Lot 736

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Description:

An extraordinary medal grouping once belonging to Capt Thomas T. Beattie (1899-1966), a lieutenant commander and the navigator of the USS WEST VIRGINIA during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, later captain of the USS LOUISVILLE and postwar commander of the San Diego Naval Base. Beattie attended to the mortally wounded Capt. Mervyn Bennion on the bridge of the WEST VIRGINIA after the vessel had been struck by seven Japanese torpedoes and two bombs, while Bennion continued to give orders. He was then placed in charge of evacuating the wounded while the vessel was still under attack. Beattie later commanded the USS LOUISVILLE, a veteran of combat in the South Pacific and a survivor of kamikaze attacks. Earlier, Beattie had served aboard the USS BITTERN, which was also attacked by the Japanese at Cavite on Dec. 10, 1941 and later scuttled, and the USS PEARY, sunk by Japanese aircraft at Darwin, Australia, on Feb. 19, 1942. There are seven medals and nine ribbons in the lot, including: Navy Commendation Medal, China Service Medal with Star and chest ribbon; American Defense Medal, with chest ribbon; World War II Medal, with chest ribbon; European, African, Middle East Medal, with chest ribbon; American Campaign Medal; four chest ribbons; and a World War I Victory Medal. There are also two letters sent from Beattie's son of the same name to another man, 1991, one letter listing the campaign ribbons given to his father, the second a letter sending his correspondent these medals and ribbons. There is a 5" x 7" portrait of Beattie in uniform three photos of vessels, two being the LOUISVILLE, and a grouping of biographical material on this naval hero. An excellent lot of medals with superb provenance.

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May 1, 2019 10:00 AM EDT
Chesapeake City, MD, US

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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