Lot 519

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Description:

(U.S.S. PANAY INCIDENT) THE MEDALS OF LT. CLARK C. GRAZIER
A historic grouping of medals, all awarded to Lt. Clark C. Grazier, U.S. Navy, who served with great distinction during the attack on the USS PANAY by Japanese aircraft north of Nanking on December 12, 1937. Lt. Grazier served as the vessel's medical officer, and during the attack he made repeated forays under fire to the shattered sick bay to retrieve medical supplies, drugs, and records. These he stuffed into a pillow case, and then returned to the engine room to treat the wounded brought there for safety. Grazier also ensured that the wounded were all safely loaded into boats for transport to shore from the sinking PANAY, even these boats themselves also came under Japanese machine gun fire. Although wounded himself in the action, Grazier was sporadically filmed during the attack and afterward as he and the wounded escaped overland. As a result of Grazier's bravery, many of the 43 sailors and five civilians wounded in the attack were able to survive, and Grazier was awarded the Navy Cross. Grazier's medals and insignia are contained within a burgundy felt-lined wood case. They include: the Navy Cross, rare 1930's variant with applied roundels; Navy Expeditionary Medal; China Service; American Defense; American Campaign, Asiatic Pacific Campaign; World War II Victory; National Defense, medical service corps collar insignia and shoulder boards, shoulder and collar rank insignia, visor hat bands, two ID tags, five ribbon bars, and the visor removed from Grazier's dress cap. All are in fine condition. Also present is a Navy Certificate of Merit given to Grazier in 1961, following the end of his tenure as Commanding Officer of the Portsmouth Naval Hospital, as well as two ca. 1937 Chinese carved walking sticks. This historic grouping was purchased by a collector directly from Grazier's daughter-in-law in Pittsburgh in 2016, and is sold with the collector's letter of provenance. Despite the fact that the PANAY had three American flags painted on her decks, the Japanese claimed they were not noticed. Three Standard Oil tankers participating in the rescue of refugees were also sunk by the Japanese in the same attack.

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December 7, 2021 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