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  #1  
Old 08-15-2017, 4:40 PM
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Default 1911A1 with an interesting history UPDATE Pistol returned to Bealke family! Post #25

This pistol was issued to Colonel Bealke in WWII. Then sold to General Colarusso in 1993. My Father who was also a Air Force Officer knew General Colarusso. He bought this pistol and a M1 carbine from him in 1997 for $550...

I have the letter from General Colarusso documenting that sale also. I just don't have a scan of it in my files.

I'll make no comment about what was done to the pistol, and let it speak for itself. The "ivory" grips are not on it, as the resin near the grip screws has deteriorated and no longer correctly holds the grips in place.

Just a interesting bit of history, and window into how these firearms were customized in the past.











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Old 08-15-2017, 4:47 PM
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Why is it marked Browning Armes Belgium? I don't know a whole lot about 1911A1 Pistols.

Very Cool piece of history.

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Old 08-15-2017, 4:58 PM
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Very neat... why in the world would he sell it?
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Old 08-15-2017, 8:14 PM
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What a cool pistol with an interesting history. Do you know if they replace the slide with one made in Belgium when it was refinished?
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Old 08-15-2017, 8:28 PM
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No US Property stamp?
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Old 08-15-2017, 8:32 PM
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S/N way too high to be WWII...(of US origin)

I see the letter states that the S/N was altered to the guys service number...
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Old 08-15-2017, 8:38 PM
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Originally Posted by rivraton View Post
S/N way too high to be WWII...(of US origin)
That's his enlisted serial number according to the letter.
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Old 08-15-2017, 11:59 PM
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I don't understand how this could of been his service pistol for 36 years. Even being refinished it is missing all the government markings and they removed and changed the s/n? Something isn't right.
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Old 08-16-2017, 6:38 AM
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Something about it doesn't pass the smell test.
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Old 08-16-2017, 9:39 PM
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I've got some beach front property for sale in Arizona if you're interested in it. It was used for amphibious landing practice in 1944.
Jon
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Old 08-16-2017, 10:01 PM
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Old 08-16-2017, 11:13 PM
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I'm not a 1911 collector but if any slides were manufactured in Belgium I'm sure I would have heard of it. And that re-serialization sounds suspicious. It even looks like the original markings were polished off.

I think it should have said something like "Fabrique Nationale D'Armes".

The only mention of John Colarusso being a general officer (other than this thread) is an auction for a NM Garand attributed to "Lieutenant General John Colarusso". John R Colarusso's 2011 obituary makes no mention of his military service.

There's also a business "Suz Collectibles" operating at the address given for John R Colarusso.

Maybe the carbine was manufactured at FN too (see Ruth's set). Better check!

Last edited by Michael K; 08-17-2017 at 1:32 AM.. Reason: call it anything
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Old 08-17-2017, 3:52 AM
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Old 08-18-2017, 10:00 AM
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I found a reference to the Colonel's fighter group plus he has an article posted on the group.

http://www.cgv.com/412/index.htm

Checking some serial number information the number one means he enlisted and the 3 is from the location of his enlistment.

So if he enlisted from Maryland, Pennsylvania or Virginia then that is his number on the pistol as it states in the letter.

Seems to be the real deal but scrubbed clean for reasons that we will never know.

irh

Last edited by ironhorse1; 08-18-2017 at 10:02 AM..
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Old 08-18-2017, 10:51 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ironhorse1 View Post
....

Seems to be the real deal but scrubbed clean for reasons that we will never know.

irh
It would not be the first pistol that was pimped out like that in a theater of operations. I recently refurbished a 1911 for a customer whose father or uncle had it "done up" in Korea during his visit there. Cheep cheesy pearl like grips with some amateurish emblem and nickel plated right over the original parkerizing. It was peeling like a 62 Cadillac bumper from the east coast.
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Old 08-18-2017, 11:38 AM
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I like it!

A lot of pistols coming home from Vietnam was "done up" -

There was several plating shops in Saigon that was the go to shop for chrome plating -

Too bad this is not a VN piece or I'd be trying to peel it out of your hands Jim -

Cheers!
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Old 08-18-2017, 1:08 PM
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This must have been one of Mahrholdt's last jobs before they went out of business. I think they would have done a neater job stamping the numbers and not used pyroxylin-like material for the grips which shrinks. I can't understand why they couldn't hire a US gunsmith to do this.

I feel the same way as when somebody at the Cow Palace showed me a uniform with Charlemagne cuffbands.

No disrespect to the colonel but I am unable to believe his story although he probably did actually own the gun, and "General" Colarusso might actually have been a general.
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Old 08-18-2017, 2:37 PM
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Lots of 1911's the left the service by the back door were scrubbed of their military markings.
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Old 08-22-2017, 8:13 AM
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This pistol always gets interesting comments. LOL. Some of them are pretty entertaining.

It is simply a US service pistol which has been refinished and re-numbered. Why the slide was marked "Browning Armes Belgium" I have no idea....

