Colt Model M .32 ACP serial number 560354 - Military
Model M .32 ACP pistol, blued, with
U.S. PROPERTY mark on right side of frame and punch dot on
right trigger guard. Pistol was issued to Colonel Carl
Rueben Dutton, USA and is in original box with instructions
and spare magazines. Pistol was one of 320 sold to the
United States Government and shipped on September 8, 1944 to
the Property Officer, Supply Division, Office of Strategic
Services, Fowler Building, Rosslyn, Virginia and processed
on Colt Factory Order 4420.
Colonel Dutton graduated from
West Point in 1925. He was the first officer chosen by the
Army to head the Manhattan Project. But the Army put the
decision to build the bomb on hold for six months whereupon,
before the war, he was assigned to build TNT plants,
including the US largest at Weldon Springs. Col. Dutton
wasn’t notified about his prior selection to head the
Manhattan Project until after just the War. While in China,
he dined with Chiang Kai-shek nearly weekly.
By his own account, he was the most decorated American by
the Chinese government during the war. He also claimed to
have held the record of flying over the "Hump" 17 times
without crashing. The military cargo planes tended to be in
terrible shape. He only pulled (but didn’t shoot) his pistol
once for defense. That was when he believed a Japanese spy
was tailing him in the streets of Chungking.
Near or after the war Col. Dutton led American historian
Douglass Southall Freeman through China during a
facilities inspection. Freeman’s notes are at the Special
Collections Library, University of Virginia. Freeman
presented a 4-volume set of Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in
Command to Col. Dutton in thanks for the tour through
China.
Details of his distinguished career are
described below.
Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP - serial number 560354
right side showing U.S. PROPERTY mark on frame.
Number 7636... (Born Ill.) ...... CARL RUEBEN DUTTON...... (Ap'd Mich.) ...
Class Rank: 11
(Born Nov. 11, 1901.)
Military History:-Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1921, to June 12,
1925, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to
SECOND LIEUTENANT, COAST ARTILLERY CORPS.
At Fort Hancock, N. J., with 7th Coast Artillery, Sept. 12, 1925, to Oct. 28,
1925; en route to the Philippine Islands, Oct. 28, 1925, to Dec. 15, 1925; at
Fort
Mills, P. I., with 59th Coast Artillery, Dec. 15, 1925, to Feb. 28, 1926; at
Fort
Wint, P. I., with 91st Coast Artillery (Philippine Scouts), Feb. 28, 1926, to
June 30, 1926; at Fort Mills, P. I., with 59th Coast Artillery, June 30, 1926,
to Dec. 6, 1927; en route to the United States, Dec. 6, 1927, to Jan. 16, 1928;
(DETAILED TO ORDNANCE, DEPARTMENT, JAN. 16, 1928.)
at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Proof Officer Gun Testing Division, Jan. 16, 1928,
to
June 30, 1929; at Cambridge, Mass., student officer, Ordnance School,
Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, June 30, 1929, to
FIRST LIEUTENANT, COAST ARTILLERY CORPS, AUG. 1, 1930.
Aug. 25, 1930; at West Point, N. Y., Instructor in Department of Natural and
Experimental Philosophy, U. S. Military Academy, Aug. 25, 1930, to present.
Carl Rueben Dutton
No. 7636 - WEST POINT CLASS OF 1925
Died 22 December 1990 in York, Maine, aged 89 years
Col. Carl Rueben Dutton,
USA, (Photo courtesy of Randy Dutton, CDR, USNR-Retired)
Carl Rueben Dutton was born on 11 November 1901 in
Streator, Illinois, the fifth of nine children of George
Adelbert Dutton and Inez Rosella (Smith) Dutton.
During childhood he developed a strong sense of
responsibility as he helped with farm chores, and, at the
age of ten, he became self supporting by taking care of a
neighbor's farm. Later he was able to put himself
through the first two years at Michigan Agricultural College
(MAC), now Michigan State University, by working in the MAC
clinic.
