Sell Your Enola Gay Memorabilia
To auction, sell or consign your Enola Gay memorabilia, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (http://www.NateDSanders.com).
Here’s Some Enola Gay Memorabilia We’ve Sold:
Historic, Original Maps Enabling the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb — Japan & Asia Maps From the Tail Gunner’s, George Caron’s, Survival Kit that was on Board the B-29, Enola Gay on Her 3 Three Missions over Japan Including the One on August 6, 1945 to Hiroshima With Provenance
George Caron’s East China Sea “Silk” Maps, used in Caron’s survival kit flown on the Enola Gay atomic bomb mission to Hiroshima. Accompanied by a letter of provenance and signed photograph. These AAF Cloth Charts, often referred to as a “silk” maps, contain two maps on opposite sides of a large piece (32.25″ x 30.5″) of thin cloth. Both maps, identified as C-52 and C-53, are detailed colored maps of the East China Sea, including Japan, with a scale of 1:4,000,000 and dated February 1945. The map legend is in the upper right corner of map No. C-52. Silk maps were issued by the Army Air Force for the Aeronautical Chart Service and were usually carried by pilots and crew in their survival kits when they flew over enemy territory. Intended to be durable, they were actually made of semi-synthetic fiber rather than silk. These maps, belonging to Technical Sergeant Caron and flown during the Hiroshima mission, have been gently pinned into a foam board backing and are in fine condition. The maps are accompanied by a one page handwritten letter of provenance signed by George Caron. The letter, with Caron’s name and address stamped at the top, is dated 26 October 1982, and addressed to Paul J. Boyer of Lakewood, Colorado. This notarized letter reads, “Please accept this letter as certification that the silk map of the Western Pacific Ocean you acquired from me came from the Tail Gunner’s survival kit that was on board the B-29, Enola Gay on her three missions over Japan including the one on Aug. 6, 1945 to Hiroshima.” Also included is a color photo (5″ x 3.5″, affixed to blue backing) of the Enola Gay signed on the backing below the photo, “Best wishes, Paul / George R. (Bob), Tail Gunner.” Sold for $14,400.
Rare personally owned archive from Robert Shumard, one of the nine men aboard the Enola Gay during the first atomic bombing on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945. Items owned or signed by Shumard are quite scarce, as he passed away from stem-cell leukemia in 1967, discovered to be related to his radiation exposure during his service.
Several of Shumard’s military insignia are included in the lot: his 20th Air Force shoulder patch, the arm of the Air Force responsible for the operational functionality of the Manhattan Project; Air Force Master Sergeant shoulder patch; Air Force Flight Engineer Aircrew Badge, in the form of wings with propeller and radial engine; Air Force enlisted dress hat pin; Air Force collar insignia pin; Air Force name tag.
Lot also includes 20 photos, most of Shumard and his wife Eleanor, with several identified from Wendover, Utah in 1945, where the 509th Composite Group trained prior to the bombing missions. One photo measuring 7” x 5” shows the crew of the Enola Gay, notated as ”(1945) The crew who dropped the bomb”. Other photos show Shumard holding the hat he wore during the Enola Gay mission, working on an Air Force plane, and in military uniform (with his clipped signature below).
Other items include a postal cover twice signed by Shumard, postmarked 26 July 1945 from San Francisco, just days before the mission, and a funeral mass booklet from Shumard’s funeral. Archive remains in very good to near fine condition. Sold for $7,500.
“New York Times” Announces Hiroshima Atomic Bomb
7 August 1945 “New York Times” announcing “First Atomic Bomb Dropped on Japan” in a 2″ high headline. Printed the day after the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, the history-altering event unfolds in myriad articles. Headlines include “New Age Ushered”, “‘Impenetrable’ Cloud of Dust Hides City After Single Bomb Strikes”, “Atom Bombs Made in 3 Hidden ‘Cities’” and “Steel Tower ‘Vaporized’ In Trial of Mighty Bomb”. Section one only, runs 38pp. and measures 16.5″ x 22.5″. Toning, some chipping at edges and paper loss at seam. Very good. Sold for $1,954.
Morris Jeppson Original Drawing of the Bomb Explosion Above Hiroshima
Morris Jeppson signed and initialed original drawing of the Little Boy bomb detonation as the “Enola Gay B29 leaves after bombing from 31,000 feet.” Jeppson draws the “Mushroom Cloud” which appears above “Destruction and Fire” and “Hiroshima.” Clearly signed with rank at right margin, adding “Weapon Test Officer / Hiroshima Mission.” Also initialed at bottom right of drawing “MRJ.” 11″ x 8.5″ drawing is in fine condition. Accompanied by photo of Jeppson as he illustrates the mission. An important piece of Enola Gay memorabilia and Hiroshima memorabilia. Sold for $1,750.
To auction, sell or consign your Enola Gay memorabilia, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (http://www.NateDSanders.com).