These guns were bought by my grandfather at the end of WWI, where he served as a 2nd Lieutenant in E Battery, 15th Field Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division. The serial numbers are on the receipt. As you can see, he had to shell out nearly $30 for both guns in 1919. I would love to locate them and appreciate any info.

Attached Images

M1917_Receipt.JPG (55.5 KB, 202 views)

It's time to bring this back for another try. Please get in touch if you know where either of these guns may be.

Dave

Good luck with your mission. I am looking for a set of numbered grips for a N frame that a friend took by mistake and then sold.

I wonder if the Army issued 1917 revolvers to cannon cockers instead of 1911s? Artillerymen should be a bit back from the front lines.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I know he lost a few men to sniper fire. His unit had 1911s, at least while on occupation duty in Germany. In the picture below, you will see four officers with leather straps across their chests seated just right of center. My grandfather is the second one from the left. You can easily see the 1911's carried by most of these guys, who are all dead now, by the way.

You will probably have to download the original image from postimage to see the detail.

No idea when/how they were disposed of?

I have an S&W 1917 inherited from my GF, also a WWI vet, though I suspect he acquired it during his tenure as Postmaster of Iraan, Texas. I have the certificate of his appointment signed by FDR.

Cool that you have the receipt. That generation and my parents never threw away anything.

Best of luck with your renewed search. Wouldn't it be something if you found them?!

They were sold from his estate probably in early 1976 in Oregon. He also had three Lugers that were sold. It still bums me out to think about it. I would have cherished all of them.

I checked mine and the serial number if of by a lot. Mine came with a holster marked 78th FA. which was assigned to the 6th Infantry Division, A unit that I happened to belong to

No hits on my list. Have you tried posting this request over on the Colt Forum? It's a very long shot but you might have some luck over there.

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Charlie Flick
SWCA 729 HF 215

Good luck!

Post on the pony forum.

A friend of mine in VN had one of those chest rigs that he carrie a 1911 in-so they were still around in 1969-1970.

Yes, I have it listed there as well. Thanks.

This is definitely a long shot, but stranger things have happened. Even here on this forum.

Checked my two. Not even close, sorry.

Shark Bait, I will check my stuff and see. I have a batch of clunker New Services/1917's and frames to rebuild.

Muley Gil. My father was the full time Supply Sgt. For Troop K 114th Cavalry (horse) during the 30's. When they were activated in 1940 and changed to Artillery after the cavalry was disbanded, they turned in their 03's and 1911's for 1917 Enfield's and S&W 1917's. I have no idea if this was standard for all artillery, but it did happen with Troop K.

found this cavalary

Bummer. Thank you for the reference as I had not seen that article. I now live about 80 miles SE of Miami County and Paola. A lot of names on the original roster are familiar. George Fordyce and Dean Huff I knew better than any of the rest. Of the survivors, Oscar Durland is the only one I can claim to know and I graduated from high school with his daughter. Oscar passed on just a few years back. My father, George McCann, joined Troop K about 1930. I would surmise the article was written sometime after Dad passed in '92. A whole lot of the older people I grew up around had been members of either Troop K or Battery F or both.

Did you put it on the Colt Forum? Hope you find them.

There was a story in American Rifleman years ago about a British Sniper who served in WWII. After the war, he was able to buy a surplus SMLE sniper, which, low and behold, had been his issued rifle. One thing a soldier knows is his rifle’s SN.