GUN SPRING 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.
SCARCE COLT MODEL 1908 GENERAL OFFICER'S PISTOL THAT BELONGED TO GENERAL U. S. AIR FORCE MAJOR ROBERT W. DOUGLASS, JR. COLT 1908 136512 380 MODERN; C&R Cal 380 ACP. Blue finish with 3-3/4" bbl fixed sights and mounted with full checkered, silver medallion walnut grips. Right side of frame, above the trigger guard, is marked "U.S. PROPERTY". Left rear side of frame, behind the thumb safety, has a partial small ordnance wheel. Slide has standard markings with Rampant Colt trademark at the left rear. Accompanied by one orig two-tone magazine with marked base and a craft colored 2-pc cardboard box with faint pencil notation on the top right rear corner which shows the serial number and "Douglass, R.W.". This pistol was manufactured in 1942 as part of military contact. After WWII they were issued to newly promoted Brigadier Generals'. The book Colt Pocket Hammerless Automatic Pistols, Brunner, has a listing which shows an unspecified Colt 380 was issued to R. W. Douglas (sic), Jr. Previous information disclosed that this pistol was purchased from the grandson of General Douglass. Additionally accompanied by a copy of the official U. S. A. F. biography of Major General Robert W. Douglass, Jr. (1900-1976). The biography shows that General Douglass, a native of Tennessee, was graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1922 and served continuously until February 1957. During his career he was Commander of various units including the Seventh Fighter Command, based in Hawaii, from 1942-1944, following assignment that he served as Commander of the Seventh Air Force, the center of Allied Pacific airborne logistics, which was responsible for long range fighter escort for bombers & cargo aircraft throughout the war for the Pacific. In addition, during World War II and for its duration, MG Douglass sat on the Permanent Joint Board on the Defense of Canada and the United States. After WWII he became Commanding General of the 1st Air Force and subsequently Chief of Staff, U. S. Air Forces – Europe, as well as working in the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He commanded various other units until being assigned to Air Force Headquarters in Washington D.C. where he served as Senior U.S.A.F. Member of the Joint Mexican-U.S. Defense Commission; The Senior U.S.A.F. delegate to the Inter-American Defense Board, and as Senior Member of the U.S. Delegation to the Joint Brazil-U.S. Defense Commission. His numerous awards and decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Legion of Merit and the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal. After retiring in 1957 he worked for 10 years as a Representative for United Aircraft International, parent company of Pratt & Whitney and Sikorski, both major players in the American Military Industrial Complex, later known as United Technologies Corporation and was also President of the Wings Club of New York. Additionally accompanied by a volume of public documents and numerous photos, as well as 2 hardcover books; 1). Air Commando One, Trest, wherein General Douglass is mentioned on page 66. 2). Air Mobility, Owen. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus. Appears to be new & unfired retaining virtually all of its orig bright factory blue with only faint sharp edge wear and a few small scattered spots of surface discoloration on the left side. Magazine & grips are equally new. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. Box shows slight edge wear and very minor soil. Books are fine. 51670-1 JRL (4,500-6,500)