Sale 208 Lot 319

HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT U.S. WORLD WAR II/PEARL HARBOR TELEGRAM TRANSMITTING FIRST NEWS OF BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR TO WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, DC. Urgent message from Signal Corps, United States Army, Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. received at the War Department Signal Center, Room 3441, Munitions Building, 18th Street and Constitution Avenue, Washington, DC, by Robert M. Hodge, War Department, Message Center Chief, on December 7, 1941, at 3:38 pm. The message sent from CINCPAC(Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet Admiral Husband Edward Kimmel) reads: "HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN COMMENCED WITH AIR RAID ON PEARL" and "NUMBER 27".

Stamped "URGENT" twice, upper right and lower left in purple ink.

The message confirms the start of the attack on Pearl Harbor, which occurred on the same day. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor triggered the United States' entry into World War II.

The attack on Pearl Harbor was surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, on morning of December 7, 1941. The attack triggered the United States' entry into World War II. Over 2,400 Americans were killed, and numerous ships and aircraft were destroyed or damaged. The USS Arizona was completely destroyed, and the USS Oklahoma capsized. The attack lasted for approximately one hour and 15 minutes.

Transmitted on S.C. Form No. 11 cream color two-hole punched paper, 8 in. x 8 in. Framed loosely (not laid down) in wooden box frame. Accompanied by typed letter dated Sept. 5, 1940, on War Department Stationery, appointing Robert M. Hodge to position of War Department Message Center Chief.
Estimate $25,000-50,000

PROVENANCE: Estate Robert M. Hodge to his wife, Helen Hodge of Silver Spring, MD, to Stephen Cox, their grandson, to current owners.