Admiral Nimitz's Pen

[gregkoos]

The US Naval Academy has this c1926 Parker Senior Duofold on exhibit. It belonged to Admiral Chester Nimitz, who used it to sign the Japanese surrender to Allied forces in 1945.

 

[welch]

I guess that Nimitz felt no need to buy a new pen if his Duofold worked well. Smart man.

[delano]

That's interesting. I am sure there were much more ornate, ceremonial looking pens available, but the momentous occasion was cemented into posterity with an old workhorse of a pen.

[ac12]

Similar to MacArthur, who used his wife's pen. Her pen was then lost, some time after war.

[Frank C]

Thanks for posting this. I have toured the USS Missouri several times. It is very moving to visit the USS Arizona and the USS Missouri on the same day. The USS Nevada was also in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7. It was the only ship to get its boilers going and it tried to leave Pearl Harbor. Ultimately, the Captain ran her aground to avoid being sunk in the channel and blocking it.

[welch]

Thanks for posting this. I have toured the USS Missouri several times. It is very moving to visit the USS Arizona and the USS Missouri on the same day. The USS Nevada was also in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7. It was the only ship to get its boilers going and it tried to leave Pearl Harbor. Ultimately, the Captain ran her aground to avoid being sunk in the channel and blocking it.

 

I think a junior officer commanded the Nevada on December 7. It's late, and I won't bother to look it up. The main point is right: Nevada got under way, the only battleship to do so, and steamed down "battleship row" with every flag flying and every Japanese plane turning to attack her. Would have been a disaster if Nevada had sunk in the channel, so the right decision was to beach her.

[Man O War]

I think a junior officer commanded the Nevada on December 7. It's late, and I won't bother to look it up. The main point is right: Nevada got under way, the only battleship to do so, and steamed down "battleship row" with every flag flying and every Japanese plane turning to attack her. Would have been a disaster if Nevada had sunk in the channel, so the right decision was to beach her.

 

It was a Lieutenant Commander, who was on duty that day. I met him in 1997 at a Naval ROTC event at the University of Missouri. There is a memorial where she was run aground at Hospital Point. Sailed by it many, many times. Edited June 21, 2015 by Master and Commander