ARCHIVE OF MIDWAY K.I.A. MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT CAPT. DAVID E. FLEMING
A wonderful grouping of material relating to Medal of Honor recipient Capt. Richard E. Fleming, USMC, killed in an attack on a Japanese vessel during the Battle of Midway. Six items are included: CHESTER W. NIMITZ S.P. 13 1/2" x 10 5/8" b/w, the famous image of Nimitz seated and signing the Instrument of Japanese Surrender aboard the USS MISSOURI in Tokyo Bay. The photo is calligraphically inscribed: "To the mother of the later Richard E. Fleming, Capt. USMC, in recognition of the supreme sacrifice made by her son in the Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942 - the battle that started the long march across the Pacific which ended in the above scene." Nimitz signed above his rank as Fleet Admiral and dated the photo 2 Sept. 1965. Marginal tear, crease and some discoloration, all repairable and far from image which has been framed. Also: 7" x 9" photo of the young hero, matted with a copy of Fleming's citation signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt describing Fleming's bomber receiving 179 hits and his being wounded twice but returning to his aircraft carrier safely. After four hours of sleep, he took to the air again to attack a Japanese battleship. His aircraft was struck and caught fire, but Fleming pressed the attack, dropping his bomb which just missed the vessel before his plane crashed into the sea killing him. A photo also present shows the flier's mother receiving the Medal of Honor from F.D.R., and other images show her hearing a speech given in her son's honor, and a window display at IBM also honoring Fleming. Finally, there is a 8" x 10" framed photo of the USS FLEMING (DE 32), a Navy destroyer named after the hero. The destroyer, launched June 16, 1943 had an impressive battle record and sank Japanese sub I-362. A great archive, in overall fine condition.