491:, while in Cottonwood, Yavapai County, Arizona, near Prescott, where the Pedersens had lived for a time earlier in their lives. Reata Pedersen died in 1969 in San Diego, age 85. In 1946 Pedersen married Christine J. Loomis Bond, a widow, who was superintendent of nursing at a hospital where Pedersen may have been a patient receiving treatment for tuberculosis. At the time of his marriage, he was 65; his new wife was 33 years old. The marriage took place in Concord, New Hampshire.
506:. Lt. Pedersen led a recoilless rifle platoon and at his own expense purchased a racehorse for use as an ammunition carrier. The horse became famous in the 1st Marine Division. Reckless became the first horse to participate in a Marine amphibious landing, was promoted through the ranks from private to corporal to sergeant, and at the war's end was shipped to Camp Pendleton, California, where she lived out her retirement as a beloved mascot.
415:, working in a field hospital inside a bombed-out church in Belgium when a German shell hit. She was assisting in a surgery on a wounded soldier, and threw herself over him to keep debris out of his wounds. According to the story, they had to be pulled from the rubble, the soldier survived, and Reata received a decoration from the British government. This event brought her to the attention of an American magazine illustrator, possibly
346:
402:
On March 28, 1921 Pedersen married Reata Canady in Provo, Utah. Canady was born in
Greenville, Texas, and her father, a Scot named Loren Canady, was a railroad engineer sent to China, where he worked building a railroad. Canady accompanied him while her mother remained in the San Francisco Bay area.
467:
The
Pedersens had two children, Eric and Kristi-Ray. They traveled widely, he usually on business related to his gun designing, although their "base" was the family ranch in Jackson Hole. In the early 1920s, when Eric was about 4 and Kristi-Ray was about 3, they moved to England for several years,
398:
Pedersen was born in Grand Island, Nebraska, the third of four children of Danish immigrants John H. and
Matilda Christine Pedersen. The Pedersen family were ranchers and lived in several western states; they had a family ranch near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where John Douglas lived after his parents
423:
of her as a nurse, at night in a field hospital, using a small flashlight to read a patient's thermometer. The painting was supposedly made into the cover illustration of one of the era's magazines. Though there is no documentation known to exist of this tale so far, the actual oil painting does
261:
Unfortunately, due to faulty management and a host of other difficulties, the company failed to achieve mass production and produced slightly over 3,500 M1 Carbines. None of these carbines met
Ordnance Department standards and thus none were accepted for the military. In March 1943, the Ordnance
424:
exist, and currently has a place of honor in her granddaughter's home in
Waldorf, Maryland. At some point during the war Reata produced short stories and magazine articles under the pen name Reata Van Houten; this much is documented. Her stories include
331:
and was thought to favor the weapon and is seen in many photos of the era wearing it as his personal sidearm. During World War II, John
Pedersen's attempts through the Irwin-Pedersen Arms Company to mass-produce M1 Carbines for the U.S. military failed.
298:
during World War I: the war ended before it could be manufactured in quantity and sent to France to equip the
American Army (only 65,000 were produced out of planned production of 500,000). In the 1920s U.S. Army Ordnance selected his
524:
Information concerning
Pedersen family history comes from family records, photographs, the oil painting, genealogical research, death certificates, and other documentation in the possession of the Pedersens' granddaughter.
285:
Many of
Pedersen's U.S. military efforts were stymied by fate. Although the Navy recommended adoption of his .45 pistol design, the outbreak of World War I led to the design being shelved in favor of the
403:
One day he went "down the line" to deliver a payroll to a railroad crew, and was never heard from again, leaving his now-semi-orphaned daughter to make her way home. She became a violinist protégé of
514:
Most of the information about the Irwin-Pedersen Arms
Company came from Larry L. Ruth's book: "War Baby! The U.S. Caliber .30 Carbine," Collector Grade Publications, Cobourg, Ontario, Canada 2001.
219:, but it was not adopted. The ammunition he developed, the .276 Pedersen (7×51mm) waxed round was an experimental 7 mm cartridge developed for the U.S. Army and used in the Pedersen rifle.
270:, on April 1, 1943. Today, Irwin-Pedersen M-1 Carbines are among the rarest versions of the M1 Carbine and as such, I-P Carbines usually command premium prices in collector's circles.
263:
683:
678:
243:
262:
Department cancelled the contract it had with the Irwin-Pedersen Arms Company. The Irwin-Pedersen's production facilities were taken over by another contractor,
363:
738:
650:
416:
743:
164:
pump-action shotgun. The Model 17 was a trim, 20-gauge shotgun that was later redesigned and made in three highly successful forms: the
487:. It is not known if his residence there had any connection to the armory. Typically, though, Pedersen was traveling when he died, of a
242:, Pedersen formed a company with the Irwin family, who owned successful furniture manufacturing concerns in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The
723:
688:
100:
693:
408:
614:, pp. 99-104, 114-116. Carbines made at Irwin-Pedersen facilities under Saginaw control were marked with either name.
