LOT #42120 |
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General George S. Patton Headquarters Flag. . ...
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Description
"Old Blood and Guts" Staff Flag from Sicily During WWII
General George S. Patton Headquarters Flag.George Smith Patton, Jr. was a General of the United States Army who, during WWII, commanded the Second Corps, the Seventh Army, FUSAG (First U.S. Army Group) and the Third Army. He was born to a military family, attended the Virginia Military Institute and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He served in the 1916 Mexican Intervention and WWI, and was renowned for his inspirational, flashy and distinctive image.
This flag is an approximately 31.5" X 62.5" 48-star, wool bunting, U.S. flag with double appliqué cotton stars and sewn stripes. The flag is finished with a cotton canvas hoist and four brass grommets typical of "yard made" US Navy flags. It is marked on the obverse hoist: "Patton HQ Staff C. Bolton J. Carter J. Stockdale" and on the reverse hoist, "SIZE 10."
In 1943, Major General George S. Patton and Vice Admiral H. Kent Hewitt commanded the Western Task Force of 100,000 troops in 601 ships during Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. Since this flag is of the type and size that would have been found aboard U.S. Naval vessels, it is speculated that Patton acquired this flag while directing the landings from USS Monrovia, Admiral Hewitt's flagship, and took it ashore when he landed at Gela for use as his headquarters flag. This US flag would enhance a Patton, 7th Army, Sicily or WWII collection.
General Patton's US awards include the Distinguished Service Cross; Army Distinguished Service Medal; Navy Distinguished Service Medal; Silver Star; Legion of Merit; Bronze Star; Purple Heart; Silver Lifesaving Medal; Mexican Border Service Medal; World War I Victory Medal; American Defense Service Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal and Army of Occupation Medal.
The flag is in Good to Fair condition - it is used, worn, soiled and torn. The upper fly is frayed and the flag has some losses and holes in the fly and canton, but it is 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: 5
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 3,968
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25% on the first $300,000 (minimum $49), plus 20% of any amount between $300,000 and $3,000,000, plus 12.5% of any amount over $3,000,000 per lot.
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