This is the US Army WWII issued Colt M1908 General Officers Pistol issued to Brigadier Genral Louis B “Dutch” Kiser according to the Colt Factory Letter. General Kiser was the close friend and Chief of Staff for Major General John P. Lucas and this pistol is attributed to Lucas because we have an affidavit from Genral Lucas’s grandson, whom this pistol came from stating that it was his grandfather’s General Officer’s pistol.
Since they were both serving together, clearly the pistols were switched up between the two of them when they received them from Colt. Two 1908 Colts arrive at their HQ and each takes one of them. Since we have an airtight custody chain from Lucas, we can assume he actually carried this one and Kiser carried the one lettered to Lucas. Beyond all of that, this is definitively an early prick punch proofed Colt lettered WWII General Officers Pistol that has been there and done that. There is a picture of both of them together with Lucas on the left.
General Lucas and his Chief of Staff Gen Dutch Kiser were in charge of the very famous Beach Landing at ANZIO called Operation Shingle. They participated in some heavy fighting in Italy but he was not much of a go getter and was relieved. He was later put in charge of the 4th Army and postwar he served as an advisor to the Nationalist Chinese during the Chinese Civil War. Dutch Kiser followed this same path as the Chief of Staff of Lucas but he also saw action in the Korean war as well.
The pistol is in 95% condition, it has seen action and is one of the very scarce hundred or so 1908 Colt Pistols that were shipped directly by Colt to Generals in the field. Documented WWII issued General officers pistols are extremely scarce and rarely come up for sale. This is an incredible opportunity to own a pistol carried by one of the most notable figures of the war.
