Manufactured in 1943. Fixed sights, with the two-line, two-block Colt address and patent markings on the left side of the slide divided by the Rampant Colt, "P" on top, and the matching serial number beneath the firing pin stop. "GHD" inspected frame with "M/VP" and "96" on the trigger guard. Checkered milled trigger, wide hammer, thumb safety and arched mainspring housing, serrated slide catch, reinforced Colt grips, "S"/"C-S" marked full blue magazine (extra marked the same) and a "COLT 45 AUTO" marked barrel. An extra magazine is included. The holster and belt are both fine brown leather construction, with a gilt American Eagle buckle, "AAK" inside the flap and "HICKOK/35" on the back of the belt. Also present is a small calling card marked "Brigadier General Alfred A. Kessler Jr./Military Attache and Military Air Attache/Legation of the United States of America/Stockholm". Notes from the consignor attribute this lot as the sidearm and property of Alfred A. Kessler, Jr. of the U.S. Army Air Force and U.S.A.F. Born in 1898, Kessler was first commissioned via an infantry officer's training camp in September of 1918 but resigned that commission to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, reattained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in 1922 along with a bachelor of science degree. In the time leading up to World War II, he trained as an aviator and took postings in Texas, the Philippines, and Ohio, and also spent time at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology earning his master's degree in aeronautical engineering. In 1942, he was assigned to the 2nd Bomber Command, 2nd Air Force, implementing training programs for America's then-new heavy bomber groups. In the same year, he was made commander of the 95th Bomb Group (Heavy) and led it in daylight bombing of Axis resources. In 1944, he was tapped to spearhead an initiative to establish U.S. air bases in Soviet-occupied Ukraine, part of an ambitious plan to supplement the conventional "round trip" bomb runs (leave home airbase, bomb target, return to home airbase) with a new "shuttle bombing" pattern (leave home base, bomb target, land at base on other side of enemy territory, refuel and rearm, and then whack the Germans again on the way back to home base). While promising, the plan didn't work out; by the time it was up and running, the military objective could be achieved by U.S.A.A.F. bases in Italy, and the political objective (warming the U.S.S.R. up to the concept so it could be applied against the Japanese home islands) had failed, with many of the participating Allied airmen embittered against the Soviets due to the actions of the Communist brass as well as a double-edged sword of Soviet anti-aircraft fire both failing to protect the Americans from Luftwaffe counter strikes and occasionally shooting down American aircraft that strayed out of very tight flight corridors. Towards the end of 1944, he was appointed as the military attache as well as the air attache to the American legation in Stockholm, Sweden, a role he held until 1947. He ended his Air Force career in 1955 at the rank of major general, having earned the Silver Star, Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster) and the Army Commendation Medal from the Americans, the Soviet Order of Suvorov, the Norwegian Commander's Cross of the Order of Saint Olav (with Star), the Belgian Croix de Guerre (with Palms) and the Swedish Royal Order Croix Rouge and Royal Order of the Sword.

Excellent, with 97% plus of the original parkerized finish, showing slight edge wear, slide retraction marks, a few scattered light scratches and dings. The grips are excellent, with a few light dings. Mechanically excellent. The holster and belt are both very fine, with a few scuffs and surface cracks. The calling card shows a number of tears and tape repairs.