1956 Hunting The African Lion By John B. George

Mark A Ouellette · Feb 24, 2024

Riflecrank said:
Here is the original article on the .458 WinMag by Gen. Hatcher in the August 1956 AR,
pp. 24-27:

American Rifleman 1956-08: Vol 104 Iss 8 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

American Rifleman 1956-08: Volume 104, Issue 8.Digitized from IA1534604-07.Previous issue: sim_american-rifleman_1956-07_104_7.Next issue:...

archive.org

It was good in 1956 and even better now.

Folks, thanks to @Riflecrank whose post of the link to an American Rifleman, August 1956 article on the mighty 458 Winchester, I found part 2 of Hunting the African Lion, by John B. George.

From that, I found Part 1 of the article in the July 1956 issue. I downloaded both as pdf files. I'd post them but they are each approximately 50 megabits in size. Otherwise, here are the links for you to read online or download.

Hunting the African Lion, Part 1, Pages 17-22 American Rifleman July 1956:

American Rifleman 1956-07: Vol 104 Iss 7 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

American Rifleman 1956-07: Volume 104, Issue 7.Digitized from IA1534604-07.Previous issue: sim_american-rifleman_1956-06_104_6.Next issue:...

archive.org

Hunting the African Lion, Part 2, Pages 39-44 American Rifleman August 1956:
https://archive.org/details/sim_american-rifleman_1956-08_104_8/page/n25/mode/2up

This is really great reading into lion hunting at the end of the colonial period, in British East Africa. I hope you enjoy hunting history as much as I do!

Mark A Ouellette · Feb 24, 2024

I kept thinking of the above author John B. George and why his name seemed familiar... So I Googled him! Well, no shxt Marine! What is wrong with me! Did I forget to turn on my memory banks today! Can't I even remember this classic account of an Army Officer at Guadalcanal...

Shots Fired in Anger: A Rifleman's Eye View of the Activities on the Island of Guadalcanal
John B. George

On August 7, 1942, Allied forces landed on Guadalcanal with the aim of relieving pressure that the Japanese were putting upon Allied supply and communication routes.

It was the first major offensive by Allied forces against the Empire of Japan.

John B. George’s wonderful account of his early overseas experiences as a rifleman in the Guadalcanal campaign presents the viewpoint not of a brass hat, but instead of doughboy who saw the conflict from the ground.

He begins with the story of his early years in the 132nd Infantry of the Illinois National Guard, training on the ranges in various ranges across America, before he and his regiment were inducted into the United States Army just months before the terrible events at Pearl Harbor.

George and his regiment landed on Guadalcanal just one day after the invasion had begun and were thrown quickly into the action to secure the beachhead and defend Lunga Point.

Being a crack shot George records the many hours that he spent hidden in the bush sniping at his enemies if any opportunities arose.

What makes this memoir different from others is the fact that George not only uncovers the conflicts that he witnesses and took part in but he also gives extensive information about the tactics that the U.S. military implemented as well as in depth descriptions of all the weapons that they used along with those of their enemies.

“Johnny George is a fine officer and an able Infantryman. As a leader he was always capable and aggressive; as an individual rifleman he never lost an opportunity to kill or harass the enemy.” Colonel George F. Ferry, Commanding Officer of 132nd Infantry Regiment.

John B. George served in the U.S. Army from 1941 to 1947 in the Pacific and China-Burma-India theaters and held the rank of lieutenant colonel. After this he went to Princeton and later joined the State Department’s Foreign Affairs Institute as a consultant, lecturer, and writer on African affairs. His book Shots Fired in Anger was first published in 1947 and he passed away in 2009.