Archival Observations:Hirohito Over Monterey Skies

Archival Observations:​

Hirohito Over Monterey Skies​

Well, it seems the Sales Department was rather jocular when it came to a fellow who wanted a Magnum on the eve of WW2.

Mr. Louis V. Manning contacted S&W about getting a Magnum. By this time, early 1941, the Magnums had been out of production for some time and there is quite a bit of correspondence filled with what I call “Sorry Letters”; the letters that S&W would send folks explaining that all the production was given over to the war effort (even though the US wasn’t technically in the war…yet).

Mr. Manning asks for some details on the Magnum and observed that he wanted ‘joint tenancy’ on the guarantee, as he thought either he or his boy may wind up becoming a casualty for the impending war.



Mr. Manning knew from where he spoke; in 1941 he was a 45-year old veteran of the World War, having been a SGT in Company D of the 115th Engineers.

S&W sent him the usual “sorry letter’ and I suppose they thought that Mr. Manning would have been satisfied with that. They were wrong. Oh, so very wrong.



Not so easily dismissed, Mr. Manning pleaded his case, pointing out that his personal arsenal had dwindled down to only two handguns; a pair of Colt .45 automatics (probably brought back from The War). His son had swiped his .22-.32 and he had sent his .38 Special revolver to England and was planning to send one of his two .45’s there as well. As he wryly points out, “…the other (is probably going to go there) with me…”.

Mr. Manning was one of the fellows who apparently responded to the plea in the November 1940 American Rifleman magazine to help “..Defend A British Home…”.



As any good gun owner would, Mr. Manning was quite aware of the irony of England having severely curtailed their subjects from owning guns and now having to go hat-in-hand to the American public and ask for donations of arms. He makes a rather pointed comment to S&W about “…some damn pig-headed Limey who passed anti-pistol laws against himself for fifty years and then yelled for help…”



Mr. Bassett apparently thought showing the “..pig-headed Limey…” letter to some of the British arms inspectors stationed at the factory was an appropriate thing to do. It must have been an interesting conversation! The British officers, not surprisingly, “…agreed that there was plenty of truth in it….”.



Despite this, no Magnum was forthcoming and Mr. Bassett suggests that Mr. Manning rely on “…the old hogleg…” for defense until things improve.

Still trying to sway the company to at least take his order (and his money!) Mr. Manning wrote back that he wanted to be on a waiting list so that he would have a Magnum to defend himself against any invaders, or as he put it “…just picture the sky over Monterey Bay should H/R/H Hirohito order the Banzai Maru to adorn it with the Rising Sun – and me with no Magnum. Or picture the chaos in Monterey County should the Amerika erste Kommitteemanner get at you fellows – and me with no Magnum. O, it’s horrible…”.




I guess he struck a nerve with that one, because the factory hoisted the white flag and said they would put him on the list for the earliest delivery possible!



Mr. Manning survived the war and died in 1967. I’m not sure if his son served, as Manning thought he might, but the son is listed in the 1967 obituary, so he survived one way or another.

No real way to tell if Mr. Manning ever got his Magnum after the war; I like to think he did.

There’s quite a bit of interesting things like this within the archives of the Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation and most would never see the light of day without the support of collectors. Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation; you’re a member, aren’t you? Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation


Best,
RM Vivas

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Your access to documents is amazing. Thanks so much for sharing.

Persistent fellow. I hope he got his Magnum, shot it lovingly and it’s in some family members safe right now.

The Brain Trust/Hive Mind over at the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association turned up an obit for Mr. Manning's son. Kid did a tour in WW2 AND Korea! I wonder if he still had Dad's .22-.32 with him when he did them. Guy died in the same hospital my first son was born in, only 10 years apart.



Best,
RM Vivas

Excellent read, RM Vivas! It's a view of a more civilized and slower-paced era. Concerned people and military actions then as now, but it seems people took adequate time to communicate. What say we abandon email and text, and resurrect the typewriter? Of course that will never happen, but it's interesting to contemplate.

I still use my manual typewriter every day. The irony is that I have to go online to a website in order to get my typewriter ribbons.

It's a Smith-Corona; the WW2 rifle company that also dabbled in typewriters

Best,
RM Vivaas

RMV, we are indeed indebted to you for your wise and fulsome interest in records of the past. Not to mention the joy we also today receive from your nostalgic and admiring tributes to those who have gone before - and served mightily to the benefit of their home communities and, here above, for their nation.

And in the instance just cited, they in the meantime have used their own creativity and yearnings to express themselves in ways that are presently, and likely forever, compellingly to be added to to their own worthy posterity, and likewise to our own interests, and our admiration of such forbears.

Thank you

That was a great read. He was persistent. My hope was that he took delivery of that Magnum after the war.