It was born during the year 1943 at the Ithaca Gun Company, in Ithaca, New York. It was one of many Model 1911A1 pistols produced during the World War II period. This particular one was apparently sent to our British cousins as lend-lease armament during the war, as it bears British proofs. After the war, it was repatriated to the U.S. and then evidently sold as war surplus. Eventually it wound up at Pinney and Robinson's sporting goods store, located in the Park Central shopping center in Phoenix. Pinney and Robinson stores had been around in the Phoenix area since around the turn of the 20th Century. The Park Central store was to be their last, as the families that owned it finally died out.
At any rate, in 1961, I was about to be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army. At the time I owned but two guns. My first was a Model 69A Winchester .22 rifle, and second, a Ruger standard model .22 pistol with a 6" barrel. Knowing I was about to get married and go into the Army, I wanted something more powerful than a couple of .22s to accompany me and serve me properly with my new responsibilities. I went to the Pinney and Robinson store (my dad and I had bought my Winchester at their old downtown store) and looked for a .45. I figured if it was good enough for the armed services, it was good enough for me. They had what I wanted. I examined it, and it seemed to be serviceable. The store clerk had it priced at $36.50 plus tax. I didn't have that much money, but I had the .22 Ruger for trade, and that made the deal possible. I walked out of the store with my first centerfire pistol – it was that Ithaca forty-five.
I taught myself to shoot the heavier-recoiling pistol with a reasonable degree of accuracy, although I knew it certainly wasn't a target gun. I was pretty sure I could hit a man-size target two-handed at 25 yards – possibly more.
In the Army, I was assigned to atomic weapons training, logistics and security. At my installation, my issue weapon was to be a .45. Accordingly, I practiced on the post range with great regularity, joining the post pistol team. I wanted something better than a GI pistol to shoot bullseye competition, so I scraped up some cash and took my Ithaca to a local gunsmith who had a reputation as being able to accurize .45s better than anyone in town. I had him re-blue it in the process, as the old Parkerized finish was getting pretty worn. Darned if that gun didn't shoot! My scores on the range instantly increased. I was so confident in the gun that I carried it by preference instead of my issue weapon. It served me well in that role as well, although I only had to pull it once on duty as a precaution while investigating a potential security breach in the middle of the night. It certainly was a measure of personal confidence that I was well equipped.
Following my active duty tour, I joined the 158th Infantry Regiment "Bushmasters" of the Arizona National Guard. This outfit had a distinguished history during World War II in the Pacific Theater, and I was proud to join them. During weekend maneuvers and annual active duty training, I wore this pistol and I also carried a personally-owned M1 carbine, knowing I could rely on both if needed. During practice shooting with the pistol, the target front sight flew off into unknown territory, and I had a custom-made serrated ramped front sight staked and silver-soldered in as a more or less permanent arrangement.
In my return to civilian life, I continued to shoot in bullseye competition with the pistol, and during this time I added an extended-tang grip safety, a short overtravel-adjustment trigger, an extended manual safety, and nicer-looking walnut "double diamond" grips. Although my pistol competition days are now over, I still retain my "service .45." It still shoots with great accuracy and reliability, and when I pick it up, a wave of nostalgia washes over me when I recall the old days when I might have had to depend on it.
Someday I'll pass it on before I die as a memento of my armed services days. It's been part of me for a long, long time.
John
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