Lot 810

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Description:

USS ARIZONA 5-INCH GUN MOUNT FLANGE
Excessively rare relic from the day that has lived in infamy-- December 7, 1941, Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor-- one of the five known pieces of a 5-inch gun salvaged from the USS Arizona after she was sunk. The piece, a metal flange measuring 28.26" in circumference, is likely from the gun's swivel-base and has been etched with the inscription, "Pearl Harbor, Dec 7, 1941, section of 5 inch gun, USS ARIZONA". The USS Arizona (BB-39), a Pennsylvania-class battleship, was outfitted with twenty-two 5"/51 caliber guns (in addition to other guns); the 5/51 gun had an effective range of 9 miles, and a maximum elevation of 20 degrees, making it a "low angle gun" unable to counter aircraft attack. The Arizona's inability to use its guns against Japanese planes during Pearl Harbor convinced the US Navy to equip its battleships with the far -superior 5"/38 caliber "dual purpose" gun, which had an 85 degree elevation. US Navy salvage crews managed to recover the Arizona's guns during salvage operations in 1942, many of which were placed back into service for the war effort. From the personal collection of World War II and Civil War historian Michael Miner. Miner's thirty-year collection was built through an extensive system of contacts he developed with artifact hunters and diggers in Europe and the Far East, and he maintained careful records of the items he amassed.

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January 21, 2010 10:00 AM EST
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
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$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 + $1,000