A Working Colt .45 Pistol Honoring
the Most Decorated Combat Soldier of WWII: Audie Murphy
America Remembers introduces the Audie Murphy Tribute .45 Pistol. This commemorative firearm acknowledges Audie Murphy’s heroism.
It was an unlikely beginning for a hero. Raised in poverty on a Texas farm, he hardly looked old enough to be wearing the uniform of a United States infantryman. But even before he celebrated his 21st birthday, he had won every decoration for valor that this nation could bestow. In two years of frontline duty, almost constantly in harm’s way, Audie Murphy earned the title of “The most decorated combat soldier of World War II.”
Audie Murphy was the quintessential soldier, a master of the tools and tactics of ground warfare. He literally wrote the book on military valor, an autobiography entitled, “To Hell and Back.” During his military career, he effectively employed a wide variety of weapons, ranging from the .50 caliber machine gun to the .30 caliber M-1 rifle and carbine to the Government Issue .45 caliber Colt service pistol. It is through the medium of this classic handgun, America’s stalwart service sidearm for three quarters of a century, that America Remembers now honors the memory of Audie Murphy, G.I., author, movie actor and American hero.
On March 29, 1911, the Colt automatic pistol, caliber .45 was officially approved by Jacob M. Dickinson, Secretary of War, as America’s official service sidearm. Powerful, rugged and impervious to abuse, it immediately started proving its worth in combat. From the jungles of Nicaragua to the choking dust of the Mexican border to the frozen trenches of France, the Colt® Government Model® earned its battle stars. Today, even years after its official “retirement from active duty,” it is still one of the most respected and most copied handgun designs.
Although the G.I. Colt .45 went on to serve our country in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, it is a fact that Colt shipped its last order of pistols to the military on September 18, 1945. In 1991, however, Colt resumed production of the old parkerized warhorse, with the serial number range running consecutively from Colt’s last batch in 1945. It is based on this series, the Model 1991A1, built by Colt craftsmen in Hartford, Connecticut, that we have created our Audie Murphy Tribute.
At America Remembers, we spared no effort in creating an appropriate and lasting tribute to a gallant fighting man. Here is a real, firing Colt Government Model .45, with the solid, hand-filling heft that veterans will remember from their tour of duty. This pistol has the traditional standard military parkerized finish on the frame, and fitted with a flat main spring housing in keeping with the original Model 1911. Each pistol is decorated by craftsmen specifically commissioned for this project by America Remembers. The slide is highly polished and embellished in genuine 24-karat gold.
The concept and design of the Limited Edition Audie Murphy Tribute .45 has been officially authorized by the family of Audie Murphy, whose invaluable counsel, input, and advice we gratefully a knowledge.
Audie Murphy served in Sicily, at Anzio, in France and Germany. On January 26, 1945, at the edge of a forest in France, Murphy’s company was pinned down, outnumbered and faced annihilation by a column of German tanks supported by infantry. Ordering his men to retreat into the forest, Murphy commandeered the .50 caliber machine gun on a burning tank destroyer. While directing American artillery over his field telephone, Audie Murphy swept the German tanks with deadly fire. Shells bursting and bullets ricocheting all around him, and the tank destroyer threatening to explode at any moment, Audie Murphy continued to fire until the enemy force broke and ran.
For this incredible act of bravery and daring, Audie Murphy received the Congressional medal of Honor. The accompanying citation reported fifty German soldiers killed or wounded and stated, “Lieutenant Murphy’s indomitable courage and his refusal to give an inch of ground saved his company from possible encirclement and destruction and enabled it to hold the woods which had been the enemy’s objective.”
When the war was over and America’s victory parades were done, Audie Murphy went to Hollywood and built an enduring career as a screen actor. He’ll long be remembered for such films as The Red Badge of Courage, The Quiet American, his autobiographical war movie To Hell and Back, and of course for dozens of high -action westerns. His untimely death in 1971 plane crash saddened everyone who remembered a quiet, self-effacing American hero, the kid from Texas, Audie Murphy.
The left side of the slide features a star-framed portrait of Audie Murphy, complete with the legend “America’s Most Decorated World War II G.I.” The portrait and legend are flanked by decorative scrollwork. The slide itself is polished to a near-mirror finish and blued and decorated with artwork in 24-karat gold. Beneath the recoil spring plug, at the lower front of the slide, is your pistol’s own special issue number in gold.
The right side of slide features Audie Murphy’s signature and a graphic portrayal of Audie firing a .50 caliber Browning machine gun from a burning tank destroyer, an event which will live forever in military history, and resulted in his winning of the Medal of Honor.
Display Case Available
An optional luxuriously lined, custom-built display case is available for purchase.
Click Here to Read More About Audie Murphy
Shipping Procedures
Since the “Audie Murphy Tribute” is a working Colt Pistol, we will arrange delivery through a licensed firearms dealer of your choice. (Not available in California, Maryland or Massachusetts)
Order
I wish to reserve the “Audie Murphy Tribute .45 Pistol,” at the current issue price of $1,995. Certificate of Authenticity included. Thirty-day return privilege.
Please charge my credit card a deposit of $195 per pistol. I will pay the balance at the rate of $100 per month, with no interest or carrying charge.
* All orders are subject to acceptance and credit verification prior to shipment. Sales tax is required in certain states and will be added. Shipping and handling will be added to each order. Virginia residents please add sales tax.
