[Dick Powers]

I, too, remember Combat – Vic Morrow and his Tommy gun. I was a bit older than John Beaman, probably in 8th or 9th grade, but we’d still play army. Its amazing how much authentic WWII paraphernalia we could drag out. After all, almost everyone had a family member who had brought back souvenirs. Real German helmets, American helmets, gas masks, even neutered hand grenades, complete with the pin to pull and the lever –count to 5 and yell “BLAM”.We would buy cheap metal reproductions of WWII pistols – Lugers, Colts, Mausers- advertised in the back of comic books. And the water guns that looked like Tommy Guns.

How politically incorrect. Imagine today seeing half a dozen adolescents all decked out with real helmets, gas masks, web belts and canteens, carrying real hand grenades and authentic reproduction guns walking the neighborhood looking for a place to play.

I do remember the grenades were HEAVY. When the bad guys (or good guys) lobbed them across the dirt piles you absolutely needed the real helmet. The helmet liner just woulldn't do.