LOT #43236 |
Sold on Nov 13, 2023 for: Sign-in
or Join (free & quick)
Tuskegee Airman: Archive of 2nd Lieutenant Vincent Ivor Mitchell, Distinguished Flying Cross Recipient....
Click the image to load the highest resolution version.
Sold on Nov 13, 2023 for:
$2,625.00
Bid Source: Internet bidder
Get one of these:
Explore Available Items
Description
Tuskegee Airman: Archive of 2nd Lieutenant Vincent Ivor Mitchell, Distinguished Flying Cross Recipient. It was a most unlikely location for one of the greatest forward steps of the twentieth century Civil Rights movement--a state of Alabama still held tightly in the grasp of racial segregation--but from an airfield in Tuskegee in 1941 was born the very first African-American military aviation unit, soon to become one of the most acclaimed of the Second World War. Much like the 54th Massachusetts of the Civil War, this all-black squadron understood well that the eyes of a skeptical nation would be fixed upon them and, as such, the screening process for pilots was the strictest among all Allied aviators. Airman Coleman Young, who would survive the war to become the first black mayor of Detroit, had this to say about the issue:"They made the standards so high, we actually became an elite group. We were screened and super-screened. We were unquestionably the brightest and most physically fit young blacks in the country. We were super-better because of the irrational laws of Jim Crow. You can't bring that many intelligent young people together and train 'em as fighting men and expect them to supinely roll over when you try to [expletive] over 'em, right?"
In all, 992 pilots were trained in Tuskegee from 1941 to 1946. 355 were deployed overseas, and 96 earned the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Presented is the most exciting Tuskegee Airman archive we have encountered, that of 2nd Lieutenant Vincent Ivor Mitchell, one of those 96 elite pilots to earn the Distinguished Flying Cross, our nation's highest award for extraordinary aerial achievement. The essential reference, "The Tuskegee Airmen, An Illustrated History: 1939-1949" records March 14, 1945 as the mission for which Mitchell claimed that honor, one of five members of the 332nd Fighter Group recognized for valor during strafing and reconnaissance missions over Germany and Yugoslavia.
Note the bar of three ribbons included in the lot--the red, white and blue ribbon represents that Distinguished Flying Cross. The Air Medal ribbon at center of the three is likewise a recognition of courage in aerial combat. The third is the European African Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon, with two Bronze Service Stars (also called Campaign Stars) affixed to its surface.
The balance of the collection is the signed mounted photograph (7.5" x 5.25") of Mitchell, most notably his "wings" pin that could be considered the most precious keepsake of all military aviators, particularly so for the racial pioneers of the Tuskegee Airmen. Joining it are two aviation cadet pins, two "US" collar insignia, and an Army officer cap eagle badge. Three circular uniform patches are highlighted by one bearing the number of the 15th Air Force, of which Mitchell's 332nd Fighter Group, with its famous red-tailed planes, was the most welcome sight among Allied bombers seeking escort to dangerous drops. Finally, there is a 3.5" x 4.5" snapshot photo of a P51 Mustang in flight, almost certainly with Mitchell at the controls.
Mitchell passed away in 1980, and reports in March of 2023 identified just three living members of the Tuskegee Airmen, but this special archive will play an essential role in keeping the memory of this pioneering band of courageous aviators alive for future generations, and to remind us of the great progress they made in creating a more perfect union worthy of this nation's founding principles.
Condition: Overall fine with minimal wear.
Auction Info
2023 November 13 - 14 Americana & Political Signature Auction Signature® Auction #6276 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
November, 2023
13th-14th
Monday-Tuesday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 5
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 760
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
25% on the first $300,000 (minimum $49), plus 20% of any amount between $300,000 and $3,000,000, plus 15% of any amount over $3,000,000 per lot.
Shipping, Taxes, Terms and Bidding
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms
Important information concerning Sales Tax and Resale Certificates. Learn More
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms