Colt Service Model Ace Serial Number SM1997. In a
period casing with this gun is a
numbered (sn U104)
.45-.22 conversion unit. The gun was a single gun
shipment on July 2, 1941 to Loan Account, Colt's Patent
Fire-Arms Mfg. Company, New York, New York. Letter further
remarks" "The records further indicate subject pistol was
delivered to Major Thorne, British Purchasing Commission,
New York, New York on July 22, 1941. There are no British
Proof marks on the gun and it is suspected that it never
left the United States. The conversion unit was shipped
twice from Colt's with a final destination of H.D. Folsom
Sporting Goods in New York. It is interesting to note that
of the 100 guns between serial numbers, SM1900 and SM2000,
that 87 of these guns went to Springfield Arsenal. This
set belonged to George L. Graveson, who served in the OSS
during WWII. His initials are on the end of the case.
Serial Number SM1997 right side pictured with spare two-tone
magazine
George Lewis Graveson was born March,
23, 1904, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the oldest son of Elizabeth and
Eli Graveson. Growing up in Brooklyn, he worked as a
messenger in the American Telephone and Telegraph legal
department, from May 1918 to 1924. During this time, he
enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve Force as a Fireman 3rd
class.
He reenlisted as a Radioman Second Class, and his enlistment
expired in 1929. In February, 1930 he was commissioned
Ensign USNR with a communications designator. Studying at
night and perfecting his skill as a radio operator, in
September 1924, he got a job with the United Fruit Company
as a ship's radio operator. In March, 1925, he had the
opportunity to go to work for the WEAF, a radio station in
New York City. WEAF went to NBC in November 1926 and in
September 1928, he joined Electrical Research Products
International (ERPI), a subsidiary of Western Electric, the
engineering division of AT&T.
He married Gertrude Haff, a young nursing student in
training at Brooklyn Hospital and moved to Amityville, Long
Island. He worked for Western Electric and commuted to New
York City via the Long Island Railroad. Graveson was active
in local and church activities and kept busy with hobbies of
fishing and Ham radio.
In 1939, he was in charge of the audio portion of the
General Motors exhibit, Futurama, at the New York World's
Fair.
At the outset of World War Two, Graveson took a leave of
absence from Western Electric and went on active duty with
the Navy, in July, 1941, first working in communications at
Third Naval District Headquarters, 90 Church Street and then
going overseas to England as Commander for Communications in
the Office of Strategic Services (OSS).
He returned home in 1945 and to the retired reserve as a
commander. He took up where he left off in 1941 and once
again took part in community affairs, becoming president of
the board of education of Amityville High School. In 1954,
he became Engineering Director of Radio Free Europe, with
offices in Munich, Germany. Continuing in that position for
four years. He retired from Western Electric in 1964, and
began to spend winters in Florida, eventually moving to
Plantation, Fla. full time in 1968. He set up his radio
equipment and became a regular member of several Ham nets.
He passed way on Feb. 8, 2000.
Close-up of slide markings on .45-.22 Conversion Unit U104
and Service Model Ace SM1997. |
