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US Army Air Service 1911

2K views 16 replies 14 participants last post by  mike radford 
#1 · (Edited)
I wanted to share my most recent find along with some research that I did on the solider who may have carried it. This walked into a LGS recently and I was able to acquire it. The rig consists of a 1911 Colt made in 1917, ammo pouch with 2 spare two-tone magazines and a 1917 dated holster. Seller said that the rig was brought in but no history provided, nor asked for. There are some small pieces of verdigris in the crevices of the grip checkering, likely which have come off the brass fittings within the holster. I love these types of rigs which I believe are bring-backs, that got stuck away in a holster and have sat around for nearly 100 years. Anyway, I was a bit bummed out at having lost any potential history on this gun, but when I opened the holster flap, I got pretty excited. Inside is penciled a name of M.F. Stone, 52 Aero, along with what I believe is the serial number (181282) of the pistol which was carried in this holster (at least initially).

After a bit of research, I came up with the name of Milton Fuller Stone of West Virginia, who served with the 52nd Aero Squadron (later redesignated the 464th) as part of the Air Service, AEF in France. I am attaching a write up which I prepared about M. F. Stone and his service in the Air Service for your reading pleasure. Although very basic, doing research on the branches of the US Armed Forces as they prepared for WWI is quite interesting to me, and hopefully to you as well. Of particular note is the huge degree that the US sent logistics and support troops over initially to France, helping to prepare the infrastructure and facilities which would be needed for the following combat troops.

I have in my collection a couple of other 1911s in similar condition which were carried by a Rail Road Engineer officer, a Dentist and Road Engineer. While not "sexy" (wouldn't we all rather our handguns have been carried in combat), it is doubtful that they would have remained in the condition now found had they been carried in combat. Furthermore, this is a testimony to the unsung heroes of the war - the ones who did the dirty work that made the combat victories possible.

As far as the pistol and holster, they are indeed different. However, they are only 352 digits apart, which leads me to believe that both the pistol and holster were issued to and served with the 52nd Aero. Perhaps MF Stone acquired this second pistol after having been issued with the first one and that is the one that he carried during the war, or the other way around, where the owner of my pistol (180930) needed a holster and acquired the one originally carried by MF Stone? Who knows. However, I think the facts at hand tend to suggest that both the pistol and holster both served with the 52nd Aero during WWI, were brought home and stuck in a sock drawer for the past 100 years.

Hopefully you will enjoy and any thoughts are appreciated as always. BTW - my pix are not the best, but I am currently limited on my ability to take anything better.
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#5 ·
I told you before and I will say it again: I really appreciate your efforts of tracking the possible stories and register them for posterity.
And it is an outstanding rig, not matter the theory you may choose.
Congratulations and thanks again for taking your time to share it with us.
 
#7 ·
Wonderful acquisition all around. Great job on gathering the history and documenting it all! The pistol is gorgeous and certainly survived In excellent condition. You are very fortunate to have such a rig! If other WWI 1911s with documented history interest you, I recently did a similar write up on a 1911 I have that belonged to my great grandfather (110th Infantry, 28th Division AEF) over on the Colt forum:

Thanks for sharing a fantastic pistol and its history!
 
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