Manufactured in 1918, included papers identify the original owner of this pistol rig and connected items as Gardner B. Hannon of Massachusetts. Among other distinctions, Hannon was a "Retread", one of the men who saw service for America in both of the World Wars. Born sometime about 1894-1897 (conflicting information in sources), Hannon was drafted in 1918 and attached to K Company of the 302d Infantry Regiment (originally part of the 76th Infantry Division, but used as replacement troops), which deployed to France. Hannon's exact wartime activities are unrecorded, but he did earn the WWI Victory Medal with France Bar and achieved the rank of First Sergeant. Towards the end of his WWI service he was given the opportunity to purchase this pistol rig, which he took home with him. In civilian life, he took up the business of telephone installation. With the outbreak of World War II he volunteered for service, this time with the U.S. Navy, joining the ranks of the Naval Construction Battalions (Seabees). Leaving the States in 1943 at the rank of Electrician's Mate First Class, passing briefly through Pearl Harbor before joining the Navy's "island hopping" campaign. Chiefly employed in the construction of airfields to support the Navy's advance, Hannon's unit often found itself contending with aerial bombardment, desperate raids by Japanese hold-outs, and sniper attacks; during one incident on the island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll in early 1944, one of Hannon's comrades retaliated against a Japanese sniper by running over his fighting hole with a bulldozer, literally leaving the sniper's blood on the dozer blade. Also active in the Marshall Islands and on Oahu, Hannon was on Okinawa when the war came to an end. An interesting note in the provided documents is that while it's unknown if this was Hannon's sidearm for WWI (the letter is unclear if he bought out -his- service pistol or -a- service pistol from the depot), it does explicitly state that Hannon took this sidearm with him to the Pacific with the Seabees. Blade front and flat top rear sights, with the two-line, two-block address and patent markings on the left side of the slide, Rampant Colt behind the serrations, and "eagle/S14" and "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" on the frame. Fitted with a long smooth trigger, wide knurled safety, flat mainspring housing, checkered grips, two-toned pinned base magazine and a conjoined "HP" marked barrel. The included brown leather holster is marked "G.H." in pencil inside the flap, with a tan canvas web belt and a matching colored pouch containing one magazine (same configuration as the one in the pistol), a tan cord lanyard with a "trench art" .45 ACP casing for the slider, two pair of identity discs (WWI Army and WWII Navy) made out to Hannon, a set of Army buttons and puns, a silver USN collar device, the WWI Victory Medal with "FRANCE" bar, the World War I Victory and Navy Unit Commendation ribbons, a Seabees patch, and a framed certificate identifying Hannon as a life member of "The Retreads" veteran organization. In addition to the consignor statement attributing the items to Hannon, printed/photocopied research materials were provided, including census and death records, a unit record of the 74th Naval Construction Battalion (Hannon's WWII outfit), Hannon's draft registration cards for WWI and WWII, and info on LST-69, one of the craft used by Hannon's Seabee unit.

Very fine, with 70% of the original blue finish, showing areas of brown and gray patina, bright edge wear, minor spotting and light handling marks. The grips are very good, with some light dings and dents. The holster shows cracking and scuffing appropriate to age, with some mild stains on the belt and pouch. Mechanically excellent.