Born in 1920 in Oregon and raised in Texas, William Warren Kellogg was a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at the outbreak of World War II, pursuing a double major in aeronautical and chemical engineering while also, co-captaining the fencing team. Following his graduation in 1942, he was accepted to OCS at Fort Benning, and volunteered for paratrooper duty. This would lead to him serving as an officer with the 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion, a component of the 82nd Airborne Division. The 307th, both with the 82nd and detached to other formations, was heavily engaged in the European Theater, fighting on Sicily and Italy proper, participating in both the Normandy Landing and Operation Market Garden, fighting at the Battle of the Bulge, before finally acting as part of the occupation force in the American Sector of Berlin. The first of its kind, the 307th served both as an engineering unit and as infantry as situation demanded, and distinguished themselves in both roles. Kellogg in particular played both roles with skill and tenacity, as described in his DSC citation for actions relating to the first amphibious landings in Sicily. Dropped about 40 miles ahead of the main line and isolated for nearly 2 weeks, Kellogg led his unit in sabotage and disruption actions, destroying phone and rail lines, ambushing enemy units on the move, and in one highlighted incident rushed through enemy fire to retrieve a downed Allied airman and deliver him to safety. This would lead to Kellogg personally receiving the Distinguished Service Cross from President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a rare ceremony abroad; this ceremony is believed to be the only one of it's kind performed by Roosevelt during his Presidency due to both the dangers of travel during World War II and the difficulty of concealing his polio-related impairment. Additionally, Kellogg would be one of the few Americans to receive the Order of Alexander Nevsky, a Soviet valor/leadership decoration only known to have been presented to about 70 foreign officers. Continuing to serve with the 307th through the end of the war, Kellogg returned to MIT to complete a double-doctorate, after which he worked with Boeing, Lockheed, and the SHAPE Air Defense Technical Center at the Hague. His final military rank was as a Captain with the U.S. Air Force. The contents of the lot are a hand-embroidered 307th unit patch (attributed to Kellogg by a prior owner, note included), a participation certificate for Company C of the 307th (not specifically attributed), and a large print of Kellogg's meeting with FDR. The patch measures about 5 inches in diameter, and was made post-Anzio by a craftsman in Naples; the patch was traditionally worn with a leather jacket, both unauthorized, and became the unofficial unit logo. The certificate measures 8 1/2 inches by 14 inches, unsigned, dated February 1944-June 1945. The print is 18 inches by 21 5/8 inches, featuring FDR in the center (seated in a customized jeep with a boosted passenger seat, per his usual style) Kellogg to the immediate right of the President. Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection

The patch shows wear and tear appropriate to field use, with fading of the original colors and a bit of fraying. The certificate shows some creases and stains, and the print shows a few minor scuffs, but is generally clear and legible.