Dec. 2023 Militaria & Collectibles Auction
Lot 471:
Description
Letter and Flag group to Dr. Smithwick from Naval Officer and Explorer Admiral Richard E. Byrd. The 48 Star Parade Flag has Dr. Smithwick name written on the bottom white stripe. This auction house does not know the circumstance under which this group came together and will need research to determine how Admiral Byrd and Dr. Smithwick were acquainted. The letter is creased from folds because it was wrapped around the flag. Byrd’s initials are on the memo to his secretary, Miss Wood. Richard E. Byrd Jr. (October 25, 1888 – March 11, 1957) was an American naval officer and explorer. He was a recipient of the Navy Cross, the second highest honor for valor given by the United States, and was a pioneering American aviator, polar explorer, and organizer of polar logistics. Aircraft flights in which he served as a navigator and expedition leader crossed the Atlantic Ocean, a segment of the Arctic Ocean, and a segment of the Antarctic Plateau. Byrd said that his expeditions had been the first to reach both the North Pole and the South Pole by air. He is also known for discovering Mount Sidley, the largest dormant volcano in Antarctica. Good condition for its age.
Condition: See Description for Condition Report.
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