Beschreibung:

this collection has some of the finest WWII photography Cowan's Auctions has had the privilege to sell. The archive consists of three albums, two photograph albums and the third a collection of newspaper clippings and other ephemera from Col. Bacon's service, as well as a group of medals and dog tags. The first album has a collection of five photographs liberated from Adolf Hitler's mountain retreat of the Eagles Nest, by Col. Bacon. Bacon was with the 119th U.S. Field Artillery and part of his duty was the clearing of mines and other German obstacles. While performing this duty he was the first Allied unit to arrive at the Eagles Nest and liberated a number of souvenirs, including these five photographs that are unquestionably from the personal collection of either Hitler or Eva Braun. Three of the images are 2.5" x 3.6" and show Hitler dressed in white jacket with Nazi party armband, flanked by Eva at right in a white dress and his sister Paula in a flower print dress, all seated on a sofa; the fourth photo taken at the same time is slightly larger, 3.2" x 4.7"; all have period pencil inscriptions on reverse in the same hand, three smaller with Roman numerals III, IV, VI in upper right corner and illegible group of letters in center. The fifth image is 3.2" x 4.2" and shows the interior of one of the rooms at Eagles Nest with Chinese-style bed, writing desk with vase of flowers and miniature portrait of Fredrick the Great, china cupboard with bronze of an African elephant on top, chairs, table and other decorations with tiger skin rug on floor, reverse with period pencil inscription with what appears to be Hilte and inked inscription by Bacon reading Front Room our C.P. (command post). This album also has 18 photographs, 2.25" x 3.4" taken by Col. Bacon while at the Eagles Nest, including an image of Goering's nearby home, view from large picture window, his mine clearing group arriving and more. This album also includes more than 500 other images, most 2.5" x 4" silver prints taken by Col. Bacon. They show his interests in German fortifications, armour and artillery, with many fine images of captured and destroyed German equipment, mine fields, his aerial recon unit, a group of images from Normandy, including destruction on Utah Beach, showing what a muddy mess the place was, destroyed French towns and cities near Normandy, such as St. Lo, Eglise and others, captured German photographs including a group showing the military funeral conducted by the German army for a downed Allied pilot, several disturbing images from Ludwigslust Concentration Camp with victims, camp life, death and captured German soldiers, clearing mines from bridge while crossing the Rhine, abandoned German equipment, Allied armor, large group of very interesting images from the ill-fated Hurtgen Forest battle, and much more; more than 1000 photographs in the archive, most taken by Col. Bacon. The scrapbook album has printed roster of 119th Field Artillery, several photographs of the unit members, dozens of articles - newspaper and periodical - showing the progress of the war in Europe, many telegrams, and other items including copy letter from President Roosevelt to members of Expeditionary forces, a page with nine shoulder patches, including 2nd Army Artillery Corps, 85th Infantry (Custer Division), three different General Headquarters patches, 11th Corps patch and 4th Army patch. This album has many items saved from the units training in the United States and was likely made by his wife. The medals include a sterling marksman's medal with one Pistol and two Pistol-D bars, Asian Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Medal, American Defense Medal, European, African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, enameled collar button for Asiatic Pacific, Ribbon bar, solid blue silk with five campaign stars, collar button with eagle, also known as the "Ruptured Duck" and a medal unknown to us with solid dark blue silk and gilt hanging sword. Lot also includes one dog tag Henry F.