Collection Of Miniature
U.S. Navy Action Figures

(And Other Nautical Stuff As Well!)

For more years than I want to remember I always had a compelling need to collect things like first edition books, knives, guns, brass cannons, antique lighters, miniature brass/copper diving helmets, you name it... I've probably collected it, displayed it a couple of years in my den, then packed it away in boxes.  I also seriously collect old toy naval figures. 

The following are samples of metalcast and plastic action figures I have acquired over the past years.  They bring with them some deja vu (and grins) back into my life.

Perhaps looking at them will bring back some for you, as well....

Retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer (Active duty May 1955-Sep 1975)

USS Forrestal (1973) Norfolk, VA at age 35

Navy assignments included:

1956: Naval Ordnance Test Station China Lake, CA

1958: Fighter Squadron 152 (VF-152)

1959: Attack Squadron 212 (VA-212) home-based at NAS Moffett Field, CA

1961:  MCAS Yuma, AZ

**1963:  Attack Squadron 56 (VA-56) home-based at NAS Lemoore, CA  

1967:  VQ-2 at Rota, Spain

1968:  Antisubmarine Squadron 30 (VS-30) home-based at NAS Boca Chica (Key West), FL.  

1970:  USS Forrestal

1974: US Naval Safety Center NAS Norfolk, VA.  

**August 5, 1964, VA-56 aboard the USS Ticonderoga:

While embarked aboard the carrier USS Ticonderoga, VA-56 attack aircraft (A-4 Skyhawks) participated in the first retaliatory strikes against the North Vietnamese. Along with other aircraft from Carrier Airgroup 5 (CVW-5), they flew the first mission that struck the antiaircraft gun emplacements at the Vinh oil storage facility.   Ninety percent of the complex was destroyed by the air attack against this facility.  Later in the day, VA-56 aircraft also participated in strikes against the Ben Thuy Naval Base, resulting in the sinking of several North Vietnamese torpedo boats.  

The next day, in support of combat operations, Aviation Ornanceman First Class (AO1) Joe Lee Williams was killed in a flight deck mishap that occurred as he was enroute from the squadron's armory to de-arm the 20MM cannons of a VA-56 Skyhawk returning from a combat mission.  

In Memoriam:  After a delay of nearly 40 years, his name was finally engraved on the Vietnam Memorial Wall during 2004. This act was accomplished only after a group of concerned shipmates successfully lobbied BuPers to recognize that his death occurred as the result of combat operations.  This is a picture of Joe Lee Williams that was taken several years before the tragic event:

2nd Career....

Retired U.S. Army GS-0080-14 Senior Supervisory Security Specialist (Aug 1976-Sep 1993)

Army assignments included Chief, Intelligence Branch at the Tooele Army Depot, Utah; Command Security Officer & Chief, Security & Intelligence Divison at the Tank-Automotive Command, Warren, MI;  Senior CI/CT Action Officer at the HQ U.S. Army Materiel Command, Alexandria, VA. Last assignments were as Chief, Secuity Division, and Chief, Intelligence Support Division at the HQ U.S. Army Information Systems Command, Fort Huachuca, AZ.

My Collection:

Leadcast 1940 Navy Flag Bearer
Barclay

Pewtercast sailor (front & back) and Vietnam-era Marine
Manufacturer unknown (stamped U.S. Made on bottom of base)

Leadcast "Dimestore" Marching Sailor Figures
Designed and cast by William (Bill) Holt

Leadcast Navy Sentry
Barclay

Leadcast 1940's Navy Semaphore Signalmen
Left and right leadcast sailors by Manoil were part of kits used as training aids for U.S. Navy signalmen students (middle sailor, ironcast, was made by Grey Iron Co. )

One-of-a-kind U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer
I converted this one to look kinda like me and an old Navy shipmate of mine
(Pat Bryant, also a retired U.S. Navy Aviation Ordnance Chief Petty Officer )

Plastic USMC Troops

Louis Marx 6-inch tall set of 4 attacking Marines

Leadcast 1880's USMC Gatling Crew Landing Party
54MM Size (manufacturer unknown)

Tiny (15 MM size) leadcast Naval Gun Crew
Manufacturer unknown

Leadcast semi-round WW1 Era Navy Drum and Bugle Marching Band (11 pieces)
I purchased the mold many years ago and cast and painted this set

Leadcast Sailor on Shore Patrol duty
Leadcast by Jerry Barnickle of American Made

"Stand by to repel boarders to Starboard!"

Here's a conceptual model of the Yangtse River Gunboat San Pablo,
manned with some of the sailors you see on this page.

I built this Balsa wood model to commemorate one of my long-time favorite movies "Sand Pebbles."  The gunboat, called the "San Pablo" in the 1966 movie, was built for 20th Century Fox Company by a Hong Kong shipbuilder.  After the movie, the gunboat was sold and later used in Vietnam to build bridges.

See the newer, much bigger, hardwood version at http://www.citlink.net/~shadgre/sanpablo.htm

Lead set of 5 Marching Sailors
Cast by American Made

Leadcast Circa 1888-1902 Royal Navy Captain With Enlisted Master-At-Arms
 Cast by Rose Miniature Company

Leadcast U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer
Early 1940's by Manoil Company

Another leadcast U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer
1940's by the Manoil Company

Yet another CPO, this one cast in iron
Cast by Grey Iron (Sporting the beard style I wore when I retired in 1975)

Royal Navy Seaman (Landing Force)
Cast by American Made Co. in Florida

Navy Landing Party
I purchased the mold and cast these U.S. Marine Rangers, modified them to become U.S. Landing Party Sailors, then painted them.  They are one-of-a-kind.

One-of a-kind Marine Corporal
Made from pieces of several leadcast 1940's soldiers, modified as a U.S. Marine

Leadcast shipboard gun manned by a barefoot sailor
responding to an unexpected "General Quarters!"
by Manoil (one of my favorites)

Early 1942 U.S. Naval Aviator
Leadcast by Manoil Company

The following are some old (and new) plastic sailors I've acquired and painted

Shore Patrolman and Pilot (Ideal)

Bos'n Mate, Diver, Deckhand (Ideal)

Signalman (Flag-bags), Landing Signal Officer (LSO),
Officer Of The Deck (OOD) (Ideal and Tim Mee)

Signalman in Dress Blues (Marx)

Shore Patrolman, Helmsman, Swab Jockey (Tim-Mee)

Armed Sentry and Gunmount Ammunition Loader (Ideal)

Sailor w/ seabag; Officer of the Deck, Quarterdeck Sentry (Tim-Mee)

Color Guard (Tim-Mee)

British Army set converted to one-of-a-kind U.S. Asiatic Gunboat sailors (Airfix)

French Navy Landing Party (Manufacturer unknown)

An old, rare and unusual acquisition.  In mint condition, each figure and the cannon is a highly detailed solid brass casting. There are no manufacturer markings (other than a "GB" on the base of one of the flagbearers); however, in all my searches within the U.S. and overseas this is by far the finest and most sophisticated solid brass military set that I’ve found to date.  The officer, because of the familiar stance and cut of his uniform, is thought to be a young Comte Rochambleau (who later became both a Navy Admiral and (later) a Army General)

Officer, three Flag Bearers, two Drummers, two Gunner's Mates, and Cannon (9 pieces)

My Favorite Lead/Plastic Military
Action Figure Resource Links:

ATS Toy Soldiers

Castings  

Mike Green's Old Toy Soldiers  

John O'Brien's Toy Soldier On-line Gallery  

Treefrog Treasures  

Brian Carrick's Web Page  

Billy's Toy Soldiers Page

If you have any questions or comments: