michael to do a medium burst in the same fashion. Michael did. Then came a long burst. Afterwards came varying bursts of varying lengths. Just as Michael loaded in his last set of stripper clips, John Fasal announced that they had enough. Chris Boyes smiled at the coordination between Michael Mathews and the Skywalker crew.

Michael then turned to the Japanese Type 96 Nambu LMG. Michael went through the same procedure with the Type 96. This Nambu light gave a different speed and sound to the 6.5 cartridge. We also pointed out that this gun still enjoyed manufacture during the time frame of the motion picture. Though discontinued in 1943, the Type 96 remained a favorite with the Japanese troops throughout the War. The Type 96 fired loads crafted from 35 Remington cases. Herman Lysle and Doug Hollberg crafted the loads for both the Type 11 and the Type 96. They used lower pressure loads. For both of these guns we repeat the caveat from Ed Libby. “DO NOT USE ANY WORLD WAR II OR CHINESE AMMUNITION IN THESE GUNS.”

The next gun brought a price break in the cost of ammunition. Michael got down behind a Japanese Type 99 chambered in .308. The .308 cartridge provides the same sound as the 7.7. It does so at considerably less expense than the Japanese 7.7 round. Skywalker Sound put Michael through the same paces as with the other two guns. The 99’s throatier, different speed sound boomed out as Michael pulled the trigger. With a pause after the final blast, Aren said ‘Cut!’. That signaled Michael’s final round in the soundtrack of ‘Pearl Harbor’.

Heavy Hitters

Forbes Mathews rolled out his heavy .50 rig. Chris Boyes came over to examine the unique rig capped by the historic .50 caliber gun. This commercial water-cooled gun dates from 1922, carrying the Colt serial number C18xx. I explained to Chris that this gun exhibited the identical characteristics as those fired from the later named Tora Tora Tora rigs at Pearl Harbor. Forbes then showed Chris the adjustable buffer. This buffer varies the RPM from 550 to 1200. Without hesitation, Mr. Boyes asked for the high speed sound.

Ethan Van Der Ryn rolled the tapes and Aren gave the name of the gun. A pause followed. Forbes dropped the hammer. After another pause, Aren yelled ‘Cut!’. Chris Boyes stood in amazement. ‘That’s the damnedest gun sound I’ve ever heard.’ Forbes laughed and stated, ‘This gun has been banned on gun ranges in two states.’ After the first firing, the Skywalker crew set a steel plate. They also added two additional microphones to capture the shells that fell from the Commercial .50. In the motion picture the distinguished actor Cuba Gooding Jr. fires a .50 caliber gun. One may listen for the unique sound and the tumbling shells of this fine gun as one views ‘Pearl Harbor’. Those who come to the Knob Creek Show and Shoot may view this same fine gun. They will find it next to the deuce and a half on KCR’s main line.

Henning Brown then rolled out the two field guns, a 25 Hotchkiss and a Pak 35. Curtis Hawkins, well-known specialist in Title 2, came down from the Georgia mountains to put these guns through their paces. Curtis checked the guns and flipped down the shield on the Pak 35. Curtis then swung the breeches open and yelled, ‘The line is clear’. With that Scott Gitteau and John Fasal went down range to arranged the microphones. When Scott and John came back past the guns, Curtis yelled, ‘The line is hot’. Mr. Van Der Ryn got the recorders up to speed. Aren said the name ’25 Hotchkiss’ and paused. Mr. Hawkins put a round through the pickup truck hunkered down at the end of the range. ‘Cut’ followed another pause. Curtis repeated the procedure a number of times with the 25 Hotchkiss and the Pak 35.

Henning Brown and Kevin Brittingham then moved to the far side of the line. They took up positions behind two .50 caliber M2 guns. They flipped up the covers and swung the barrels safely away from the firing line. They stepped back from the guns and signaled Chris Boyes that all was clear. Chris sent Scott Gitteau and John Fasal down the line to check the extant microphones and set up several additional microphones. When Scott and John came back across the line, Henning and Kevin approached the M2s. They loaded the guns and stood at the ready.

One found the firing of these guns to be particularly interesting. Henning and Kevin fired these guns together and separately in both short and long bursts. The steel impact plate employed on Forbes Mathews’ water-cooled .50 also saw service here. Together Henning and Kevin’s guns produced a distinctly different 1100 RPM sound. When fired separately the two guns produced a completely different 550 RPM sound. As stated before, the magic rests in the recording. When we view the motion picture we shall listen for the .50’s with great interest.

