Lot of nine vintage ink signatures of World War II admirals on individual cards, ranging in size from 4 x 1.75 to 3 x 5, including: Chester W. Nimitz, Ernest J. King, Arthur W. Radford, Alan G. Kirk, James O. Richardson, James L. Holloway, Jr., John R. Beardall, Wilson Brown, and Russell Willson, with many adding their ranks. In overall very good to fine condition, with irregular light toning to some of the cards.
Biographies of each signer:
- Chester W. Nimitz - five-star admiral who commanded the Pacific Fleet during WWII and signed as representative of the United States when Japan formally surrendered on board USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
- Ernest J. King - Fleet Admiral and Chief of Naval Operations in WW11— only outranked by William Leahy, later Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- Arthur W. Radford - Vice Admiral, U.S.N. Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air), later Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- Alan G. Kirk - Senior Naval Officer during Normandy landings, later U.S. Ambassador to Belgium, the Soviet Union, and Taiwan.
- James O. Richardson - Commander-in-Chief U.S. Fleet- removed from command in early 1941 after criticizing FDR’s decision to move the Pacific Fleet to Pearl Harbor as he (correctly) feared the fleet would be too exposed to an attack.
- James L. Holloway, Jr. - Rear Admiral, USN, Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel (later Chief of Naval Operations).
- John R. Beardall - Supt. of the U.S. Naval Academy 1942-45.
- Wilson Brown - Supt. of the U.S. Naval Academy, 1941, Naval Aide to President’s Coolidge, Hoover, and FDR.
- Russell Willson - Inventor of Naval Code Box in WWI, Supt. Of the U.S. Naval Academy, WWII Deputy Chief of Naval Operations.
