A really cool estate sale find today!

[Thumper]

I went to the estate of an ex-WWII pilot who went to work for Eastern Airlines after the war. Anyway, I bought a basket of "junk" ("smalls") ... misc. sewing attachments for a Singer sewing machine as that stuff is generally an easy sell. The box had various small parts (templates for a buttonholer, bobbins, sewing machine feet .. that sort of stuff) and many of them were stored in various Sucrets boxes. I didn't take the time to dig through all of it, just made an offer for the whole basket.

When I got home, I noticed a metal Sucrets box in the bottom of the basket and it was upside down, so I turned it over. This is what I found! I'm sure there's no way to authenticate it, but I have no reason to doubt it is what it is. At any rate, it's an interesting piece of history. (Ha! Somebody didn't know how to spell Tokyo!)

bombpin0306 001.JPG bombpin0306 003.JPG bombpin0306 006.JPG bombpin0306 002.JPG bombpin0306 005.JPG

[Big Muddy]

Now, THAT is a cool find, Thump!!!

[Thumper]

Just did a quick Google search. I guess the date fits for the big B-29 raid on Tokyo.

The bombing of Tokyo, often referred to as a firebombing, was conducted as part of the air raids on Japan by the United States Army Air Forces during the Pacific campaigns of World War II. The U.S. mounted a small-scale raid on Tokyo in April 1942. Strategic bombing and urban area bombing began in 1944 after the long-range B-29 Superfortress bomber entered service, first deployed from China and thereafter the Mariana Islands. B-29 raids from those islands began on 17 November 1944 and lasted until 15 August 1945, the day Japan capitulated. The Operation Meetinghouse air raid of 9–10 March 1945 was later estimated to be the single most destructive bombing raid in history.

[Big Skyz]

I'd say with that signature you'd have a fair chance of authenticating it. If you could it'd be worth some $$$.

[Thumper]

There is so much stuff in that house, the sale is going on for 4 days (today - Sunday). I'll prolly go back tomorrow as I barely scratched the surface today. I'm assuming the Lieutenant mentioned is the same guy who recently passed away and it's his estate being sold (I'll find out his name tomorrow). I'm not sure how I'd go about proving it is what he says it is, but there's really no reason to doubt it. He was a pilot in the war and there's quite a bit of memorabilia around the house. Either way ... it's still pretty neat.

[Big Skyz]

You could always send an email of inquiry to these guys. They have their own authenticators. Plus you got nothing to lose. If they bite, then it might be a sweet deal for you, if not you aren't any further ahead or behind.
http://gallery63.net/g63site/

[Thumper]

Ha! Yeah, I've been by the place. I used to watch their tv show all the time but haven't seen it lately. Are they still on?

[Captain]

THAT is a cool find! It would be easy enough to verify the paper and aging on the ink etc. That piece NEEDS to be saved and should be in a museum somewhere.
Very cool... Congrats

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[hotshot]

side note: My great-uncle was on one of theose many planes that flew over Japan. His plane caught a little flak and ended up a little short of the run way so to speak. They were able to ditch, report their location and spent a little bit of time floating. A sub picked them up and delivered them to a nearby base. The day or so he spent in the sub was not fun for him... He was a 6 ft'er. A day or so of rest, and his flight team got another plane. He ws from Louisville KY.