611:
519:
479:
At the time of his death at age 70, Pedersen lived in Blandford, Massachusetts, a suburb of Springfield, home of the
385:
183:
automatic pistol, based on the same design as the Model 51, was accepted by the Navy Board for production, but the
460:
and similar magazines on topics like fly fishing. She also became a radio personality, and had her own show on an
258:
to be produced at the rate of 1,000 per day after the Grand Rapids factory was tooled up and in full production.
367:
399:
died. Pedersen's education is unknown, according to family records, but it is known he traveled extensively.
708:
295:
250:
for $ 1,000,000.00, by the brothers Robert and Earl Irwin. Primarily through Pedersen's contacts in the
718:
499:
713:
581:
356:
312:
124:
204:
212:
128:
35:
488:
469:
247:
169:
733:
728:
308:
196:
8:
473:
251:
53:
480:
328:
179:
Pedersen designed two well received U.S. military firearms from the 20th century. His
165:
161:
149:
139:
135:
658:
607:
515:
484:
457:
404:
320:
188:
108:
227:
254:, the Irwin-Pedersen Arms Company received a contract to manufacture over 100,000
111:
of U.S. Army Ordnance that Pedersen "was the greatest gun designer in the world".
291:
192:
120:
80:
134:
He designed several successful sporting guns for Remington, including the novel
279:
267:
208:
200:
96:
573:
502:
and served as a lieutenant in combat in Korea. He is memorialized in the book
702:
324:
300:
157:
104:
287:
239:
216:
539:, Military Service Publishing Co., 1947. on page 383; Julian S. Hatcher,
412:
316:
184:
142:
495:
370: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
282:
are highly regarded today and prized by shooters and collectors alike.
255:
420:
173:
345:
290:
already in production for the Army. His most famous invention, the
476:
facility in San Diego. At some unknown point, they were divorced.
307:
in the infantry rifle and tested Pedersen's unique toggle-linked
223:
180:
145:
92:
327:
as the new infantry cartridge. General George S. Patton owned a
294:, never had a chance to significantly affect the battles on the
662:
411:, London. According to family legend, Reata was a nurse during
304:
407:, who helped her attend nursing school and becoming an RN at
226:
listing his home as Wyoming, and others listing Colorado and
153:
464:
affiliate, where she was known as "The Hostess of the Air."
543:, Washington, DC: Infantry Journal Press, 1948, on p. 67.
461:
472:. Prior to her retirement, Reata worked as a nurse at a
195:. His design utilized a toggle-lock and patented waxed
315:. The Pedersen rifle lost out to the rifle designed by
191:
instead. He also designed a competing design to the
694:
Full text of "Reckless: Pride of the Marines, online
238:During the early days of America's involvement in
700:
604:M1 Carbine: Design, Development & Production
187:intervened and Remington tooled to produce the
91:(May 21, 1881 – May 23, 1951) was a prolific
456:. During the 1930s, she wrote articles for
335:
567:
565:
563:
561:
559:
557:
555:
553:
551:
549:
571:
468:while John Douglas did some work for the
386:Learn how and when to remove this message
199:. The Garand was selected instead. His "
689:List of Reata Van Houten's short stories
640:, Military Service Publishing Co., 1948.
627:, Military Service Publishing Co., 1947.
546:
701:
739:People from Blandford, Massachusetts
649:
419:, who did 100 oil paintings for the
368:adding citations to reliable sources
339:
119:Pedersen is best known for the 1918
684:One Patent as John Douglas Pedersen
498:, his son Eric Pedersen joined the
123:that converted a standard military
13:
744:People from Grand Island, Nebraska
14:
755:
724:American people of Danish descent
672:
344:
278:Pedersen's sporting designs for
584:from the original on 2021-12-21
355:needs additional citations for
233:
114:
679:68 Patents as John D. Pedersen
643:
630:
617:
596:
529:
504:Reckless: Pride of the Marines
264:Saginaw Steering Gear Division
1:
509:
323:later vetoed the adoption of
606:, The Gun Room Press, 1979,
7:
574:"The Guns of John Pederson"
244:Irwin-Pedersen Arms Company
10:
760:
500:United States Marine Corps
131:, pistol-caliber firearm.
16:American firearms designer
303:cartridge to replace the
273:
76:
68:
60:
42:
28:
21:
336:Personal life and family
215:between World War I and
101:United States Government
95:designer who worked for
446:All-Story Weekly (1919)
430:All-Story Weekly (1917)
313:Aberdeen Proving Ground
222:Pedersen was issued 69
156:. He collaborated with
541:The Book of the Garand
125:Springfield 1903 rifle
36:Grand Island, Nebraska
450:Comrades of the Trail
152:, and 25 pump-action
103:. Famed gun designer
89:John Douglas Pedersen
23:John Douglas Pedersen
494:At the start of the
364:improve this article
309:semi-automatic rifle
99:, and later for the
636:Walter H.B. Smith,
623:Julian S. Hatcher,
535:Julian S. Hatcher,
474:Goodwill Industries
426:Honor Among Thieves
311:in competitions at
252:Ordnance Department
148:and the Models 12,
105:John Moses Browning
54:Cottonwood, Arizona
709:American inventors
625:Hatcher's Notebook
537:Hatcher's Notebook
481:Springfield Armory
458:Field & Stream
329:Remington Model 51
166:Remington Model 31
719:Firearm designers
485:Springfield rifle
442:The Seven Sleeper
409:Victoria Hospital
405:Sir Thomas Lipton
396:
395:
388:
321:General MacArthur
246:in that city was
109:Julian S. Hatcher
86:
85:
751:
714:Weapon designers
667:
666:
647:
641:
634:
628:
621:
615:
600:
594:
593:
591:
589:
569:
544:
533:
438:All-Story Weekly
391:
384:
380:
377:
371:
348:
340:
49:
19:
18:
759:
758:
754:
753:
752:
750:
749:
748:
699:
698:
675:
670:
648:
644:
635:
631:
622:
618:
601:
597:
587:
585:
572:McCollum, Ian.
