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CONDITION: Exceptionally fine,
with minor scuffing on the blade,
exceptionally strong etching, and cracks and minor
chipping in the hilt. The otherwise very fine sheath has some
scuffs, verdigris buildup and a missing grommet
from the tie-down hole.
Provenance: The Bill Walters
Collection; The Michael
Mackellar Collection;
A Private Collection.
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,000
LOT 367
Grouping of World War II United States Marine Corps Aviation
Patches, Including Two from VMF-214, the Black Sheep Squadron - 1,
2) Two patches for Marine Fighter Squadron VMF-214, aka the Black Sheep
Squadron, 5” wide white felt shields with F4U Corsair fighter over a black
sheep, black “bend sinister”, and 12 stars, one also numbered “214”. One of
the most famous Marine Aviation units, the 214 was formed in 1942 around
then-Major George “Pappy” Boyington, veteran Flying Tigers combatant,
who was given permission to build a Squadron out of available pilots if
they could be put into prompt service. Choosing the nickname “Black
Sheep” after their first choice, “Boyington’s Bastards” was shot down for
being unpublishable, the 214th would rack up 97 confirmed aerial kills and
produce 9 aces, with Boyington successfully beating the World War One
record of Eddie Rickenbacker before being shot down and captured during
a fighter sweep over Rabaul in January 1944. While the original Black Sheep
pilots were dispersed to other units, VMF-214 reformed later that same
month. After being released from captivity, Boyington would write his
autobiography, “Baa Baa Black Sheep”, which would become a television
show in the 1970s featuring Robert Conrad. 3) Marine Fighter Squadron
VMF-123 patch, 5 1/4” diameter, embroidered felt construction, featuring
a British “redcoat” soldier sitting before a large eight-ball. Nicknamed
the Flying Eight Balls, VMF-123 arrived in the Pacific Theater in 1943,
seeing action in the Solomon Islands, including providing support to the
amphibious landing on Vella Lavella. Spending most of 1944 in the U.S. and
returning to the Pacific in 1945, they participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima,
the Okinawa Campaign, and strikes against the Japanese home islands. 4)
Marine Fighter Squadron VMF-221 patch, 5 1/2” diameter, embroidered felt
construction with “*FIGHTING***/FALCONS” over a swooping falcon with
aircraft wings. Commissioned in July 1941, VMF-221 would be relocated to
Hawaii after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and then moved forward to Midway
Island. Present at Midway during the same-named Battle in June of 1942,
the Squadron would find itself significantly outnumbered and outgunned
by the multi-carrier Japanese air attack, with a roughly 5:1 ratio in Japanese
favor. Rotating back to Hawaii to rebuild, VMF-221 returned to action for
the Battle of Guadalcanal and the Battle of New Georgia, being credited
with 16 air to air kills in the latter confrontation. At the end of 1943 the unit
would rotate back to the U.S. before deploying again in 1945 on the carrier
USS Bunker Hill, which participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle
of Okinawa, as well as the destruction of the Japanese Battleship Yamato. 5)
U.S.M.C. emblem, 4” wide, gold thread embroidered on white felt, secured
to a section of OD green cloth.
CONDITION: Very fine overall, with minor wear and stains.
Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection.
Estimate: 3,000 - 5,000
LOT 369
Fine Navy Cross Set with Attribution to a Marine at the Battle of Guam - An
included copied note attributes the item as formerly being the property of Major
(ret) Robert Gill, USMC officer and collector, who had the grouping as currently
seen and attributed as the items of Private First Class Anthony J. Stea. Per Stea’s
Navy Cross citation (copy included), Stea was a part of a machine gun squad of the
3rd Amphibious Corps on Guam on July 28, 1944, who carried on alone and badly
injured after an artillery strike wiped out the rest of his squad, continuing to fire on
the enemy in spite of additional injuries, only stopping when incapacitated by blood
loss. Full details of PFC Stea’s career are unknown, but records suggest he received
aid, survived the battle, and made it home. The grouping includes the Navy Cross
medal, a Purple Heart, miniature Purple Heart with a gold star on the ribbon, and a
patch for the 3rd Amphibious Corps.
CONDITION: Some staining and wear on the miniature Purple Heart, otherwise very
fine overall.
Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection.
Estimate: 1,600 - 2,500
LOT 368
Two World War II U.S. Marine Corps Aviation Patches, Including a
Patch for VMF-121 - 1) Marine Fighter Squadron VMF-121 patch, 4 1/2”
wide embroidered felt oval featuring a Bugs Bunny-like character with
aviator helmet, gun belt, and boxing gloves. Activated in June 1941,
VMF-121 was part of the “Cactus Air Force”, the collective allied airpower
operating during the height of the Battle of Guadalcanal, which included
a mix of Marine, Army, Navy units, plus a detachment from the Royal New
Zealand Air Force. They would return to the States in 1945 with fourteen
confirmed aces, a Medal of Honor winner (future Governor of South Dakota
and NRA President Joe Foss), and 208 aerial kills. 2) Marine Scout Bombing
Squadron VMSB-331 patch, 6” diameter embroidered felt patch featuring a
bee with a telescope riding a bomb. Deployed to the Pacific in 1943, VMSB-
331 participated in the invasion of the Gilbert Islands, later performing
attack runs on Japanese-held positions in the Marshall Islands that had been
passed over and left isolated by the U.S. “island hopping” strategy.
CONDITION: Fair to good overall, with minor wear and staining, and some
moth damage on the VMF-121 patch.
Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection.
Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750
LOT 370
Exceptional World War II Camillus U.S.M.C. Raider Stiletto with Sheath -
Produced for the 1st Marine Division and the 1st and 2nd Marine Raider Battalions.
12 1/4” OAL, 7 1/8” inch needle point double edged blade, etched with a “U.S.M.C.”
banner and “CAMILLUS/CUTLERY/CO./CAMILLUS,/N.Y.” on one side. The hilt and guard
are a single piece of cast zinc. Included with the lot are an unmarked brown leather
sheath and a modern protective box. An included letter from Bill Walters states that
this stiletto is like number 3 on page 622 of Walters’s book “U.S. and Allied Military
Knives: World War II Book II” and was originally in his collection.