This is for Colt owners. I posted this on the Colt forum but thought I'd also post here as there are Colt owners among us. I have a 'Vendor's Shipping Document' (no form number). It records the shipment of 3522 M1911A1s on 6/28/44 from the Ithaca Gun Company to the Topeka Army Air base, for the Ordnance Property Officer, for staging stock. The serial numbers are 1464767 thru 1466766 and 1465773 thru 1468294. The document notes that the government furnished 3522 barrels; apparently Ithaca didn't make barrels and used those by other makers (marked HS for Hi Standard, and F for Flannery Pipe Co, among others). The inspector was A.M (possibly 'H') McGovern, Jr. I don't know whether he just inspected the shipment or was responsible for inspecting the pistols as they came off the assembly line.
Topeka Army Air Base was a staging area. Pilots were trained somewhere else; bombardiers, elsewhere; gunners, still elsewhere, etc. They were brought to the Topeka Army Air Base (and other similiar bases) to be formed into crews for B 17 and B 24 bombers, and trained as crews. When they were finished, they were sent overseas to combat. The process was called 'staging'. When they were ready to ship out, the crews were issued their 45s, and other equipment before leaving.
Topeka Army Air base is now the commercial airport for the city of Topeka.
I just checked the serial number of my Ithaca 45; it's not one of these.
Topeka Army Air Base was a staging area. Pilots were trained somewhere else; bombardiers, elsewhere; gunners, still elsewhere, etc. They were brought to the Topeka Army Air Base (and other similiar bases) to be formed into crews for B 17 and B 24 bombers, and trained as crews. When they were finished, they were sent overseas to combat. The process was called 'staging'. When they were ready to ship out, the crews were issued their 45s, and other equipment before leaving.
Topeka Army Air base is now the commercial airport for the city of Topeka.
I just checked the serial number of my Ithaca 45; it's not one of these.
