Mint, Cased Colt WWI Commemorative Chateau-Thierry 1911

Description

7/1/25 - This is a Colt 1911 pistol that commemorates the Battle of Chateau-Theirry, a battle that took place during the Second Battle of the Marne operations that signaled the end of a long string of German victories. The Germans had pushed forward and reached the north bank of the Marne River at Chateau-Theirry, a mere 59 miles from Paris, in May 1918. June 1, 1918 would see the beginning of the Battle of Belleau Woods, where Allied and German forces would fight back and forth over wheatfields, forests, and trenches for the next several weeks. The Germans would attempt to split the Allied forces in two with a great bombardment and assault on the Allied forces on July 15, 1918, only to be bombarded and entrapped themselves. On July 18, 1918, a combined force of French and American soldiers launched a counteroffensive on the front between Fontenoy and Chateau-Thierry, now known as the Battle of Chateau-Thierry. This was one of the first operations the American Expeditionary Forces under General John Pershing undertook, and what could have been a disaster for new soldiers on the front actually started a string of forward pushes that was a turning point in a years-long war. This operation would shape the reputation of the United States as a modern military power and impact the legend of the Colt 1911, a sidearm used extensively by the Allied forces during these last months of WWI. The right side of this one is marked "1917, World War I Commemorative, 1967" on the right side of the slide, features a battle scene engraving on the left side, has bronze medallions in the grips, and has a unique "CT" serial number. Mint condition with no signs of wear or use. Comes in a unique wood/plexiglass presentation case.