Table of Contents

Due to manufacturer supply, this book no longer includes the pictured dustjacket

One great exception to the rule of American military weapons having lost their individuality and identity to the original user is the series of sidearms known as the general officer pistols. These unique weapons, issued as a badge of rank to general officers in the U.S. Army from World War II onward, remain highly personal artifacts of the military leaders who carried them. Long enshrouded in mystery and steeped in legend, the true history of the general officer pistols is now brought to light along with extensive and detailed tables documenting serial numbers and dates of issue. Not only does the author set up a rational framework within which to study and collect these pistols; he also presents the results of a comprehensive survey of retired general officers, which yields vital information about the issue and use of these weapons, as well as many lively personal anecdotes relating to the pistols.

Heavily illustrated with period and modern photography.