From The Archives:
John Wayne 1970
Man Of The Year
GUNS Magazine's First Ever
"Man Of The Year"
A special commemorative poster was included in the June 1971 issue of GUNS Magazine honoring the legendary John Wayne as “Man Of The Year.” The type at the bottom of the poster reads …
“On behalf of the readers of GUNS Magazine, we are proud to present this memento to John Wayne as our “Man of the Year” for 1970. As shooters and therefore part of the heritage of America that grew from the Western frontier — we have been privileged to accompany John Wayne as he portrayed the characters, — real and fictional — who made up a part of the legend of the West. And, his portrayals have given rise to a tradition that is as deep and as lasting as the legends themselves.
This award, however, represents more than recognition of John Wayne’s achievements on the screen. It is also a sincere “Thank you” for his support to all of us who are interested in the enjoyment of firearms as shooting sportsmen, collectors of historical arms, or for whatever legitimate use — and we all shout a hearty “Amen” when our “Man of the Year” says: “Boots, spurs, big hat and Mr. Colt’s ‘Peacemaker’ are part of our heritage, and no one is going to take them away from us.” And when “Duke” says it, you had better believe it!
Unfortunately, very little information was included about the Colt .45 Single Action presented. The display box features six cartridges commemorating Wayne’s starring roles in six popular movies. They are: Stagecoach (1939), Red River Range (1938), She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949), The Quiet Man (1952), Sands Of Iwo Jima (1949) and True Grit (1969).
CLICk HERE to download the June 1971 digital version.
