Quote Originally Posted by Col. Colt View Post
Yes, Colt shipped new M1911 pistols Directly to the AEF's Armory at Greenville Piers, New Jersey - the Port of Embarkation for the AEF. I have a Colt that was thus shipped in the first week of January, 1918. (217,xxx number if I remember right.) I believe there was another M1911 book (not Godwin, Clausen) that had this listing.

The gun looks like it got sent "Over There", and perhaps the owner was perhaps a mite too busy for daily cleaning and oiling - almost new inside, some light frosting of the bore and very nice except for a few surface pits in areas where it might have lived in a wet M1916 holster until November, 1918. Never rebuilt, so it might have come home in someone's pack. CC
Mine was also shipped the first week in January 1918. January 3rd to be exact. Serial No. 218XXX.

Thanks for the background information.