REVOLVER, 45-caliber, U.S. Army Model 1917, manufactured by Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts, smooth walnut grip with lanyard ring on butt, "US / ARMY / MODEL / 1917 / No / 12 / 375"also stamped on butt, and "S & W D.A.45" engraved on port side of barrel, "Smith & Wesson Springfield, Mass. U.S.A / Patented Dec. 17, 1901, Feb. 6, 1906, Sep. 14, 1909" on top of barrel, "'UNITED STATES PROPERTY'" with "12375" and "S" on underside of barrel, "S / 6329" on inside of frame and repeated on cylinder, United States government inspector’s mark engraved on port of side plate at top near hammer; barrel length 4.5" (11.4 cm), height from sight to lanyard ring 5.75" (14.6 cm), total length 11" (27.9 cm) overall in good condition, widespread light scratches and slight corrosion damage in a few spots.

BELT & HOLSTER, belt heavy canvas and includes canvas pouches, including three-pouch attachment for ammunition and a double-snap pouch in which an unopened first-aid kit is stored (see CK.621.7), stamped in black ink on inside of this pouch’s cover flap is "P. B. & CO. 1918 / L.N."; belt and pouches overall in good condition; leather holster with embossed "US" in a circle, on underside of holster flap is stamped "364", holster overall in good condition with some minor scuffing and stains, stitching very good.

FIRST-AID PACKET, unopened, in painted metal container stored inside canvas pouch attached to belt (CK.621.12); embossed on container's lid "FIRST AID PACKET - U.S. ARMY / CONTRACT NOV. 2 - 1916 / BAUER & BLACK / CHICAGO,. U.S.A. / TO OPEN - PULL RING / PATENT APPLIED FOR"; measures 2.5" x 4" (6.4 x 10.2 cm), contains white gauze Carlisle-pattern dressing, a basic pattern field dressing still in use today; metal container in fair condition, dented on top and bottom with sections of paint worn away, opening tab connected to ring is bent and fatigued on edge attached to container’s cover.

American soldiers after World War I were allowed to keep the bulk of their military gear and clothing after they were discharged. Government-issued side arms and some other items, however, had to be purchased. On the day of his discharge at Camp (now Fort) Dix, New Jersey, on April 9, 1919, Umstead paid eighteen dollars for his 45-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver (U.S. Model 1917), its holster, and belt. He also bought the small "Bauer & Black" first-aid pack seen here, paying eighteen cents for it.. The serial number on Umstead’s revolver—12375—confirms that it was made fairly early in the weapon’s production run. Smith & Wesson manufactured 169,959 Model 1917 revolvers before the United States government cancelled its contract with the company in January 1919.