570:
547:
534:
530:
512:
470:Vickers company
454:Munsey’s (1927)
392:
381:
375:
372:
361:
349:
338:
292:Pedersen Device
276:
236:
193:M1 Garand rifle
185:First World War
136:Model 51 pistol
121:Pedersen device
117:
107:told Maj. Gen.
81:Pedersen device
56:
51:
47:
38:
33:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
757:
747:
746:
741:
736:
731:
726:
721:
716:
711:
697:
696:
691:
686:
681:
674:
673:External links
671:
669:
668:
642:
629:
616:
595:
545:
527:
511:
508:
394:
393:
352:
350:
343:
337:
334:
317:John C. Garand
275:
272:
268:General Motors
235:
232:
228:New York State
201:Pedersen rifle
160:to design the
129:semi-automatic
116:
113:
97:Remington Arms
84:
83:
78:
77:Known for
74:
73:
70:
66:
65:
62:
58:
57:
52:
50:(aged 70)
44:
40:
39:
34:
30:
26:
25:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
756:
745:
742:
740:
737:
735:
732:
730:
727:
725:
722:
720:
717:
715:
712:
710:
707:
706:
704:
695:
692:
690:
687:
685:
682:
680:
677:
676:
664:
660:
656:
652:
646:
639:
633:
626:
620:
613:
612:0-88227-020-6
609:
605:
599:
583:
579:
575:
568:
566:
564:
562:
560:
558:
556:
554:
552:
550:
542:
538:
532:
528:
526:
522:
521:
520:0-88935-117-1
517:
507:
505:
501:
497:
492:
490:
486:
482:
477:
475:
471:
465:
463:
459:
455:
451:
447:
443:
439:
435:
431:
427:
422:
418:
414:
410:
406:
400:
390:
387:
379:
369:
365:
359:
358:
353:This section
351:
347:
342:
341:
333:
330:
326:
325:.276 Pedersen
322:
318:
314:
310:
306:
302:
301:.276 Pedersen
297:
296:Western Front
293:
289:
283:
281:
271:
269:
265:
259:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
231:
229:
225:
220:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
177:
175:
171:
167:
163:
159:
158:John Browning
155:
151:
147:
144:
141:
137:
132:
130:
126:
122:
112:
110:
106:
102:
98:
94:
90:
82:
79:
75:
72:Arms designer
71:
67:
63:
59:
55:
45:
41:
37:
31:
27:
20:
654:
651:Geer, Andrew
645:
637:
632:
624:
619:
603:
602:Larry Ruth,
598:
588:September 1,
586:. Retrieved
577:
540:
536:
531:
523:
513:
503:
493:
478:
466:
453:
449:
445:
441:
437:
433:
429:
425:
401:
397:
382:
376:January 2021
373:
362:Please help
357:verification
354:
288:M1911 pistol
284:
277:
260:
240:World War II
237:
234:World War II
221:
217:World War II
205:trial tested
178:
170:Browning BPS
133:
118:
115:Early career
88:
87:
48:(1951-05-23)
46:May 23, 1951
32:May 21, 1881
734:1951 deaths
729:1881 births
578:YouTube.com
434:Fiddler Joe
417:P.G. Morgan
413:World War I
256:M1 Carbines
248:capitalized
203:" was also
181:.45 caliber
143:pump-action
61:Nationality
703:Categories
510:References
496:Korean War
197:cartridges
172:, and the
69:Occupation
421:Red Cross
280:Remington
174:Ithaca 37
655:Reckless
653:(1955).
582:Archived
489:coronary
483:and the
440:(1919);
213:Japanese
162:Model 17
140:Model 10
64:American
663:55-5642
224:patents
209:British
207:by the
146:shotgun
661:
638:Rifles
610:
518:
452:, and
448:; and
305:.30-06
274:Legacy
154:rifles
138:, the
189:M1911
127:to a
659:LCCN
608:ISBN
590:2020
516:ISBN
211:and
93:arms
43:Died
29:Born
462:NBC
366:by
266:of
705::
657:.
580:.
576:.
548:^
444:,
436:,
432:;
428:,
319:.
230:.
176:.
168:,
150:14
665:.
592:.
389:)
383:(
378:)
374:(
360:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.