This general’s legendary sword was found in a pawnshop

Not too often do you find something good in a pawn shop. It's usually cheap crap that was probably stolen or someone couldn't get out of hock. Occasionally, you find something perfect or useful. But it's rare you'd ever expect to find a legendary sword. 

Sometimes though, fate has its way of showing up. Every now and then someone finds the jackpot item — such as the legendary Mameluke sword of Lt. Gen. Homer L. Litzenberg Jr., Commander of the 7th Marine Regiment during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

Related: Why the 'Frozen Chosin' is the defining battle of the modern Marine Corps

Lt. Gen. Homer L. Litzenberg Jr. led his men from the Battle of Inchon to Yalu and through 17 of the most brutal days of combat during at the "Frozen Chosin." He led alongside Marine Corps legend Lt. Gen. "Chesty" Puller who commanded the 1st Marine Regiment.

Chris Anderson, Anne Arundel County police officer and prior service Marine, and his fellow Marines were about to celebrate the Marine Corps birthday at an Annapolis saloon. Anderson noted that they were missing the traditional Mameluke sword of a Marine Corps officer to cut the cake. He did what every Marine would do: he looked for one on eBay.

Searching for a sword on eBay

He found one but it was inscribed with the name "Homer L. Litzenberg Jr." on the blade. He knew that this blade couldn't go to some private collector, so he snagged the sword at $255 because of wear and tear. The authenticity hasn't been determined yet, since the pawnshop can't disclose prior owner information. However, the pawnshop did say that with its proximity to Aberdeen Proving Ground, it's extremely common for them to receive military items so this might just be the legendary sword after all. 

Anderson has since made it his personal crusade to get the sword verified and put into the National Museum of the Marine Corps.