Cadet Carl Rueben Dutton (U.S. Military Academy Class of
1925, West Point)
Carl learned of West Point from college classmates.
Fortunately, the head of the MAC clinic was able to arrange
an interview for him with the state governor who, in turn,
contacted Michigan Senator Truman H. Newberry. After
his interview with the senator, Carl received his
appointment to the Academy. At the beginning of his
first class year he was advanced to cadet captain of F
Company and chosen to be "King of the Beasts" for the
incoming Class of 1928.
On Graduation day Carl married Vera Belle Allen.
His first duty station was Fort Hancock, New Jersey, but by
28 October 1925 Carl and Vera were on their way to the
Philippine Islands (1925-1927), where their first son,
Richard Allen Dutton was born on 31 January 1927 on
Corregidor Island. Their second son, Robert Harding Dutton,
was born on 15 August 1928 at Aberdeen Proving Ground,
Maryland where Carl was detailed to the Ordnance Corps.
Selected to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(1929-1930), he completed the Ordinance Engineer Post Grad
Course and was appointed an instructor at West Point
(1930-1935). During that period he transferred to the
Ordnance Corps.
After completing the Advanced Ordnance Course at
Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey (1935) and Aberdeen Proving
Ground (1936), he was selected to attend the University of
Michigan (1936-1939) where he earned a master of science
degree in chemistry. He had nearly completed the Ph.D.
requirements when he was reassigned to Picatinny Arsenal
(Assistant Chief, Technical Division, 1939-40). He
then received orders to supervise the building of the Weldon
Spring Ordnance Works (WSOW) in Missouri (Commanding
Officer, 1940-1942) while simultaneously commanding
the Missouri Ordnance Works and supervising the construction
of the Kentucky Ordnance Works (1942). The WSOW became
the largest TNT manufacturing facility in the country at
that time, with over 30,000 workmen employed at the peak of
construction. By 1942 WSOW was producing approximately
one million pounds of explosives per day, a fact which
contributed markedly to the outcome of the war.
Following service as president of the Ordnance Board
(1942-1943), Carl was assigned to the China-Burma-India
Theater (Assistant CBI Theater Ordnance Officer, 1943;
Commanding Officer, American Advisory Group to the Chinese
Z-Force, 1944; General Staff Corps with troops and Assistant
Chief of Staff G-4 of the China Theater, 1944-1946).
Returning to the United States in 1946, he was assigned to
the Picatinny Arsenal (Chief, Technical Division, 1946-1951;
Deputy Post Commander, 1951-1952). His last tour of
duty was at Aberdeen Proving Ground (Executive Officer,
1952-1953; Chief of Staff and Comptroller, 1952-1954; Deputy
Post Commander, 1954). He retired on 30 September 1954.
The University takes pride in the indirect role it has
played in bringing about the successful conclusion of the
many important war projects at Picatinny Arsenal.
Appearing above are some of the alumni who have recently
been there: Front row, Col Carl Dutton, M.S. '37 and
Major John D. Prendergast '49-'50; back row, Major John Le
Maintre, '30, Lt. Louis Dehmlow, '50, and Capt. Keith
Bronson, '41.
THE PADUCAH SUN-DEMOCRAT
Col. Dutton Receives Chinese Military Decoration
Photo courtesy of Randy Dutton,
CDR, USNR-Retired
CHUNGKING, Sept. 10 -- General A.C.
Wedemeyer, Commanding General of the U.S. Forces,
China theater, talks with U.S. Army officers to whom
he has just presented with Chinese military
decorations.
The men and the decorations received
are (left to right) Col. Carl R. Dutton, 203 Forest
Circle, Paducah, Special Breast Order of the Cloud;
Lt. Col. Waldo A. Kennerson, Marblehead, Mass.,
Special Collar Order of the Cloud and Banner; Col.
Antonio L. Gado, El Paso, Tex., Special Breast Order
of the Cloud and Banner.
