Lot 1329

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Description:

(1917 - 1963) Thirty-fifth President of the United States. Kennedy faced-down the Kruschev during the Cuban Missile Crisis, re-invigorated NASA, and signed the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Assassinated November 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald. Captivating lot of five items, all of which relate to a memo Kennedy sent to Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara. The first items are two handwritten drafts of the memo in shorthand by his secretary on his personal letterhead 'From the Desk of John F. Kennedy', 1p. 4 x 5 in. The next two items include the first typed draft on White House letterhead of the memo from Kennedy's secretary, 1p. 8vo., Washington, April 2, 1963, and the carbon typescript. On the first typed draft are three emendations written by Kennedy, changing 're:' to 'on', 'Boarmark's' to 'Bomarc', and adding 'our' in the last sentence. The last item is the final typed draft also on White House letterhead, 1p. 8vo., Washington, April 2, 1963, titled: 'Memorandum for the Secretary of Defense', with only one handwritten correction and Kennedy's signature at the bottom. The text reads in full: 'It might be worthwhile to bring to the attention of those who read your testimony on the Bomarc in Canada, that their failure to catch the political significance has strengthened Diefenbaker's hand considerably and increased our difficulties. It would seem to me that every word in those sentences flashed a red light. They should be on the alert for our political, as well as military, security.' This lot comes with a fine glossy photo of Kennedy, 8 x 10 in. color, a chest, up portrait. A mere six days after this memo was written, Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker lost the election, making way for Lester Pearson. This change in leadership led to the approval of nuclear warheads in Canada, known as the 'Bomarc Program'. Overall, very good.

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July 29, 2022 10:00 AM EDT
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 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000