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LOT 332
Two Historic U.S. Navy Officer’s Submarine Warfare Insignia Badges, Including a
14k Gold One Inscribed to Lord Mountbatten - Both badges are metal construction,
with a submarine underway in the center and a set of heraldic
dolphins on either side resting their heads on the bow planes.
One is marked “BRONZE” on the back. The other is 14k gold and
is inscribed “CAPTAIN LOUIS MOUNTBATTEN,RN./QUALIFIED TO
COMMAND SUBMARINES/BY ORDER OF/REAR ADMIRAL T. WITHERS.,
U.S.N./COMSUBSCOFOR” over “CALDWELL/14k” on the back. Rear Admiral Thomas
Withers Jr. served with the U.S. Navy from 1906 through 1946, and was overall commander
of the U.S. Pacific Fleet Submarine Force at the outbreak of World War II, though his advocacy for the
notoriously faulty Mark 14 torpedo would see him reassigned to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard; as this incident
dominates most accountings of his career/life, it is unclear when he was Commander, Submarine Scouting Force
(ComSubScoFor), or if he held that title the same time as overall submarine command for the Pacific. Louis Francis
Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma was a German prince by birth, and began his
career with the Royal Navy in 1916, attaining the rank of Captain in 1937. Among other duties during World War II
he would act as the Chief of the Combined Operations Headquarters where he was responsible for the Bruneval Raid
to capture important components of the German Wuerzburg Radar for study, the Saint Nazaire Raid that knocked
out the Normandie dry dock to deny the Kriegsmarine a critical Atlantic repair asset, and the far less successful Dieppe
Raid, and later Supreme Allied Commander for the Southeast Asia Command (SEAC), where he oversaw the recapture of
Burma and accepted the Japanese surrender of Singapore. In post war life, he would serve as Viceroy and later Governor-
General of India, overseeing the transition of India to an independent Commonwealth nation, as well as the partition of India
and Pakistan, as well as Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean Fleet, NATO Commander Allied Forces Mediterranean, and First Sea Lord of the
Admiralty. Retiring at the rank of Admiral of the Fleet, he also served as Governor and Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight. Mountbatten would later be assassinated by the Irish Republican Army in 1979; a 50-pound radio controlled
bomb was concealed on his personal boat and detonated with him and several members of his family on board in an incident that created great friction between the IRA and the Irish-American community, who generally thought
well of Mountbatten for his wartime service. It isn’t known when Mountbatten and Withers crossed paths or why the badge was given; Mountbatten’s career was entirely on surface ships and receiving the Submarine Warfare Badge
requires extensive practical submarine experience, so presumably it was meant more as a gesture of friendship or political token between two seafaring men rather than an indicator of accomplishment.
CONDITION: Excellent overall, with minor handling marks. The inscription on the Mountbatten Badge is clear and crisp.
Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection.
Estimate: 3,000 - 5,000
LOT 333
Attractive and Well Executed Scale Model of World War II USS Triton (SS-201) Submarine with Glass
Display Case - This is a very attractive scale model of the USS Triton (SS-201), a Tambor-class submarine which
fought the Japanese in the Pacific during World War II. The keel of the Triton was laid in 1939 and it was launched
in 1940, joining the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor in July of 1941. The Triton was out on its first patrol when
the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, received news of the attack on the night of 8 December while surfaced to
charge batteries. The Triton would go on to complete four more combat patrols before being lost with all hands
on its sixth combat patrol. The Triton is credited with sinking 20,000 tons of Japanese shipping and warships. On
15 March 1943 on its sixth combat patrol, Triton surfaced to charge batteries and gave the report that they had
attacked an enemy convoy and had been depth charged, and that attacks on her had ceased but they could still
hear distant depth charging. This was the final radio transmission from Triton and a post-war analysis of Japanese
records indicate that on 15 March 1943, three Japanese destroyers attacked a submarine near Triton’s area of
operation and an oil slick, debris, and items with American markings were found. The model itself appears to be
primarily of painted wood construction and shows a high level of detail including deck railings and armaments. It
is contained within a hardwood and glass display case which measures approximately 39 1/2 x 10 x 12 1/2 inches.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine, retaining a high level of detail and most of the original paint finish with some
scattered crazing and cracking of the enamel giving an attractively aged look. The case is very fine with some
scattered minor handling/storage evidence. An attractive piece to enhance the display of
a U.S. navy or military collection!
Estimate: 1,500 - 2,500
Lord
Mountbatten