Former11B
26 January 2016, 09:02
A backstory to Brig. Gen (ret) Ross Beard, Jr, as that he grew up in Florence (like my family and I, and my dad knew of him), and he was a caretaker for the firearm collection of Melvin Purvis, the FBI agent that captured John Dillinger, and who worked on the cases of Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson. My dad went to school with Mr. Purvis' son in Florence.
Anyhow, Mr. Beard, who happened to be Mr. Purvis' godson, was hired at the age of 10 to be the caretaker of Mr. Purvis' gun collection. As a form of payment, he was given one of John Dillinger's machine guns, and ultimately came to own the gun that took Mr. Purvis' life (accidental self inflicted gunshot). He owns many guns, like a .32 Caliber rimfire rifle owned by Annie Oakley, a Chinese rifle from the 14th Century, a middle eastern firearm long enough to place the stock on the ground and be muzzle loaded while riding a camel, pretty much any American War rifle/pistol you can imagine, and then some. He was also given a gift from a British Marine Commando, Captain Peter Mason (yes, THE Peter Mason) which was a tobacco pipe, that could be smoked, but was used to shoot poison darts to silently kill Nazi SS Officers.
Mr. Beard was too young to serve in WWII, but with his parents' permission, flew as an observer with pilots patrolling for enemy subs off the eastern seaboard. He did end up enlisting and serving in Korea, leading a life of service to the nation and the state of South Carolina.
An all too brief visit with him led to some AMAZING stories. Here are some pictures:
Mr. Beard pointing at Annie Oakley's .32 rimfire
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/DownSouthTAS/Collection4_zps5segsmhz.jpg
Mr. Beard's Nazi Assassinator, with poison dart as a bonus
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/DownSouthTAS/Collection11_zpszni6enpu.jpg
WWII Weaponry
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/DownSouthTAS/Collection2_zps1usbkiuk.jpg
Telling a story out of his impressive memory bank
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/DownSouthTAS/Collection3_zpsvdspwmil.jpg
If anyone makes it to Columbia, SC, look at Mr. Beard's collection in the SC Military Museum, or make the trek to Camden, SC (45 mins NE) and meet him at the museum there.
Anyhow, Mr. Beard, who happened to be Mr. Purvis' godson, was hired at the age of 10 to be the caretaker of Mr. Purvis' gun collection. As a form of payment, he was given one of John Dillinger's machine guns, and ultimately came to own the gun that took Mr. Purvis' life (accidental self inflicted gunshot). He owns many guns, like a .32 Caliber rimfire rifle owned by Annie Oakley, a Chinese rifle from the 14th Century, a middle eastern firearm long enough to place the stock on the ground and be muzzle loaded while riding a camel, pretty much any American War rifle/pistol you can imagine, and then some. He was also given a gift from a British Marine Commando, Captain Peter Mason (yes, THE Peter Mason) which was a tobacco pipe, that could be smoked, but was used to shoot poison darts to silently kill Nazi SS Officers.
Mr. Beard was too young to serve in WWII, but with his parents' permission, flew as an observer with pilots patrolling for enemy subs off the eastern seaboard. He did end up enlisting and serving in Korea, leading a life of service to the nation and the state of South Carolina.
An all too brief visit with him led to some AMAZING stories. Here are some pictures:
Mr. Beard pointing at Annie Oakley's .32 rimfire
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/DownSouthTAS/Collection4_zps5segsmhz.jpg
Mr. Beard's Nazi Assassinator, with poison dart as a bonus
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/DownSouthTAS/Collection11_zpszni6enpu.jpg
WWII Weaponry
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/DownSouthTAS/Collection2_zps1usbkiuk.jpg
Telling a story out of his impressive memory bank
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/DownSouthTAS/Collection3_zpsvdspwmil.jpg
If anyone makes it to Columbia, SC, look at Mr. Beard's collection in the SC Military Museum, or make the trek to Camden, SC (45 mins NE) and meet him at the museum there.