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LOT 299
Historic FBI Presentation Inscribed Smith & Wesson Model 38 Bodyguard Airweight Double Action Revolver
Inscribed to the Vietnam Era Commandant of the Marine Corps - Serial no. 512957, 38 S&W special cal., 2 inch
solid rib bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Offered here is a historic S&W Model 38 revolver presented by the FBI to U.S.
Marine Corps General Leonard F. Chapman Jr. The revolver is fitted with a Pachmayr grip adaptor and S&W medallion
checkered grips with the right panel numbered to gun. The presentation inscription is featured on the side plate: “To
General/Leonard F. Chapman Jr./Commandant,/United States Marine Corps/From his FBI Friends.” Comes with the
original box numbered to the gun, Speedwell target showing 5 shots in the center black marked “50’/Bench rest/1-
2-68”, cleaning rod with brush attachment and Berns-Martin of Quantico, VA, leather shoulder holster. The revolver
will factory letter as being shipped on December 28, 1967, to Special Agent Henry Sloan, Quantico, Virginia. Included
is a carbon file copy of a “Memorandum to File” type written by Lt. Col. John A. Kinniburgh, personal aide to General
Leonard F. Chapman, that reads, “Subject Smith and Weston (sic.) Pistol, Serial No.512957” followed by “1. On 4 April
1968, J Edgar Hoover presented to the Commandant of the Marine Corps a Smith & Weston (sic.) 38 two-inch barrel
engraved, Serial No. 512957. J A Kinniburgh”. General Leonard F. Chapman Jr. (1913-2000) was a World War II combat
veteran decorated for his action in the Battle of Peleliu and the Battle of Okinawa and served as the Commandant of
the Marine Corps from 1968 to 1972 as well as the Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service after
retiring from the Marine Corps as a four star general with 37 years of service. As a young officer at the outbreak of
World War II Chapman participated in the early Pacific Theater raids before returning to the U.S. in mid-1942 to teach
artillery courses at the Marine Corps Schools in Quantico. In mid-1944 he returned to the combat zone with the 1st Marine Division in the Pacific area. For his remarkable service he was awarded the Legion of Merit with Combat “V” for meritorious service as an operations officer during combat operations at Peleliu from September to October 1944 and the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” as 4th Battalion Commander at Okinawa from April to July 1945. During the post-war years the general held various command positions before he was nominated by President Lyndon Jonson and confirmed by the Senate to be the 24th Commandant of the Marine Corps, a position he held from January 1, 1968, to January 1, 1972. As commandant he witnessed America’s escalation as well as withdrawal from Vietnam and guided the USMC through the social and racial unrest of the period. From 1972 to 1977
MARINE CORPS COMMANDANT GENERAL LEONARD F. CHAPMAN, JR AND FBI DIRECTOR
J. EDGAR HOOVER
General
Leonard F.
Chapman, Jr.
CONDITION: Excellent overall, retaining 99% plus original blue and anodized finishes with a faint cylinder drag line, limited handling marks and crisp grip checkering.
Mechanically excellent. The holster and box are both fine showing typical wear associated with age. An outstanding FBI presentation revolver gifted by legendary and controversial Bureau Director J. Edgar Hoover to, as one fellow Marine put it, a man who “epitomized everything it means to be called a Marine,” General Leonard F. Chapman Jr.
Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500
LOT 300
Unique Documented Early 1941 U.S. Springfield Armory “Frame Only” Shipped Colt New Service Model Double Action Revolver with
Very Scarce 3 1/2 Inch Barrel and Factory Letter - Serial no. 352233, 45 ACP cal., 3 1/2 inch round bbl., blue finish, hard rubber grips. The included
factory letter with this revolver lists the finish as blue, a special notation of “Frame Only”, sale to the United States Government, and shipment to Springfield
Armory on 29 March 1941 in order number 9587 which included 731 revolvers or, in this case, frames. The book “U.S. Handguns of World War II: The
Secondary Pistols and Revolvers” by Charles Pate mentions this particular revolver on p. 101, where the author states that the Colt factory ledgers indicated
that the 731 revolvers were sent to the armory complete and with 3 1/2 inch barrels like this example. Timothy J. Mullin, author of “Colt’s New Service
Revolver: ‘A Particularly Strong, Heavy Weapon’” indicates on p. 189 that Colt sent 1,000 unassembled New Service Model frames to Springfield Armory,
which were potentially intended to be used to rebuild Model 1917 revolvers already held in stock. With the U.S. entry into World War II on the not so distant
horizon, this is certainly a possibility. Further evidence of the intended purpose of these frames may lie in a March 2021 article for American Rifleman by
Bruce Canfield titled “Valuable Service: The U.S. Model Of 1917 Revolvers”. In the article, Canfield mentions that Springfield Armory records indicate that
10,263 Smith & Wesson and 4,017 Colt Model 1917 revolvers were reconditioned in 1941 and that additional parts for both variants were purchased for future
overhauls should the need arise. It is possible that these 731 New Service frames, or 1,000 depending on source, sat in armory stocks but were never utilized
following the attack on Pearl Harbor and full mobilization of American wartime infrastructure. It also remains unclear how many, where, or when these frames
were built into complete revolvers, though this correct factory made example has standard Colt commercial New Service Model markings and features apart
from the very scarce 3 1/2 inch barrel. The previously mentioned Canfield article later mentions that many of the Model 1917 revolvers already in government
stocks were quickly issued to military police and security at sensitive sites after the Japanese attack, with nearly 21,000 of the 1917s issued in combat theaters due
to initial shortcomings in Model 1911 semi-automatic production. It is possible that this revolver was completed for such a purpose or simply finished after the
war before making its way to the commercial market. The top of the barrel has the two-line Colt address and patent dates with the model and caliber marking on
the left. The left of the frame is stamped with the Rampant Colt and the serial number in on the frame and the crane. The front face of the cylinder is marked with a
pointed star. It has blade and frame groove sights, a lanyard loop on the butt, and checkered and Colt marked hard rubber grips.
CONDITION: Excellent overall with 97% plus of the original blue finish with some very light edge wear and a light cylinder drag line. The grips have only the slightest handling marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. A very interesting, World War II era, Springfield Armory shipped Colt New Service Model Revolver!
he served as the Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and devoted himself to curbing illegal immigration. Here is a complete list
of General Chapman’s decorations: three awards of the Distinguished Service Medal; two awards of the Legion of Merit, one with Combat “V;” the Bronze
Star Medal with Combat “V;” the Navy Commendation Ribbon with Combat “V”; two Presidential Unit Citations; the American Defense Service Medal with
Fleet Clasp; the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Meal with one silver star in lieu of five bronze stars; the American Campaign Medal; the National Defense Service Medal with
one bronze star; the Korean Service Medal; the Korean Order of National Security Merit, First Class; the Vietnam National Order, 2nd Class; and the United Nations Service Medal. Without a doubt General Chapman rubbed shoulders with the highest U.S. government officials, including FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. On May 8, 1969, Chapman joined Hoover at the formal dedication of the “J. Edgar Hoover Road” that led to the FBI Academy entrance. This event was held about one year after Kinniburgh states Hoover presented this S&W to Chapman. Perhaps this revolver was a congratulatory gift to Chapman at the time he was appointed Commandant of the Marine Corps
that occurred a few months prior to the presentation. Special Agent Henry Sloan, the recipient of this revolver listed in S&W records, was a firearms instructor at the FBI Academy at Quantico until becoming the agent in charge of training from 1942 to 1971. Chapman, throughout his career, was stationed at Quantico and Washington, D.C., two cities that also had a large FBI presence. It would not be difficult to imagine Chapman forming many friendships with members of the FBI. Later, as Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Chapman dealt directly with other U.S. Department officials such as the director of the FBI. At the time of Hoover’s death in May 1972, Chapman was just beginning to settle in his new position at the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
five-
LISTED BY SERIAL NUMBER IN THE BOOK U.S. HANDGUNS OF WORLD WAR II BY PATE
304 Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500