[国际新闻] 老布什捐赠二战配枪 曾与其共历生死关头

日月光

日前，美国前总统老布什将自己在二战期间使用过的配枪捐赠给了美国国家宪法中心。这只9毫米口径的左轮手枪具有不同寻常的经历。在二战时期，老布什曾经把它赠给了一名难中相助的美国海军上尉。   M0 P# ?2 J% ?1 s  {% D
    1944年9月2日，老布什驾驶的飞机被日本防空炮火击落，他跳伞落海。幸运的是，一艘美国潜艇发现了他，将他救起。
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    这艘军舰的声纳定位员、海军上尉艾伯特·布罗斯特伦亲自将老布什送到医务室，并让他睡在自己的床上。老布什感激不尽，将自己的手枪赠给了布罗斯特伦。
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    7月18日，布罗斯特伦的儿子、59岁的罗恩又将这把手枪完璧归赵，还给了老布什。
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    罗恩说，他的父亲从未向家人谈论过去的那场战争，只提及一名20岁的飞行员曾经赠给自己一把手枪，但他们并不知道这位飞行员究竟是谁。 " Y3 ~5 ~# L5 M9 o: p
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    直到1980年，正在竞选美国副总统的老布什宣布，正在寻找那艘潜艇上的水手，他们才恍然大悟。 & I, D8 v& P0 z& e% O

' ^- k! A: g/ y0 e    从罗恩手中接过昔日的配枪后，老布什又于当天将这把枪捐赠给“美国宪法中心”博物馆，作为展品永久性存放在那里。
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; `) p( t3 ~# @6 g6 d& d    “美国宪法中心”成立于2003年，陈列有100多件展品，以增加公众对美国宪法的了解。老布什为该中心理事会主席。6 M& f3 Q: |' _; E% Z2 s
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来源： 中国日报
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Former President Bush donates World War II revolver to Constitution Center
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; D* L# w  l( g6 bFormer President Bush donates World War II revolver to Constitution Center
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PHILADELPHIA: Former President George H.W. Bush presented the National Constitution Center with his World War II service revolver, returned to him 60 years after he gave it to a lieutenant on the submarine that rescued him after his plane was shot down.人在德国 社区; d5 w9 ]/ k8 _6 w2 |" R- P/ V

. U1 x$ S% i5 m/ y# XThe son of the late Lt. J.G. Albert Brostrom on Wednesday returned the .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver and its leather shoulder holster to the former president, who in turn presented it to Constitution Center president and CEO Joseph Torsella for permanent display in the museum.1 `3 o+ p! t5 k% t7 l4 l
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Brostrom was the sonar man on the USS Finback, the Navy sub that rescued Bush on Sept. 2, 1944, after the future president's plane was shot down by the Japanese in the Pacific. Brostrom met Bush as he stepped aboard the submarine, brought him to the infirmary, and later shared his bunk with the president.人在德国 社区7 \" G+ I; b0 @' {) F

: v8 a( r4 `: t* p* z& n5 D  LAs he left the Finback, Bush gave Brostrom his revolver in gratitude.5 ?* B& s( B9 g8 V) _5 q3 I

7 P0 R) n. B3 y/ u( ?rs238848.rs.hosteurope.deRon Brostrom, 59, of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, said his father never spoke to his family about the war, except for the kindness and sense of humor of the pilot who gave him the revolver.% V, K' P" f, U9 s8 U2 j
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"We only knew it was a 20-year-old lieutenant," Ron Brostrom said.9 |" ^7 C3 g) z( v) V" M+ o: @* D

( `/ c. _4 ?; s2 u+ F$ ?人在德国 社区It was not until 1980 when Bush — then a vice-presidential candidate — announced he was looking for Finback crew members that the family realized who that pilot was.; |* V* W( h; ]8 o/ U# O7 I

) X3 v2 y1 C7 U3 ~人在德国 社区"Dad was kind of like, 'The kid did OK,'" Brostrom said with a laugh.
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5 x( M9 x! n- @, z人在德国 社区After his discharge, Brostrom's father married, raised two sons and worked for many years as an engineer for General Electric. He died in 1982.
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"Dad told us, 'He (Bush) was a young man doing a good job at a very tough job,'" Brostrom said. "It's a real honor for me and my family to be able to give it back to him today."
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Bush has been associated with the center since its creation by the Constitutional Heritage Act in 1988, passed when he was vice president. He is chairman of the board of trustees, has taken part in public service announcements and promotional videos about the museum, and has served for 10 years on its National Honorary Committee with his wife, Barbara, and all living former presidents and their wives.
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/ M( T3 R0 }( yThe Constitution Center, a nonprofit organization founded in 2003, is dedicated to increasing public understanding of the U.S. Constitution. It contains a multimedia show, more than 100 exhibits on constitutional history, and artifacts including a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln and a notorious "butterfly ballot" that confused voters in Florida's Palm Beach County in the disputed 2000 presidential election.