[Vettepartz]

I just posted about a nice 1914 USGI that I found at a gunshow last weekend. Well today I got lucky again as a friend called with some of his older Colts he was selling. Anyways, I picked up this fairly nice 1913 model. It has the correct HORIZONTAL PH barrel with no pits and correct magazine and grips. Rear sight is rounded. Slight wear of the bluing on the top rear portion of the slide.

Going by the serial # and Clawsons big book, this was shipped on October 17,1913 to Capt BO Mahaffey in Honolulu Hawaii in a shipment of 550 pistols. I know we have some old timers on here, and was wondering if anybody can remember what we were doing in Hawaii in that time frame.

I say I got lucky, but believe me, I did have to pay a price for these guns. I got another old-timer that I will post up in a few days.

 

[dsk]

Gorgeous pistol. You indeed are a lucky dog.

 

[bamashooter]

Congrats on a very nice pistol. Here's you a quick and dirty on U.S. interests in Hawaii. http://www.ushistory.org/us/44b.asp

 

[rod727]

Nice ...congratulations

 

[Buickgsman]

I need to find better friends! Very nice pistol!

 

[vette]

You are on a roll. Super nice example. Very hard to find.

 

[Matyoka]

Well, time to sell me one of your not so nice 1911s so I can make it my open carry here in Arizona

 

[Matyoka]

Just gorgeous

Congrats... WOW

 

[dsk]

Well, time to sell me one of your not so nice 1911s so I can make it my open carry here in Arizona

Hey, I've got one like that. It'll scare away the bad guys because they'd be just as worried about contracting tetanus as they would lead poisoning!

 

[Matyoka]

Lmao dsk

 

[AdamG247]

Op,

You may find this information I found of interest. As Capt BO Mahaffey is mentioned at the very end of the Paper script "Captain B. O. Mahaffey,* ordnance department, Honolulu, 'sailed on the Logan". He took Leave for two Months and twenty days, on Nov 15 1914. Subsequently Resigned his Commission as a "First Lieutenant, Coast Artillery Corps" effective Dec 9th 1914.

http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SFC19130706.2.164.6

An attempt to answer your question. Hawaii was part of the great American Imperialism expansion at this time period. We were continuing to build and expand the US Navy Base at Pearl Harbor. Coincidentally, On February 17, 1913, the entire New drydock structure rumbled, rocked, and caved in. Destroying the entire structure it took two years to build.

Schofield Barracks were being built and expanded. In late 1911 the Secretary of War approved recommendations for a seven-regiment post. This would rival Fort Russell in Cheyenne, Wyoming, the Army’s largest existing post at the time. Permanent facilities were urgently needed.

In April 1917 the United States of America entered the war in Europe. In August 1917 an officer’s training school was established at Schofield.

Credit for some of the above: http://www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/tlm/files/history.pdf

P.S. IN 1913 Capt. Douglas MacArther received orders for a Transfer from an Engineering Depot to become a Member of the General Staff.

February 1911: Promoted to Captain and serves as the Officer-in-Charge of the Engineering Depot at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
November 1912: Assigned to the General Staff Corps, for duty as a Member and Recorder of the Board of Engineering Troops
April 1913: Appointed as Superintendent of State, War, and Navy Buildings as a member of the General Staff

 

[chaosrob]

Gorgeous piece, congrats on a great addition

 

[Retired AF CE]

gorgeous piece, congrats on a great addition

+1

 

[Enyalius11]

nice post! she's a beauty, must be like a time machine holding onto one of those.

 

[Piexcel]

Very nice!

 

[R DiFlorio]

WOW John, Another REALLY GREAT looking original condition 1911 to acquire. Double CONGRATS on this one

Being the 1st of only 2 shipments to Honolulu Hawaii, 1913 & 1916 that in itself makes it a rare and even more valuable pistol

I have never seen one for sale that shipped to Hawaii, if I did I would have did my best to own it