Description:

WALTER BEDELL SMITH
(1895 - 1961) Army general who served as Eisenhower's chief- of-staff during the Tunisia Campaign and the invasion of Italy in 1943. Beginning in the next year, he was Eisenhower's chief-of-staff at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). T.L.S. on First Army letterhead, 1p. 8vo., New York, Sep. 6, 1950 to a publisher declining to appear on 'Meet the Press': '...I am going to take over a new job in Washington next month which promises to be as difficult as anything that I have yet undertaken...my plans for the immediate future also call for a good deal less talking and a lot more listening...' Light red pencil line beneath signature, else very good. Smith became the Director of the CIA on October 7, 1950. He would have a difficult time estimating enemy troop strength in Korea, but did a superb job streamlining and otherwise modernizing the organization.

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June 26, 2025 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 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000