President Roosevelt’s very own identification place card from the famous battleship USS Arizona, 3.5 x 3.5 when laid flat, printed with an image of the Department of the Navy insignia and the words “President’s Mess, United States Ship Arizona,” calligraphically labeled below, “The President.” This card places President Roosevelt aboard the USS Arizona not long before the deadly attack by the Japanese empire. Identified on the reverse in pencil as having been given to Arthur S. Prettyman, who served as President Roosevelt’s close personal valet from 1939 until the president's death in 1945, and continued working for Harry S. Truman until he left office in 1953. During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941, the USS Arizona was bombed and sunk, killing 1,177 officers and crewmen. The horrendous wreckage of the historic ship, a reminder of Japan’s attack, lies still visible just beneath the surface of the waters at Pearl Harbor. This was the catalyst for the entry of the United States into World War II, a defining moment of FDR’s presidency. The following day, the president gave the famous speech in which he called the day of the attack a ‘date which will live in infamy.’ With this remarkable association, this is a truly exquisite piece.
