This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/18/2024
[WWII]. [U. S. NAVY]. Archive of 20 Orders, Citations, Memos, Humorous Items, etc. for the U.S.S. Cony During World War II. [V.p., 1943]. Paper items, sizes range from 83 x 200 mm to 264 x 202 mm. Generally toned, worn, soiled, several items with tears, chips. Some of the items include: teletype memo from U.S.S. Columbia to Cony expressing their gratitude for assistance in a battle and mourning the dead of the Cony, a short memo from ALPAC notifying the officers of Cony to improve on censoring their private mail to preserve fleet security, a commendation recommendation from the Captain of the Cony for several crewmembers, including a recommendation for the Congressional Medal of Honor for “BARNEY, Bernard, S2c, USNR, who, though so severely burned at his gun station that he later died, reported without hesitation to the After Repair Party and assisted in fighting fires until ordered to report to Forward Battle Dressing Station for treatment.” (Barney won several awards, including the Navy Cross and a Purple Heart, but wasn’t awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor), a manuscript record of “Dates of Battles U. S. S. Cony” by “T. P. Altomake” (5 pp. - Altomake signed several other documents, implying several items in this archive were his) “Oct. 1st 1943 Success at last, task force finally caught up with Jap evacuation barges, sank twenty-one barges loaded with enemy troops that were trapped in Villa, Cony credited with nine barges, one escort vessel”, a Thanksgiving memo circulated by Commander H. D. Johnston, commanding the Cony, signed by numerous crewmembers, and more. A superb archive, reflecting the heroic duty provided by U.S.S. Cony and her crew. Cony was a Fletcher class destroyer, which was put to sea in 1942. She saw combat throughout her service, including escort duties in the Solomon Islands, and two engagements at Guadalcanal. She was decommissioned in 1946 and was re-commissioned in 1949, performing duties across the globe. Perhaps most significantly, she (and three other naval vessels) intercepted a Soviet submarine (“B-59”) during the Cuban Missile Crisis, nearly prompting a full war between the United States and the Soviet Union (it was later revealed in 1997, that the Soviet sub commander, Valentin Savitsky, nearly launched his nuclear-armed torpedo on October 27, 1962 at these vessels, making this encounter the most dangerous during the crisis). She was finally decommissioned in 1969.