This extraordinary collection is composed of personal effects once belonging to legendary World War II Admiral William "Bull" Halsey (1882-1959). These items are: 1) U.S. Navy H.L.B. Corp. M-445A flight jacket featuring a leather aviator’s name tag marked “W.F. HALSEY/ADMIRAL U.S. NAVY” and a Talon zipper. The included Fleet Admiral Nimitz Club match book reportedly was found in the left pocket of the jacket. 2) Ratner manufactured U.S. Navy admiral blue visor with bullion insignia. 3) U.S. Navy dress blue jacket mounted in a 37x25 inch shadow box. The jacket features bullion naval aviator wings and five rows of ribbons. These ribbons are the following: Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Medal with three gold stars, Distinguished Service Medal, Presidential Unit Citation with star, Mexican Service Medal, WWI Victory Medal with star, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two silver and two bronze stars, WWII Victory Medal, Philippines Liberation Medal, Order of the British Empire, Greek Order of the Redeemer, and Chilean Order of Merit. An included photo of a WWII victory parade in New York City shows the admiral wearing his dress blue uniform. An accompanying 2000 dated letter from U.S. Naval Academy Museum Associate Director and Senior Curator James W. Cheevers identifies the ribbons and provides some biographical anecdotes about the admiral. The inside pocket has a Naval Uniform Shop label and the inside of this pocket has a "W.F. HALSEY" marked tag dated "5-28-46." 4) U.S. Navy admiral flag mounted in an 18 1/4x20 inch frame along with Halsey’s business card (retired). 5) Famed image of Admiral Chester Nimitz signing Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri which is autographed by Halsey along with the salutation “PRESENTED TO DR. GERALD DREW—JANUARY 1ST 1956.” Halsey, General Douglas MacArthur and Rear Admiral Forrest Sherman are standing behind Nimitz. In a 14x14 inch frame. 6) Halsey’s death certificate. As documented in a signed letter of provenance, an aide to Halsey presented the dress blue jacket and the signed photo to Halsey's personal Navy dentist Dr. Gerald Drew. During the course of providing care to Halsey, Dr. Drew "struck up a friendship” with the admiral. Drew mounted the dress blue jacket in the shadow box. The letter is signed by Drew's widow, Selma, who transferred the items to Lew Katzowitz per her deceased husband’s wishes in 2000. Obituaries for Dr. and Mrs. Drew are included. Also comes with a framed color image of the Japanese surrender ceremony as published in the Post and a copy of a Japanese surrender signing ceremony photo with Halsey in the background. Born into a Navy family, Fleet Admiral William “Bull” Halsey seemed destined for a promising naval career. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1904, served as a destroyer commander in WWI and earned his aviator wings in 1935 at the age of 52, afterwards taking command of aircraft carriers and carrier divisions. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Halsey was a vice admiral flying his flag on the USS Enterprise, which was on its way to Pearl Harbor. On the “date which will live in infamy,” aircraft from the Enterprise arrived at Pearl Harbor in the middle of the attack. When reaching the burning naval base the next day, Halsey proclaimed, “Before we’re through with them, the Japanese language will be spoken only in hell.” Forty-five months later Halsey was standing aboard the USS Missouri, a witness to the Japanese surrender signing ceremony. Even before VJ-Day Halsey had undoubtedly become one of American’s most beloved admirals known for his daring, sometimes controversial, tactics as commander of the Third Fleet in the Pacific theater. His tenacity, exemplified by his slogan “hit hard, hit fast, hit often”, delivered major blows to the Japanese navy. but his decision making at Leyte and during a typhoon soured his reputation among many. Halsey was promoted to fleet admiral in December 1945, was relieved from active duty a year later and retired in March 1947.

1) Very fine, showing some scattered age cracking on the leather and minimal wear to the sheep skin lining. A very clean flight jacket, especially for its age. 2) Very fine, showing minimal wear. 3) Fine as mounted in a shadow box through the use of staples. The frame has edge wear. 4) Fine as mounted in a frame with some fraying and some material loss to a star. These are genuine articles of military service clothing worn by one of America's most popular and historically significant admirals, William "Bull" Halsey, and would make a grand statement to any U.S. Navy private or public collection.