My Dad fought in the S. Pacific, and didn't hold regular grenades in high regard - he found out they were only half full of explosive. (Stateside Army Ordnance claimed they were just as good, but experienced troops felt otherwise.)Mac Truck wrote: . . . Apparently, there was much dissention in the way of the GI's in Europe in WWII regarding the seemingly ineffective charge held by our issued grenades. The Germans had these massive, hand held atombomb honeycombs that would flatten a vehicle. We had grenades that took two and three to clear a room effectively . . .
Since grenades weren't in short supply, he took to taking them apart and filling one FULL of explosive; the empties he made into salt and pepper shakers . . . those were always in high demand, but when he opened a case of grenades at his bunk, the tent - and the other tents nearby - cleared in a hurry.
But in addition to the salt and pepper shakers, everyone wanted the "double strength" grenades too.
One day a guy came to my Dad and asked for an "empty" grenade - but with the fuze intact. Dad sold him one, but told him in no uncertain terms NOT to do ANYTHING for 20 minutes; that gave my old man time to go to the mess hall and establish an alibi.
Once the time was up, all hell broke loose at the other end of the camp . . . turns out there was a big poker game going on, and someone lifted the tent flap and threw a smoking grenade in.
The tent exploded in all directions - Jap infiltrators were still around - but, of course, there was no "boom."
Dad had his alibi . . . and the guy who did it paid him handsomely to NOT turn him in. (The poker players were a bit irate.)