AN ADMIRAL HAROLD STARK SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH

HAROLD STARK (1880-1972). Stark was United States Chief of Naval Operations during World War II.

PS. 8” x 10”. N.d. N.p. A photograph signed “H R Stark”. The black-and-white image shows Stark dressed in uniform and writing at his desk. He inscribed and signed the bottom margin: “To Mr. Orland with all good wishes and Happy Remembrances H R Stark”. The photograph is matted and framed.

LETTER SIGNED BY GENERAL JOSEPH STILLWELL, BLAMED BY MANY FOR THE “FALL OF CHINA”

JOSEPH STILLWELL (1883-1946). “Vinegar Joe” Stillwell was a United States Army general who served in the China Burma India Theater during World War II.

TLS. 1 pg. 8” x 10”. March 11, 1946. San Francisco, California. A typed letter signed “J.W. Stillwell” to “Jimmy Murfin”: “Dear Jimmy: Thank you for your letter of 19 January. My autograph appears on the card which is furnished for that purpose. With it comes my best wishes”.  The autographed card is not included.  In 1946, General Stillwell was commanding the Sixth U.S. Army, with jurisdiction over forces in 31 countries and 15 areas of special sovereignty in Central and South America and the Caribbean. However, Stillwell was best known as the American chief of staff to Chiang Kai-Shek. In this capacity, his efforts to forge unity between Nationalist and Communist forces in China and work to end lend-lease aid to Chiang led to his firing and a rise of anti-Chiang sentiment that culminated in the Communist takeover of mainland China several years after this letter and Stillwell’s death. James Murfin (1929-1987) left a legacy of more than a dozen books, numerous articles, and other works writing for the National Park Service and various historical publications. The letter has some minor folds, but is in otherwise very good condition.

MARGARET THATCHER (1925-2013).  Thatcher was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990.

SB. 914pg. No date. No place.  An autobiography The Downing Street Years signed “Margaret Thatcher” on a bookplate attached to the inside front cover.  This first edition is in very fine condition.

PRESIDENT TRUMAN PRESENTS THE CERTIFICATE OF MERIT TO DR. LOUIS JORDAN, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WORLD WAR II’S WAR METALLURGY COMMITTEE AND THE WAR METALLURGY DIVISION OF THE NATIONAL DEFENSE RESEARCH COMMITTEE

HARRY S. TRUMAN (1884-1972).  Truman was the Thirty-Third President. 

DS. 1pg. 11” x 10”. March 1, 1948. Washington.  A document signed “Harry S Truman” as President and co-signed “Owen J. Roberts” as the Chairman of the Medal for Merit Board.  Truman awarded Dr. Louis Jordan the Certificate of Merit “for outstanding fidelity and meritorious conduct in aid of the war effort against the common enemies of the United States and its Allies in World War II”.  Owen Roberts served on the Supreme Court from 1930 to 1945.  The accompany letter state that Dr. Jordan served as the Executive Director “of both the War Metallurgy Committee of the National Research Council and of the War Metallurgy Division of the National Defense Research Committee, which proved to be an invaluable contribution to the war effort of the United States” from January 1942 to June 1946.  The famous scientist Linus Pauling once wrote to Jordan about the use of metal alloys to build hypervelocity guns.  The document has light curling along the top edge but is in fine condition with a four inch long Truman autograph.