Lot 753

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Description:

FROM THE ESTATE OF GEN. CLARENCE R. HUEBNER, COMMANDER OF THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION IN THE FIRST WAVE AT OMAHA BEACH A fine example of an M3 fighting knife with association to two notable U.S. Army generals, 6 1/2" blade, 11 1/4" overall. The grip is constructed of stacked brown leather washers, secured with a peened steel pommel, and topped with a steel crossguard, with one end canted to serve as a thumb rest. The pommel and crossguard show minor oxidation, while the leather grip shows some minor wear. It features a spearpoint-style blade with a sharpened secondary edge, with a high-polish blued finish. The obverse of the blade is marked "U.S. M3", with the maker's mark "PAL", for the Pal Cutlery Co. of Bridgeport, Connecticut. The reverse of the blade bears the electropencil presentation: "To Major General C[larence] R. Huebner/From Lieut. Gen'l Brehin Somervell". The blade shows patches of storage grease overall, but is otherwise in fine condition. The knife is housed in a 13 1/2" long light brown leather scabbard, decorated on the obverse with Huebner's two general's stars and the insignia of his command, the 1st Infantry Division, as well as a flower and oak leaf motif. The reverse again bears his incised name "Major General C.R. Huebner", which indicates that he received the knife following his promotion to that rank in the summer of 1943. The scabbard shows some wear commensurate with use and storage, else very good. CLARENCE R. HUEBNER (1888-1972) American general who commanded the 1st Infantry Division, popularly known as the "Big Red One", in early August of 1943. He commanded the division during the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, where it was the first force to face the Germans on Omaha Beach, and he joined his men on the beach the same day. The division was instrumental in the breakthrough following the battle for St. Lo and in foiling the German counteroffensive at Mortain. After the Allied breakout in Normandy, the division advanced rapidly, arriving at the German border in early October of 1944, where it was committed to battle at Aachen, which it captured after two weeks of heavy fighting. After experiencing heavy fighting once again in the Huertgen Forest, the division briefly rested but soon returned to counter the German offensive at the Battle of the Bulge in December, 1944. In January, 1945, Huebner was named commander of the V Corps, which he commanded in its advance to the Elbe river, where elements of the corps made the first contact with the Soviet Red Army. By war's end, the division had advanced into Czechoslovakia. Following the German surrender, Huebner served as the Chief of Staff for all American forces in Europe, and in 1949 was named the final military governor of the American occupation zone in Germany. This knife originates directly from General Huebner's estate and is accompanied by a letter of provenance signed by a direct linear descendant. BREHON R. SOMERVELL (1892-1955) was Commanding General of the Army Service Forces in World War II, and was therefore responsible for the U.S. Army's logistics. He also oversaw the construction of the Pentagon from 1941-1943.

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November 20, 2019 10:00 AM EST
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000