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M1911A1 U.S. ARMY
SERIAL NO. 1672971
THIS COLT M1911A1 WAS SHIPPED TO SPRINGFIELD ARMORY IN OCTOBER 1944. IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSFERRED TO THE U.S. NAVY AND WAS ISSUED TO COMMANDER CHARLES M. REDDING. CDR. REDDING DID NOT USE OR CARRY THIS COLT, AND SO IT REMAINS NEW IN IT'S ORIGINAL BOX WITH ALL ACCESSORIES. I ACQUIRED THIS COLT AND ALL IT'S EQUIPMENT FROM CDR. REDDING'S SON IN FRESNO, CALIFORNIA.
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Chief, it doesn't get any better than that. What a treasure. Did Colt have any printing on the box, or is it blank?
That is a thing of beauty. It makes me want to go and buy a new modern 1911 replica Monday cause that's the only way you will get one as good as that.
Cdr. Redding's son told me that this box was unopened when he found it among his fathers Navy gear. He did not know it was a Colt until he opened the box!!!! Note the wide paper tape. ALL original boxes were taped this way.....
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All this gear came with the Colt.... Note the plastic "Invasion" bag....
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And Cdr. Redding!!!
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Cdr. Redding had an interesting career. During the 1930s, he was a photo model for many popular magazines. his son gave me a large packet of info on his dad....
Here are his discharge papers. He served on DEs and LSTs..
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USS GRISWOLD DE-7
USS Griswold (DE-7) was an Evarts-class short-hull destroyer escort in the service of the United States Navy, the second ship named for Ensign Don T. Griswold, who perished during the battle of Midway 1942.
Griswold (DE-7) was launched 9 January 1943 by Boston Naval Shipyard, Charlestown, Massachusetts; sponsored by Mrs. Don T. Griswold, mother of Ensign Griswold. She was commissioned 28 April 1943, Lieutenant Commander Charles M. Lyons in command.
Service history
After shakedown in Bermuda, Griswold headed for the Pacific, reaching Bora Bora, Society Islands, via Norfolk, Virginia and the Panama Canal 23 July 1943. Immediately pressed into service, she escorted convoys through the South Pacific, until April 1944. On 12 September, she conducted a 4-hour attack on a Japanese submarine off Guadalcanal, and although debris and an oil slick rose to the surface, she was not credited with a kill.
Undaunted, Griswold struck again 3 months later and this time recorded a kill. At 2200 on the night of 23 December, patrolling off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal, she was dispatched to investigate a periscope sighting. Alert sonar operators picked up the contact immediately, and held it for the next 5 hours, as the determined ship conducted attack after attack on the elusive Japanese raider. Oil slicks and air bubbles after the sixth and seventh attacks told Griswold that her quarry was hit. This was confirmed shortly before 0300 on 24 December, when a periscope poked up out of the water. Griswold charged in for her eighth attack, laying a lethal pattern of twelve depth charges. A heavy oil slick dotted with debris rose to the surface, and the tenacious ship and crew were credited with sinking I-39.
After overhaul at Mare Island, the escort ship returned to the Pacific theatre on 3 June 1944 to escort convoys and participate in training exercises out of Pearl Harbor well into 1945. From 12 March-6 May 1945, she remained on station at Eniwetok as flagship for Commander Task Group 96.3, under Commander T. F. Fowler. The long Pacific campaign was moving into its final phase that spring as American forces invaded Okinawa, a short step from the Japanese home islands; and Griswold soon moved up to the front.
Reaching Okinawa on 27 May, Griswold immediately took up station on the ASW screen, and was shortly rewarded with two kamikaze kills, 31 May and 5 June. The second of those would-be kamikazes dived on Griswold, but she evaded it and the marauder exploded into the ocean so close that fragments of the Japanese plane showered over her.
On 29 June, Griswold departed Okinawa, escorting a convoy to Leyte Gulf, Philippines, and continuing on to Ulithi for screening work. At war's end, she sailed triumphantly into Japanesee waters, anchoring in Tokyo Bay on 10 September. Embarking passengers for stateside, Griswold cleared Tokyo 6 days later and arrived San Pedro, California on 8 October via Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor.
She decommissioned there on 19 November 1945, and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 5 December. The hulk was sold to Dulien Steel Products, Seattle, Wash., for scrapping on 27 November 1946.
WOW, lucky you! that is a once in a lifetime find!
how about a picture of the other side of the pistol?
thanks
Here is the port side as requested.....
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...00637JPG-1.jpg
I would call that a "HOME RUN" John.
Congrat's!
Nice!
John, congratuations on finding such a historical item. But, why do children sell their parents items like this. I just can't understand it. Bill Hughes
Congradulations indeed!
Very nice.
However just as Bill Hughes said, how can people sell there parents items like this.
Pass it down to the next generation, hell yes but don't sell it.
I have sentimental's that have been handed down to me, they sure as hell were not handed down to sell.
Just my two bob, cheers.
