Sergeant York's 1911

[Morrisey]

I got my copy of The Blue Press the other day and they had a two-page article on the 1911 and a sidebar column on Sergeant Alvin C. York.

Just over a month before the armistice that ended WWI, York (then a corporal), single-handedly engaged a large group of the enemy with his 1903 Springfirld and his 1911. He later recalled that each shot he fired struck one of the enemy. In the end, the large unit surrendered to him; together with the prisoners already with his platoon (whom he'd left to guard the prisoners), he took 132 prisoners that day. He became the most celebrated Allied soldier of World War I.

At the end of that article was this note:

By the way, York's pistol turned up missing over the years, and the search for it is still on today. It's serial number 25468...

Let's make that a mission for our forum. All of us see a lot of 1911s -- let's keep our eyes open for serial number 25468. Wouldn't it be great if we found this historically very significant 1911? I know that it's an infinitely greater challenge than finding the proverbial needle in a haystack, but still ....

Tom

[pa_guns]

Hi

There are a lot of twists and turns to the Sgt. York story. My guess is that the pistol is sitting in a safe somewhere.

One other twist - He may have been carrying a 1903 or he may have had a P17. You can find people who support both sides of that one.

Bob

[bigredc]

Very cool. Ever since I saw the Gary Cooper movie 20 years ago, I've been a big fan of Sergeant York. I try to find reasons to tell people about him. Unfortunately it will probably be easier to find Hoffa. I wrote the number down.

[Rich-D]

Very cool. Ever since I saw the Gary Cooper movie 20 years ago, I've been a big fan of Sergeant York. I try to find reasons to tell people about him. Unfortunately it will probably be easier to find Hoffa. I wrote the number down.

Hoffa most likely is encased in the concrete pillars of an overpass or bridge. The gun however is most likely in someones home, if it were not melted down by a law enforcement agency after a confiscation.


Rich

[MacEntyre]

Serial number 25467 or 25469 would be a great find as well!

[pa_guns]

Very cool. Ever since I saw the Gary Cooper movie 20 years ago, I've been a big fan of Sergeant York.....

Hi

I still haven't gotten over the fact that he's shooting a 9mm Luger in the film rather than a 1911. Thirty years and still confused ... :nono: :nono: :nono:

Bob

[Rich-D]

I just checked my safe and neither of the two that I have from WW1 are it! :(


Rich

[MKnopfler]

Hi

I still haven't gotten over the fact that he's shooting a 9mm Luger in the film rather than a 1911. Thirty years and still confused ... :nono: :nono: :nono:

Bob

I read somewhere that the they couldn't get the 1911 to rapid fire a clip full of blanks without jamming, so they used the luger.

[Nicioli]

They´ve found the exact site where Sgt.York shot down his opponents.It was indeed with a .45 acp pistol. The 21 shells were there,buried into the dirt.REM-UMC if I recall correctly.
You can check it out on www.sgtyorkdiscovery.com.
Regards, Nicioli.

[Tom]

By the way, York's pistol turned up missing over the years, and the search for it is still on today. It's serial number 25468...
I wonder if anyone has tried to counterfeit it. With everything that is known about the missing pistol I would think that by now, some enterprising and unscrupulous individual or group could try and forge one and sell it.

[irq23]

I actually have a picture of the gun York used.



























http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/5458/yorkguncr1.jpg
Sorry guys could not help myself :) Excuse the bad photoshop text job. ;)

[pa_guns]

I actually have a picture of the gun York used.



Hi

Probably only one of hundreds that now exist .... :D :D

Bob

[John]

He who has it, will not come out and tell.

[jeff1124]

I wonder if anyone has tried to counterfeit it. With everything that is known about the missing pistol I would think that by now, some enterprising and unscrupulous individual or group could try and forge one and sell it.

Fascinating how the criminal mind works and quite interesting that your mind would wander down this road, Tom!! :) :p

[OD*]

One other twist - He may have been carrying a 1903 or he may have had a P17. You can find people who support both sides of that one.
York's son has stated many times it was an 03, IIRC, he still has the rifle.