Col., Dutton whose family has
resided in Paducah since he came here as first
commanding officer of Kentucky Ordnance Works in
1942, has been awarded, previously the Legion of
Merit medal for meritorious service in the Chinese
theater." He is a graduate of West Point
Military Academy in the class of 1925.
He has been in China for more than
two years. His family expects him home for
Christmas. |
(Left) Lt. Gen. George E. Stratemeyer,
USA (China, 1944) From April 1944 until March 1946, Lt. Gen
Stratemeyer was commander of the Army Air Forces in the
China Theater with headquarters at Chungking; (Right) Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek (Photos courtesy of Randy Dutton,
CDR, USNR-Retired)
Generalissimo Chiang
Kai-shek (seated under Hong Kong map), Col. Carl R. Dutton
(seated third from the right) U.S. Army Signal Corp Photo (Photo courtesy of Randy Dutton, CDR, USNR-Retired)
Carl was authorized to wear the following decorations and
awards: Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze
Star Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American
Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three
Bronze Service Stars, world War II Victory Medal, National
Defense Service Medal, Chinese Order of Pao Ting, Collar
(presented personally by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek),
Chinese Order of Banner and Cloud, Collar Order of Yun Hui
and Collar Order of Precious Tripod.
Chinese Medals presented
to Col. Carl R. Dutton (Photo courtesy of Randy Dutton, CDR, USNR-Retired)
The citation for the Distinguished Service Medal (1946)
said, in part, "He organized, coordinated and implemented
the theater's supply and logistical program and established
a spirit of cooperation between Chinese officials and
American agencies. The success of the supply mission
during the difficult period was attributed largely to the
sound judgment, tact, and diplomacy which he exercised."
general Order Number 144 (24 September 1954) stated that
Carl's "career is one of marked achievement throughout
long years of faithful and meritorious service to his
country in peace and war. His professional
accomplishments, outstanding leadership and devotion to duty
have been an inspiration to those who have served with him."
After retirement, Carl and Vera settled on the coast of
Maine to enjoy the natural beauty of the area, wonderful
visits from loving family members and friends, and the
chance to read and learn. Always a devoted husband and
loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather, at the age
of 89 Carl peacefully entered the Spiritual Realm.
Throughout his life he set an example of courtesy, Kindness,
generosity, conscientiousness, self-effacement and
fair-mindedness while always emphasizing the good in others.
Truly of this loyal and honorable gentleman with purest
heart, it can be said, "Blessed are the pure in heart; for
they shall see God (Matt. 5:8)."
-- Robert H. Dutton
COLONEL CARL
RUEBEN DUTTON (No. 7636) |
11 November 1901 |
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Born: Streator, Illinois |
1925 |
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Graduated, USMA |
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Army Distinguished Service Medal
See more recipients of this award
Awarded for actions during the World War II
(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Colonel (Coast
Artillery Corps) Carl Rueben Dutton (ASN: 0-16048),
United States Army, was awarded the Army
Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally
meritorious and distinguished services to the
Government of the United States, in a duty of great
responsibility from 1944 to 1946.
General Orders: War Department, General Orders No.
15 (1946)
Action Date: 1944 - 1946
Service: Army
Rank: Colonel |
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Legion of Merit
See more recipients of this award
Awarded for actions during the World War II
(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Colonel (Coast
Artillery Corps) Carl Rueben Dutton (ASN: 0-16048),
United States Army, was awarded the Legion of Merit
for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the
performance of outstanding services to the
Government of the United States in the
China-Burma-India Theater from 1943 to 1944.
General Orders: United States Military Academy
Register of Graduates
Action Date: 1943 - 1944
Service: Army
Rank: Colonel
Division: China-Burma-India Theater |
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18 September 1945 |
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AWARD - SPECIAL BREAST ORDER OF
CLOUD AND BANNER (Chinese) - Col. Carl R. Dutton,
Paducah, Ky. (Reported in
The China Lantern, 18 September 1945) |
30 September 1954 |
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Retired |
22 December 1990 |
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Died |
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