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USS West Virginia (BB-48), Colorado-class battleship, Original WWII Ring Life Preserver....
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Sold on May 7, 2022 for:
$495,000.00
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Description
USS West Virginia (BB-48), Colorado-class battleship, Original WWII Ring Life Preserver. Life preserver constructed of treated canvas over foam, measures 25 inches in diameter, and painted in red, "U.S.S. W. VA. 1st FIRE AND RESCUE DIV." with attached lengths of rope. Retrieved from the water by Charles House Morgan, son of Charles House Morgan, Sr., U.S. Commander of Harbor Defense at Pearl Harbor a few days after he witnessed the surprise Japanese air attack.USS West Virginia (BB-48) life preserver retrieved from the water following the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
Charles House Morgan, Jr., just sixteen years old at the time, was enrolled in U.S. Navy flight training school in Kanehoe, about ten miles from Pearl Harbor. On Sunday, December 7, 1941, he was walking with his father to headquarters at Diamond Head, when he saw the Japanese planes attack. Father and son witnessed the attack from only 200 feet away when it started. Morgan Jr. escaped unscathed and ran to the nearby air station to help, while his father Morgan Sr. managed to make it to the nearby military headquarters to begin a counter-offensive against the Japanese.
The morning of the attack, the West Virginia was moored outboard of the Tennessee at berth F-6 in forty feet of water. Shortly before eight a.m., Japanese planes commenced a well-planned attack, flying from a six-carrier task force, and fired a total of seven 18-inch aerial torpedoes that struck the ship's port side. One torpedo struck the steering gear and exploded the rudder, at least three struck below the armor belt. One or perhaps two torpedoes entered the ship through holes made by the initial hits while the ship was listing and exploded on the armored second deck. Recent research has indicated that at least one of the hits may have come from a Japanese midget submarine that entered the harbor.
The West Virginia was also hit by two 16-inch armor-piercing shells fitted with fins, and although neither projectile exploded, the hits did ignite gasoline which caused some damage. The ship sustained heavy damage after being engulfed in an oil fire started by leaking fuel from its own breached tanks as well as nearby Arizona that burned for thirty hours. West Virginia was abandoned, settling to the harbor bottom on an even keel. Repairs were made to the hull, the battleship was pumped out and was refloated on May 17, 1942. During the repairs, the bodies of sixty-six West Virginia sailors were found trapped below decks. The bodies were found lying on top of steam pipes and store room compartments within the air bubble existing in the flooded areas. A calendar found with them indicated that they had lived until December 23rd. Repairs took nearly one year, however on May 7, 1943, West Virginia departed Pearl Harbor for the west coast and a complete rebuilding at the Puget Sound Navy Yard in Bremerton, Washington.
A few days after the attack, Morgan, Jr. retrieved the life preserver ring from the blood-and-oil-soaked waters around Pearl Harbor and kept it as a reminder of witnessing that terrible day and a moving tribute to the American personnel lost during the devastating attack.
Auction Info
2022 May 7 Treasures from the Melvin "Pete" Mark, Jr. Collection Signature® Auction #6256 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
May, 2022
7th
Saturday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 13
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 1,394
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