General Le May's 22 Jet

[Doc44]

This Model 53 was presented to General Curtis Le May in June 1961 in honor of him being appointed Chief of Staff of the U. S. Air Force. It is a companion revolver to the 44 Magnum that was made for him in December 1958. Click on the photos for a closer look.

S&WCA members can read the complete story of the Persona Non Grata Club in the Summer 2016 issue of our Journal .

Bill

 

[toad67]

Since I don't have a copy of the Journal, what is the "PNG 5", in front of the cylinder referring to? Nice stuff, thanks for sharing.

 

[Rakkasan13F]

Since I don't have a copy of the Journal, what is the "PNG 5", in front of the cylinder referring to? Nice stuff, thanks for sharing.

"Persona Non Grata Club" Presentation S&W 44 Magnum Revolver | Rock Island Auction

"The Persona Non Grata Club was a group of three civilians and two military members who were involved in an attempt at the creation of the Nordic Free Trade Zone. The American and European delegates did not get along, leading to the Americans referring to themselves as "persona non grata". Before their departure Major General Walter C. Sweeney (the recipient of this revolver) was gifted a narwhal tusk, and thus the animal became the group's mascot. Each member of the group was given a Pre-Model 29 and Model 53 Smith & Wesson Revolver with the same special inscription as this revolver, but with the recipient's name."

 

[WR Moore]

I was trying to figure out what the gold inlay represented and decided narwhal (WHAT? WHY?) just before I read the last post. Interesting and thanks.

 

[Doc44]

There are eleven PNG revolvers. Five pairs (a 44 Magnum and a 22 Magnum, PNG 1 through PNG 5) and one 44 Magnum, PNG 6, that was made for the movie actor, Andy Devine. Mr. Devine was a good friend of Bill Harder, who received PNG 3 and had him initiated into the Persona Non Grata Club. Carl Hellstrom, President of S&W and Grand Narwhal Pro Tem of the PNG Club, died unexpectedly in April 1963. With his death, the PNG Club passed into history.

Bill