What seems to be the constant through all this, is peoples perception (or misperception) of what a ".45" is and can do. I get the impression, most seem to think that all they need do, is shoot one round in the general direction and all will be good. "Winner, winner". No need to do anything else.
If someone is "all hoped up" and isn't stopping because you just shot them a couple of times and continues to come at you, whats your response? Not to be a smart ass, but is kind of like that joke going around recently, about the game warden and the bull...but in this case, show them your gun and tell them you're shooting them with a .45.
The first hint that the .45acp might not be all that for me was, when I shot a rabid raccon at work one day. Hit him clean in the forward body with a 230 grain Hydra Shok at about 10 yards. Rolled him right over, and he got right up and was continuing on his merry way until I walked up and shot him in the head.
I was crestfallen that the Colonel might have been exaggerating things a bit all those years.