serial #872397, 45 ACP, 5" High Standard barrel with a bright excellent bore. The metal surfaces of this 1943-production pistol retain about 96% arsenal-reapplied Parkerized finish showing some mild high edge and operational wear along with some scattered light scratches. There is a small area of light scaling at the triggerguard root that appears to be casting flaws from the manufacturing process and all markings remain unmolested and mostly crisp, the ordnance wheel on the right side frame partially struck. The barrel retains about 90% original blue showing silvering and operational wear. The checkered brown Keyes Fibre synthetic grips remain in excellent condition showing a couple scattered tiny dings. The slide stop, safety, hammer spur and mainspring housing are checkered, one blued M. S. Little magazine is included and the action seems to function well mechanically. The included W. D., A. G. O. Form No. 446 Government Property Issue Slip lists a 1911A1 pistol, holster, two magazines, 21 boxes of ammo (Lot S25240) and a bayonet issued to Captain Lloyd C. Santmyer on April 29, 1945. The serial number of the pistol listed is matching this arm, though it is slightly smudged and written in graphite pencil rather than the grease pencil of the other hand-written notations. Also included are some news articles related to Captain Santmyer, photocopy of his special orders to work on glider matters at Wright Field dated July 28, 1943, copies of the books The Officer's Guide and A Place In The Sky signed by editor Richard David Wissolik (Santmyer's exploits are described in the book and he is pictured on the back cover), 1943-dated Boyt U.S. shoulder holster with lightly penciled initials "LCS" in very fine condition, three full 50-round boxes of Evansville 45 ACP ball cartridges Lot S25240, a pair of captain's bars and a U.S. Army Air Corps. officer's coat with 1942-dated label and no visible identification, otherwise in near excellent condition with gilt buttons intact, Army Air Corps. Patch and silver pilot wings. A cutout of the Captain's obituary is also included. Santmyer was born January 2, 1910 and began flying in 1926. While serving in World War Two he is perhaps best known as being the experimental test pilot during the development of the ILS instrument landing system that is used the world over today. He then went on to instruct pilots in the use of this system, trained night fighter squadrons, tested military glider technology and ground-to-air rescue techniques. During and after the war he flew a number of VIPs including Chiang Kai-shek and John F. Kennedy. He retired as the executive pilot of the Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corp. in 1968 but continued flying recreationally and assisting aviation historians with their research. Lloyd C. Santmyer was inducted into the Aviation Pioneer's Hall of Fame in 1976 and passed away on April 24, 2010 at the age of 100. This is a very interesting ensemble for the U.S. martial collector or aviation enthusiast. (13B9703-5) {C&R} (1500/2000)
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