Wake Island Collection

SUMMARY: We are offering two important historic relics-namely the Last Flag to be removed from Wake Island on Dec. 8,1941 and a very rare U.S. Marine Shoulder Patch shoulder patch. Price:$17,500.00

LAST FLAG FROM WAKE ISLAND

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem. -----Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, 1985.

Wake Island-"The Alamo of The Pacific War"

The Battle for Wake Island was one of the first battles at the beginning of World War II and the Pacific War. Our Marines, outnumbered and outgunned by both naval and air power, fought magnificently in defense of this remote speck of coral and sand in the Pacific. In fact, despite daunting odds, our Marines were able to repulse the first amphibious landing attempt by the Japanese and this was the one and only amphibious landing that failed by either military in the entire War in the Pacific.The battle for Wake Island lasted from December 8 to December 23, 1941.It was not until the Marine garrison had been subjected to 16 straight air raids and a massive invasion that the island finally fell. The final message from Wake was "Enemy on Island--Issue In Doubt."

Before the war started the only inhabitants of Wake were personnel of Pan American Airways who constructed a small village, nicknamed "PAAville", to service flights on its U.S.-China route. The Pan Am village remained in operation up to the day of the first Japanese air raid or December 8, 1941. The flag we are offering was brought out by the Pan Ameres during the first Japanese attack on December 8. It was the only item removed from the island and it was given to a Pan Am official who kept it until it was once sold before being acquired in a second sale by the present owner.The flag has an impeccable provenance.

As war clouds were beginning to rise the U.S. Navy began to organize and deploy defense battalions to the Pacific. According to The U.S. Marine History center with which we communicated on August 19, the first permanent military garrison, elements of the 1st Marine Defense Battalion, totaling 449 officers and men, were stationed on the island. They were commanded by Navy Commander Infield Scott Cunningham. Also on the island were 68 U.S. Naval personnel and about 1,221 civilian workers.When the island fell to the Japanese many of the workers were retained on the island to work on constructing Japanese military installations but many of them were eventually massacred and the Japanese responsible were tried and convicted of war crimes for that act. An original patch of the 1st Marine Defense battalion is shown and is part of this collection.

This offering then consists of the flag brought off Wake Island, December 8, 1941 by the Pan Am clipper which fled the island during the first attack. The condition of the 48 star American flag is as shown, The 'fly' of the flag is somewhat tattered as shown probably frayed by the wind rather than as a consequence of the battle. Also being offered is a souvenier leather patch that was created after the batle as a memorial to the 1st U.S. Marine Defense Battalion on Wake Island.

All items sold by the History Buff, Inc. come with documentation and a certified opinion as to authenticity.

Price: $17,500.00