I know what you mean Rusty but I just hope my kids CAN sell my stuff when I'm gone. I'm hoping it doesn't just wind up in the chuck-out bin.
Neat to see this one came with ALL the toys attatched.
I acquired a '43 Remington Rand several years back thinking it was fairly original. After reading on several forums, I'm not so sure about its 'original' status. It's been through at least two Army depots over its lifetime, Leterkenny (sp?) and Anniston. Have no clue when it was at either one. But bottom line, it's still an "antique" given it's original '43 manufacture.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty.303
I received some rifles and a shotgun that had been my grandfather's. They were handed down to me and I intend to hand them down again when I get further along in years. Can certainly find no reason for selling family heirlooms that are meant to stay in the family. But like Rusty said, this is just my $.02 worth on the subject.
Is there an ordnance wheel on this pictol? Or is it the picture glare?
Antique as it relates to guns is made prior to 1899. 1943 does make it eligible as a Curio & Relic.Quote:
Originally Posted by tx81
just beautiful. :clap:
it should be under glass, that one.:)
Great find that 1911. Why I'm jumping in so late is it just totally ****es me off when a a family member sells family history for the $$$. I'm lucky both my Son's will fight over what my father left me (WWII) and what I brought back as a 11B40 in Vietnam. My will states a coin toss gets the first pick then it's back and forth between them. Any sales have to be agreed upon by both.
I like the coin toss idea as I have 2 sons but only one is into collecting and his is modern stuff right now. Oh youth.
What's a 11B40 or is that a need to know only? Or if you tell me you'll have to kill me HA HA!
I know the Army, or Marines are always talking that way.
In the Air Force we just say " I was a Pilot" or "I'm a Fuel specialist" or in my case I'm a 57150? LOL!
I never ask why. Wife afraid of guns? Pay kids college tuition? Lost job, need to buy food?
I really don't care; this is how collectible guns get transferred to the collections of those of us who appreciate them.
Neal
11B was infantry. Typically you were a 11B20 till you made NCO then 11B40. Thanks for your sevice one and all.Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveN
WOW, I would put that in a nice glass display case, Wish I owned it.
Have not seen any posts from John Hollbrook lately..Is he OK?
So....................are you going to shoot it?
Oh sure he is going to shoot it. If you don't you can hear them snubbing and sobbing in their boxes, or at least the ones that don't own one say that.
"Shoot me, shoot me. I want to be someone's truck gun!"
What a beautiful Colt....makes my Remington Rand look anemic. Regards, Rick.
Is the gun Parkerized or ParkerLubrite? Looks like the latter. Stunning gun and package by the way!
If I had that it would have to be pried out of my hands before I'd let it go.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Hughes
Some folks just 'want that old junk gone' or have no one to leave it to and have medical bills to pay.
Jeez those magazines haven't seen the light of day in exactly 70 years. I assume anyway. As much as I would want to shoot that gun I would be very reluctant to start unpacking that stuff.
John is alive and well, still living in Missoula Montana and loving life. He just doesn't frequent these Forums nearly as often as he used too.
Hi John, wow... A dream, kind of a M1911A1 every collectors would like to own, thanks to show us.
A question: I have a complete box of .45 cartridges 'Pistol Ball' shells in metal like you show us with Repacked E.C. 7-44 wrote on it what is that means?
Thanks :)
There are many nice collectable colts that are very nice and if you own one and feel the need to shoot it(considering they have all been shot at one time) then go for it. My opinion is a gun like this in its pristine original packing with all the goodies and un fired now that is rare and very special indeed. The fact that it's been un packed, well you have to look at and admire it and certainly handle with glee but shoot it to what end. Most likely depreciation of considerable amounts of $$$$$. JMHO.
Repack EC 7-44 means that the ammo was put into spam cans at Evansville Chrysler in July 1944. Most of the time the ammo was taken out of normal ammo cans and placed into the spam cans for long time storage as it would not needed at the front anytime soon. EC was the company that developed the spam can.
Really not wise to pay collector price for something new in the box and then use it as a shooter. Shooters are easy to find and much cheaper.
Many of today's generation isn't interested in inheriting these icky old guns. A couple of years ago there was a sickening news video posted online about some guy who inherited his dad's M1911A1, and he donated it to some liberal, anti-gun metalwork artist who promptly heated it up in a blast furnace, squished it flat with a sledgehammer, and welded it and bunch of other squished guns to a steel framework that was going up in a park to "memorialize all the victims of senseless gun violence". As far as I was concerned that was an act of senseless violence on a gun, one that helped fight for that stupid artist's right to make political statements without ending up in prison. The idiot son was shown talking about how he felt so much better that a weapon of war was going to be used in a piece of art meant to promote peace. I guess the idea that he gave away his dad's $1800+ pistol to be destroyed didn't bother him.
Similar happened in my family. My uncle passed away and left his daughter his 1911 (that he picked up on the beach in Normandy and carried the rest of the way),a mauser, and an MP40. She promptly gave them to the f'n DC metro police. SMDH. I still won'T speak to her.