[Rich-D]

Fascinating how the criminal mind works and quite interesting that your mind would wander down this road, Tom!! :) :p

Jeff, With your natural insight pertaining to the functioning of a criminal mind, you would made a great Detective. :) :) :)


Rich

[pa_guns]

York's son has stated many times it was an 03, IIRC, he still has the rifle.

Hi

That's one particular rabbit hole I have no interest in digging into. I've simply noticed a lot of chatter on the topic.

Bob

[gfavaron]

My local gunsmith rattled that serial number off to me from memory the first time I visited his shop . . . . said he had been watching for that pistol for 30 years.

[Tom]

Fascinating how the criminal mind works and quite interesting that your mind would wander down this road, Tom!!
Hey, I was born and raised in New York. Do I need to say any more? ;)

[vikz]

hey rich want a trade for one of your ww1 1911?? ;) I just checked my safe and neither of the two that I have from WW1 are it! :(


Rich

[Rich-D]

hey rich want a trade for one of your ww1 1911?? ;)
So what did you have in mind? PM me!


Rich

[vikz]

rich pm sent..

[S.B.]

Hi

I still haven't gotten over the fact that he's shooting a 9mm Luger in the film rather than a 1911. Thirty years and still confused ... :nono: :nono: :nono:

Bob

The search is on for the 1903 rifle as well because it was a 1917 not an '03 like the movie(with Gary Cooper) showed?

[pa_guns]

The search is on for the 1903 rifle as well because it was a 1917 not an '03 like the movie(with Gary Cooper) showed?

Hi

More or less the rant in favor of the 1917 (as I understand it) goes like this:

The 82nd had been issued M1917's and a few Enfields. York clearly expresses distaste for "that British rifle". The 1917 fanatics claim he's referring to the Enfield. The rest of the world believes he's referring to the M1917.

After the war the role of the M1917 was de-emphasized. We swung the whole might of our "spin machine" behind the 1903. The British pretty much did the same thing with the P14. We both did it to hype the troops on the weapon we were then issuing them. Of course neither one of us can hold a candle to the Russians when it comes to that kind of thing ... :D :D

Bob

[OD*]

Upon arriving at Le Havre, the 82nd was issued 30-'06 Sprg. U.S. Model of 1917 Enfield rifles. According to York's son Andrew, his father didn't much cotton on to the M1917 as it had a peep sight with which York had difficulty leading a target. Somehow he finagled to swap his issue rifle out for a Model 1903 Springfield - a gun he had found much more comfortable.
..........................

[Bud White]

I read somewhere that the they couldn't get the 1911 to rapid fire a clip full of blanks without jamming, so they used the luger.

Thats what i heard also that the Effects people of the time were not as good as today and that to build a blank gun they use a linkless barrel and they just couldnt get it timed right to run a full mag

[dsk]

Unfortunately the serial number given is incorrect, as one digit is missing. It should be #254648.

By the way there are other sources claiming that #244408 was his pistol.

[Barkoff]

Who knows, maybe someday it will turn up, remember they found Roosevelt's .38 in a park after it had been missing for years.

[Jeff45]

DSK is right on. I recently emailed the National Firearms Museum asking if the pistol attributed to York was even known to exist. Their reply follows:
~~~~

Thank you for your inquiry to the National Firearms Museum.

Alvin York's own diary gives serial number 254648 as the M1911 pistol he was issued. Unfortunately, during his return from Europe to the USA, both this pistol (inside his duffel bag) and his rifle were stolen in transit. A second M1911 pistol, serial number 244408, is noted in the National Archives as having been issued on a 1921 date to Alvin York. It is believed the second pistol was a postwar presentation/replacement. Various internet postings concerning these pistols surfacing have been noted by collectors, but none of these "sightings" have been confirmed.

There is a museum in Kentucky that is exhibiting an M1911 pistol attributed to York, but it does not have either of the serial numbers noted above.

Sincerely,

Museum Staff

~~~

[S.B.]

Well, some collectors evidently, can't get their facts straight?
Thanks for setting this straight on this forum, anyway.