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USS Barb (SS-220). . ...
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Sold on Dec 14, 2019 for:
$1,625.00
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Description
USS Barb (SS-220).The USS Barb (SS-220) commissioned on 8 July 1942, was considered the most lethal American submarine by the Japanese, who credited her with more tonnage sunk than any other boat. This is even more remarkable considering only seven of her twelve war patrols were in the Pacific.
The ensign of the Barb is a 40" X 68" 48-star cotton US flag with a printed canton and sewn stripes finished with a cotton header with two grey metal wartime grommets. The flag is marked on the obverse hoist: "COCO KILLER XXX USS Barb (SS-220)" and on the lower reverse hoist, "48 stars & Byres [lined out] and 4 X 6 Style 48."
The Barb's first five war patrols were in the Atlantic and involved reconnaissance, weather reporting, intelligence gathering serving as a beacon ship for other warships in Operation Torch, the Invasion of North Africa, patrolling for blockade runners in the Bay of Biscay and the North Atlantic. She sighted numerous vessels, but none were legitimate prey, so she honed her skills by conducting gunnery practice on floating mines.
She was transferred to the Pacific in 1943 where the Barb went on to compile one of the most outstanding submarine records of World War II. Her sixth war patrol was inauspicious but, on the seventh, she made her first kill, a freighter. On her eighth patrol she had a new skipper, Commander Eugene Fluckly, "Lucky Fluckly" who would command her for the rest of the war, during which she would sink 16 more ships, totaling 96,628 tons, including the carrier Unyo, damage another 18
merchant ships, 8 smaller ships of under 500 tons, bombard shore installations and conduct rocket attacks. Her Battle flag, on display at the Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, CT, also uniquely sports a railroad engine, for the destruction of a 16-car train at Karafuto, Japan. This was the sole hostile landing by U.S. naval forces on the Japanese homeland during the World War II. This is a fabulous flag for an advanced collector of US submarine artifacts.
The WWII awards of the Barb are: Presidential Unit Citation; Navy Unit Commendation; American Campaign; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with eight battle stars; World War II Victory Medal.
Her crew were awarded the Medal of Honor; six Navy Crosses; one distinguished service medal; a Legion of Honor; twenty-three each Silver and Bronze Stars. What her crew considered the Barb's most significant accomplishment was that no member was awarded the Purple Heart!
The ensign of the Barb is in Good Condition - it is used, worn, and soiled, with a few small scattered holes, but otherwise complete.
This flag was formerly in the collection of Dr. Clarence Rungee, and is accompanied by his original museum inventory sheet with identifying information.
For those who did not receive a hard copy of the auction catalog, we present here the introductory comments and history of Dr. Rungee and his remarkable collection. If you scroll further, you will also find various contemporary newspaper articles, as well as a selection of the many letters of donation and transmittal which accompanied the collection and a categorization of the collection.
Auction Info
2019 December 14 Historic Flags of World War II Signature Auction - Dallas #6224 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
December, 2019
14th
Saturday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 4
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 1,056
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