TLS on the United States Fleet letterhead, dated 3 May 1945. The letter is regarding an autograh request. Signed at the conclusion in black fountain pen ink by Commander Robert E. Dornin. In very good condition. (1912-1982) Robert Edson "Dusty" Dornin was a United States Navy officer who served in the Pacific Theater of World War II as a very successful submarine commander. He remained in the Navy until his retirement in 1965.He was given command of USS Trigger (SS-237) in 1943. In September of that year, he left on his first patrol in Trigger, prowling the East China Sea north of Formosa. On September 17, Trigger sank the Japanese freighter Yowa Maru. Four days later, the tankers Shiriya and Shoyo Maru and the freighter Argun Maru fell victim to the submarine. Though faulty torpedoes had prevented an even higher score, Trigger concluded a very successful patrol, returning to Midway Island on September 30.For Dornin's next patrol, he departed from Midway on October 22, bound for East China and Yellow Seas. On November 1, Trigger scored hits on two freighters, one of which was seen to sink, before being forced to dive to evade depth-charge attacks by Japanese escort ships. The next day, the freighters Yawata Maru and Delagoa Maru were sent to the bottom several hours apart. On November 13, Trigger located a convoy and sank the largest ship, believed to be a transport. The last victim of the patrol was the freighter Eizan Maru on November 21. Trigger reached Pearl Harbor on December 8.The third patrol began on January 1, 1944, targeting the Truk-Guam shipping lanes. On January 27, Trigger encountered an enemy Ro-class submarine. Neither managed to inflict any damage on the other before contact was lost. Four days later, Trigger sank the coastal minelayer Nasami and the converted submarine tender Yasukuni Maru. The patrol concluded with a return to Pearl Harbor on February 23.USS Trigger was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her fifth, sixth, and seventh patrols. Dornin was in command of the sixth and seventh.With initial reluctance, after nine patrols (six in Gudgeon, three in Trigger), Commander Dornin became an aide to Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Ernest King, beginning in 1944. He accompanied King to the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences in 1945.The Joint Army–Navy Assessment Committee credited him with ten ships (54,595 tons) sunk in three patrols in command of Trigger, putting him in a tie among American submarine commanders for 15th-21st by a number of ships; his first Trigger patrol was also rated the 16th most successful of the war by tonnage (four ships totaling 27,095 tons).This lot came from the Jim Wiggins collection we purchased in July 2022. Jim Wiggins accumulated the most unique and valuable autograph collection over a period of 70-plus years. He obtained his collection either in person or by writing to persons of fame and notoriety.Comes with a full Letter of Authenticity from Todd Mueller Authentics.