Description:

KILL FLAGS OF THE AMERICAN SUBMARINE U.S.S. DACE
A most important piece of U.S. Navy history, a string of fourteen Japanese flags, each representing a victim of the American submarine U.S.S. DACE (SS-247), which with U.S.S. DARTER made a daring and memorable attack against Japanese ships in the Palawan Passage, at the outset of the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Each approx. 15" square flag is constructed of white cotton, folded over and sewn at the edges for reinforcement. Each flag is folded and sewn over a braided cotton line at the hoist, with a "jury-rigged" bobby pin twisted around the line at one end of each flag to keep it in place. The Japanese insignia applied to each flag is accomplished in heavy oil "red lead" marine paint, with the top two examples replicating the "rising sun" motif utilized by the Imperial Japanese Navy, indicating "kills" against warships. One of these undoubtedly represents the Dace's biggest catch, the cruiser MAYA, sunk during the fight in the Palawan Passage. The final two flags are trapezoidal in shape, and indicate smaller coastal sailing vessels sunk towards the end of the war by the boat's deck guns. The Dace was officially credited after the war with six kills, and the excess flags represent attacks reported as kills by her crew which were not later substantiated by Japanese records. The crude nature of the sewing and the painting indicates that these flags were made aboard the boat during one of her combat patrols, using whatever materials were on hand. These flags were consigned to us in company with the Dace's painted battle flag, offered elsewhere in this sale. We have located a circa 1944 photo of the Dace's conning tower, with her battle flag proudly suspended between the periscope and the aft anti-aircraft gun, while these kill flags appear strung between the conning tower and the foredeck. The kill flags presented here appear to match the size, number and order of those displayed in the photo. The image also prominently features the Dace's painted mascot, leaving no doubts as to the identity of the boat depicted here. The flags show soiling and wear overall, with some small splits to the painted areas, and with one showing a period stitched repair, else very good. The U.S.S. Dace was commissioned on July 23, 1943 and completed seven combat patrols, receiving credit for sinking six enemy ships totaling 28,689 tons. Her most notable action occurred on October 23, 1944, when the Dace and the U.S.S Darter encountered a large Japanese fleet under Vice-Admiral Takeo Kurita in the Palawan Passage. The Darter sank Kurita's flagship, the heavy cruiser ATAGO and badly damaged her sister ship, the TAKAO. The Dace hit the heavy cruiser MAYA with four torpedoes, causing her to explode and quickly sink, killing 336 of her crew. While in pursuit of the damaged Takao, the Darter ran aground; her crew was taken off by the Dace and her wreck was abandoned. This early contact with the Japanese fleet alerted the U.S. 3rd Fleet to their presence, paving the way for the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea the following day. The Dace was transferred to the Italian Navy in 1954 and was scrapped in 1975.

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July 31, 2018 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, 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