Drew Wolfe and Tracy Moore helped Chris Neufeld haul out a matched pair of heavy hitters. These hitters consisted of a brace of German 81 aircraft guns. These guns give a high speed sound that is as distinctive as it is awesome. Aren gave the name of the guns and a pause followed. Drew, Tracy, and Chris took turns putting massive amounts of brass on the ground. These guns fire in very similar fashion to the Japanese aircraft guns. Their sounds will add greatly to the sound track.

Kevin Brittingham then brought out a veteran of ‘Saving Private Ryan’ — the 20MM S-1000 Solothurn gun. This magnificent gun came to be in the 1930s as an anti-tank weapon. Though a great step forward, the evolution of ever stronger tank armor throughout the 1930s soon rendered this beautifully crafted gun obsolescent. The Afrika Corps later employed the Solothurn as a brutally efficient sniper weapon from Tunisia to Egypt. The survivability of anyone hit with a 20MM round rated at about zero. In ‘Ryan’ Kevin skillfully employed the Solothurn. In his hands the Solothurn yielded the authentic sound for the German Flak gun. In ‘Pearl Harbor’ the Solothurn takes on the guise of other appropriate weaponry.

Viewing this weapon is one thing. Firing the Solothurn is something else. The gun balances well and the sights line up easily. The chain driven cocking takes some getting used to. The trigger pull stands as unlike anything else. Several remarked that the trigger pull seemed to be measured in pounds rather than ounces. When the firing pin strikes the primer, one does not mistake it. The flat shooter pushes as much as it kicks. The projectile hits whatever lines up in the sights. The gun fires the standard 20 x 108B round. This effective round still enjoys world wide acceptance. One finds this round in production at this very hour. Though all who fired the Solothurn did well with it, Mr. Brittingham possesses a particular affinity with this gun. With this gun, as with many others, we await the magic worked by the men of Skywalker Sound.

‘It Ain’t Over Until It’s Over’

With respect to Yogi Berra, we must state the following. Motion pictures consist of an assemblage of many parts. The screen writer, the actors, the cameras, and many other elements contribute. The director oversees all. Michael Bay directed this motion picture. Jerry Bruckheimer produced it. Randall Wallace wrote the sceenplay. The Touchstone Picture stars Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale, and the afore mentioned Cuba Gooding Jr. The shooting in Georgia gave a small but significant part of the whole.

As we got ready to leave, Chris Boyes came over to the truck and spoke with me. He asked specific questions that would aid him in his studio work. We gave answers. I also gave him a copy of December 2000 SAR to assist him in his work.. Chris thanked us for coming and for giving input to the motion picture. We told him how much we respected his work and that of Shannon Mills in ‘Saving Private Ryan’. We hoped that ‘Pearl Harbor’ would be received at least as well. With that, we said our good byes and rode off as dusk blended softly into night.

As we rode southward we spoke of the day done. Forbes talked of how much he enjoyed the shoot and the good friends that we had seen once again. Michael Mathews echoed the words that his father had spoken. He then stated that he would tell all of his friends about it. Then I said something to Michael. These words spanned more than 100 years.

‘We will see the movie ‘Pearl Harbor’ on Memorial Day. We will know the part that we played in it. Four sets of days determined the freedom in which we now live — Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Midway, and Normandy. Those days happened more than 50 years ago. What I am talking about at present is a day some 50 years from now. On that day, you will be a grandfather. Your father and I probably will be gone. You should sit with your grandchildren and view this motion picture. Tell your grandchildren about that day long ago when you, your father, and I went to north Georgia. Tell them about how the free men of Georgia met with the talented men from California. Together they crafted the shooting sound tract for this motion picture. Tell your grandchildren of the part that you played in ‘Pearl Harbor’. More importantly, tell them of the freedom that this motion picture represents.’ Michael said, ‘I will.’

We all smiled as we motored into the night, southward toward hearth and home.

Credits:

Kevin Brittingham, Advanced Armament Corporation, 221 West Crogan ST, Lawrenceville, GA 30045, 770-277-4946

Ms. Kristine Krueger, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 8949 Wilshire BLVD, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, 310-247-3000

Henning Brown, The Firing Line, 115 Mill Center BLVD, Bogart, GA 30622, 706-546-6111