Based on the proof marking near the trigger guard, I'm surprised no one has determined who the original US contractor was who made this pistol...
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Old 08-31-2017, 6:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SVT-40 View Post

Based on the proof marking near the trigger guard, I'm surprised no one has determined who the original US contractor was who made this pistol...
I have no idea, but if you tell us it's a US&S, I'm gonna cry. If it's a Singer...

I did some looking on the web, Remington Rand. still a shame it's got hardly any of it's original character remaining

Last edited by seabee1; 08-31-2017 at 6:23 PM..
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  #21  
Old 09-01-2017, 3:07 PM
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I have no idea, but if you tell us it's a US&S, I'm gonna cry. If it's a Singer...

I did some looking on the web, Remington Rand. still a shame it's got hardly any of it's original character remaining
You got it correct. A Remington Rand...

As to "Character"... Well it's been changed. Remember back 60 plus years ago these pistols were very common and not real collectable.

In addition many surplus firearms were "customized" by their owners. Those were the days of "bubba" and almost everyone was into "sporterizing" and customizing.
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Old 09-02-2017, 5:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kendog4570 View Post
Something about it doesn't pass the smell test.
...and how!

Red Flags:

- suspicious serial number
- holster wear seems "un natural"
- why would a retired officer (with an O pension) sell his side arm - one that he carried for 36 years!

and let me add, the "letter of authenticity" isn't written according to military correspondence style. The General would be very familiar with the format.
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Old 09-03-2017, 1:50 PM
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FN was contracted by the U.S. Army to overhaul a very large quantity of small arms held by the services in western Europe at the end of WW2. It put FN back into business. Perhaps the slide dates from that program?
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Old 09-03-2017, 2:12 PM
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Let's see an enlisted guy try this....would still be locked up, or die in prison
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Old 04-11-2019, 3:19 PM
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interesting update on this pistol. A few weeks ago I was contacted by Karl Bealke the son of the original owner Col Fred Bealke.

Karl had been doing some internet research on his Father and came across this thread.



Here is one of his emails about his father.

"
Karl Beale
Tue, Apr 9, 5:35 PM (2 days ago)
to me

Jim, I’m so grateful. I’m planning a trip to my dad’s Camp Currahee Military Museum in Toccoa, GA tomorrow to meet with the curator. I have several of my dad’s things I’m going to donate. Dad was in the original 506th Paratroop Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Easy Company, 101st Airborne Band of Brothers. The museum is excited to get some of his stuff specific to his time in the 506th (post cards, mess hall menu, field manuals, newspaper clippings, etc.). The museum was only started in 2005 but thanks to the popularity of the TV series it’s really something.
Obviously I’m keeping all of my dad’s photos, medals and the like but I think it’s great to perpetuate their memory and help educate future generations about our dad’s’ generation and their commitment to our country.
I’ll keep you posted."




I'm very happy that this bit of Bealke family history will be returning to it's proper place.

Thanks also to EBR works who shipped the pistol to Georgia and helped save the Bealke family some money for shipping. Also to Cherokee Gun & Pawn in Canton GA. who, after hearing this story will do the transfer free of charge.
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Originally Posted by fiddletown View Post
What you believe and what is true in real life in the real world aren't necessarily the same thing. And what you believe doesn't change what is true in real life in the real world.

Last edited by SVT-40; 04-11-2019 at 3:23 PM..
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Old 04-11-2019, 5:45 PM
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Thanks for that update SVT. Really cool story.
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Old 04-11-2019, 6:10 PM
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Good story and great to know it has been returned to the family!

So he was a corporal in WWII when he dropped into Normandy with the 101st and retired a colonel after 36 years of service. I'm not at all surprised to see that it has been "pimped" to the tastes and fashion of the past.
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Old 04-11-2019, 6:38 PM
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Nice read, thank you.
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Old 04-11-2019, 7:04 PM
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I commend you for getting this pistol back to the family! Well done sir!
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Old 04-11-2019, 7:21 PM
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...Interesting story, but I’m completely confused as to why the corporal (presuming that’s his hand-tinted picture) has a Lieutenant Colonel’s silver oak leaf on his brain bucket.. that’s a LOT of battlefield commissions...

Regardless, good on you for re-uniting the weapon with the family.
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Old 04-11-2019, 7:55 PM
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I don’t know about the slide but the frame is not Colt.
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Old 04-11-2019, 7:59 PM
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What a great ending for this story! That is so awesome to know that the pistol is going back to his family. You are to be applauded for doing such a fine deed.
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Old 04-12-2019, 1:26 PM
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The pistol shipped to his son's dealer yesterday. Happy to be a part of reuniting his son with a special piece of family history!
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Old 04-12-2019, 1:27 PM
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I don't sell much of any thing I collect... But this was a whole different situation. I can't imagine not helping someone in this situation. I'm just happy that the Bealke family has their family heirloom back!!
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