World War II-dated DS as president, one page, 12 x 9.75, January 4, 1945. President Roosevelt awards the “Legion of Merit, Degree of Officer to Commander Ronald Hunter-Blair, Royal Navy, (Retired), for extraordinary fidelity and exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service.” Signed crisply at the conclusion in black ink by Franklin D. Roosevelt and countersigned by Secretary of the Navy James V. Forrestal. In very good to fine condition, with light overall irregular toning, and fading to Forrestal's countersignature.
Included with the document is a rare Legion of Merit Medal housed within its original ‘United States of America’ presentation case with matching pin and commendation bar. The Legion of Merit is an honor bestowed on both members of the United States Armed Forces as well as those of foreign military organizations and governments.
This award’s recipient, Ronald Hunter-Blair, was a veteran of World War I and a POW. He fought during the Russian Civil War in 1919 and served in military intelligence. Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Gordon Highlanders and admitted to the Royal Company of Archers, Hunter-Blair was awarded the Legion of Merit by Roosevelt for his “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service.” Specifically, as quoted from an accompanying photocopied statement from Forrestal, supported ‘the Government of the United States as Boom Defense Commander attached to a Task Force during the construction of an artificial harbor off the assault beach near the coast of France on June 7, 1944,’ during the Allied invasion of Normandy. ‘Zealous and untiring in his efforts, Commander Hunter-Blair promptly met all requests and extraneous tasks assigned him with resource and tact, rendering distinctive assistance to the Task Force Commander throughout the entire planning phase prior to actual operations. Subsequently directing the forces under his command with unwavering efficiency, he effectively accomplished his vital assignment. By his tenacious devotion to duty and wholehearted spirit of cooperation, Commander Hunter-Blair contributed materially to the success of this hazardous operation.’
In World War II, the Normandy Beach landings and associate airborne operations, which began June 6, 1944, ‘D-Day,’ were the largest seaborne invasion in history. Nearly 160,000 troops crossed the English Channel that day, 875,000 by the end of June, and some 2,500,000 in the next 10 months. To facilitate the landing of troops, vehicles (500,000 over 10 months), and supplies (4,000,000 tons over the same timespan), two temporary pre-fabricated harbors were designed and assembled off the beach. These were called Mulberry harbors. These were necessary until a deep-water French port was captured from the German army. Mulberry ‘A’ at Omaha Beach was assembled by the American Naval Corps of Civil Engineers and Mulberry ‘B’ at Gold Beach by the British. The partially constructed Mulberry ‘A’ was insufficiently secured to the seabed and was destroyed beyond repair within a few days, but the British Mulberry ‘B’ was a great success. Construction of the Mulberry harbors began on June 7th, the day after ‘D-Day’ and the date indicated on the Forrestal affidavit for Ronald Hunter-Blair.
Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency spanned nearly the entirety of the U.S. involvement in WWII, during which time the president crafted a powerful coalition with Great Britain and the Soviet Union. By early 1944, however, Roosevelt was gravely ill, a fact he hid from the press and the American people. Suffering from high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, and congestive heart failure, his physician prescribed rest, but on April 12, 1945, fourteen weeks after signing this document, FDR suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage. A most uncommon document from Roosevelt, signed in the twilight of both his life and presidency.
