News from the National Matches
USAR's Henderson Dominates Pistol

Sergeant James Henderson, a U. S. Army Reservist from Festus, Missouri became the first shooter in the history of the 99 year history of the National Trophy Matches to win pistol shooting's Triple Crown. Henderson won all three major championship trophies in the National Trophy Pistol Matches that took place at Camp Perry, Ohio on July 14, 2002. The U. S. Congress established the National Trophy Matches in 1903. The pistol phase of the matches includes three events that must be fired with service pistols, either the M1911 .45 cal. or M9/92 Beretta 9 mm pistol. The pistols can be fitted with adjustable sights and may have internal accurizing, but otherwise they must retain the original service pistol configuration. National Trophy Pistol events are the President's Match, the National Trophy Individual Match and the National Trophy Team Match. Sgt. Henderson started his sweep of these matches with a convincing victory in the Pistol President's Match. His 383-17X score placed him at the top of the 2002President's 100 list. Awards include the coveted President's Match Trophy, a presentation M1 Garand Rifle and a letter of congratulations from the President of the United States. President Theodore Roosevelt started this tradition in 1904.

Army Reserve pistol shooter Sgt. James Henderson poses with the M9 9mm service pistol that he used to win all three major individual trophies in the 2002 National Trophy Pistol Matches, the Presidents Trophy, the Custer Trophy and the Military Police Corps Trophy. In addition, he led his USAR team to victory in the Gold Cup Trophy team competition.

Gold Cup Trophy team competition in the National Trophy Pistol Matches has four member teams firing the pistol National Match Course with 9mm or .45 cal. service pistols. Here four teams, three civilian and one representing the Marine Corps, compete in the National Trophy Team Match. Two members from each team fire at one time. Each team is permitted to have a team coach observe their firing and offer advice during the competition.

Henderson's closest call came in the second individual competition when he won the National Trophy Individual Pistol Match by a scant one X, 291-12X to 291-11X over former National Champion and former Army Reservist Steve Reiter of Sparks, Nevada. That win gave Henderson the Custer Trophy, the second of the three National Trophy Pistol Match "majors." The third major trophy is awarded in team competition. Four-person teams representing the various Armed Services, state shooting associations and shooting clubs compete for the Gold Cup Trophy that is awarded to the winning service pistol team. The Military Police Corps Trophy is awarded to the shooter who fires the highest individual score in this team event. In this third match of the day, Sgt. Henderson again had the top score as he not only won the Military Police Corps Trophy for the best individual score, but he also led his U. S. Army Reserve Pistol Team to victory in the Gold Cup competition. The Gold Cup Trophy is one of the most prestigious team competitions in American marksmanship. Until last year, the Army Reserve Team had never won it. Henderson's 288-9X total in this match won the Military Police Corps Trophy and wrapped up pistol shooting's Triple Crown for him. Pistol enthusiasts are only beginning to realize the magnitude of Henderson's accomplishments at the 2002 National Trophy Pistol Matches at Camp Perry. None of the all-time great pistol shooters including such legendary heroes as Harry Reeves, Joe Benner, Bill Blankenship, Don Hamilton and Hershel Anderson had ever won all three major National Trophies in the same year. Now it has been done; Sgt. James Henderson, an Army Reservist from Missouri has done it.

Sgt. James Henderson demonstrates the pistol stance he used to win pistol shooting's Triple Crown at the 2002 National Trophy Pistol Matches. In CMP service pistol shooting, all shooting is done with one hand at a very difficult bull's-eye target. The 50 yard slow fire pistol target has a ten ring that is only 3.36 inches in diameter.

For one week each year, a 400-point pistol range is set up on the Camp Perry ranges. One of four 100-point ranges is shown here. The turning targets are on the left. Shooters and range officers are firing from the 50-yard firing line in the center. The ready or assembly area is on the right.