Excellent, US Property Colt M1903 Pocket Hammerless Rig - Brig. General Richard G. Ciccolella

Description

5/21/26 - This is an excellent example of a Colt 1903, originally manufactured in 1943 and chambered in 32 ACP. This particular pistol was presented to Brigadier General Richard G. Ciccolella on 12/10/1963 (more about him below). The right side of the frame is "US Property" marked. The slide is matching to the frame. The gun's parkerized finish rates about 96% with just very minor high edge wear and some small handling marks here and there. Fitted with very nice checkered wood grips. Mint bore. It comes as a complete rig with one proper magazine, a black leather holster, black leather magazine pouch, and black leather general's belt with general's belt buckle. 

Per John W. Brunner's "The Colt Pocket Hammerless Automatic Pistol II" this Colt; serial number 568324 was presented to Brigadier General Richard G. Ciccolella on December 10, 1963. Ciccolella, a retired US Army Major General and a native of Brooklyn, NY, died of natural causes on Friday, December 31, 2004 in Williamsburg, VA. He was 86. General Ciccolella entered WWII as a Rifle Company Commander in the 16th Infantry, as the 1st Infantry Division fought its way through North Africa. During the war, he was awarded three Silver Stars and won two battlefield promotions, rising quickly from lieutenant to Lieutenant Colonel. Wounded three times in Tunisia, he was evacuated for medical treatment in the United States but returned to Europe in October of 1944 as Commander of the 141st Infantry Regiment. Following a breakthrough of the Siegfried Line, he led an assault on the city of Bad Tolz that resulted in the capture of Field Marshall von Runstedt, the ranking German General commanding the Western Sector of Europe. After WWII, General Ciccolella served as the Professor of Military Science at Georgetown University and later, on the Army Staff in the Pentagon. His career took him to assignments in Turkey, Germany and Italy. In 1963, he was promoted to Brigadier General, and became the Assistant Division Commander of the 101st Airborne Division.

This listing includes a dossier of information, including a photo of General Ciccolella, a photo of his headstone, photos of some web research about his life and career, his obituary, and an email from the Rock Island Museum Director that includes photos of the 3x5 cards that identify BG Richard G. Ciccolella as the General Officer who was issued this exact pistol.