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Harry S. Truman

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:3,000.00 - 4,000.00 USD
Harry S. Truman

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Auction Date:2011 Jun 15 @ 18:00 (UTC-05:00 : EST/CDT)
Location:5 Rt 101A Suite 5, Amherst, New Hampshire, 03031, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Two documents: an engraved DS, signed as president, one page, 12 x 9.75, dated March 29, 1947. Truman presents John Wesley Snyder the Medal of Merit. In full: “To all who shall see these presents, Greeting: This is to Certify that the President of the United States of America in accordance with the Order issued by General George Washington at Headquarters, Newburgh, New York, on August 7, 1782, and pursuant to Act of Congress, has awarded the Medal For Merit to John Wesley Snyder for extraordinary fidelity and exceptionally Meritorious Conduct Given Under My Hand in the City of Washington this 29th day of March 1947.”

And a DS, signed as president, one page, 8 x 10, dated March 29, 1947. A citation to accompany Snyder’s award of the Medal of Merit. In full: “John Wesley Snyder, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the United States from August, 1940 to August, 1943. Mr. Snyder, as Executive Vice President of the Defense Plant Corporation, effectively directed the detailed organization of the Corporation to provide for the financing and construction of facilities required for the successful prosecution of the war. As a result of his foresight, initiative, and great ability he played an outstanding part in providing American industry and the Armed Services with the machine tools and plants with which to forge the weapons for victory. Under his aggressive leadership and diligent efforts, aircraft plants were constructed and equipped in a minimum of time, and the productive capacity to support a modern air force was thus established. Mr. Snyder's achievements and patriotic devotion reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Government of the United States.”

Both documents are tipped in to a custom-made green Morocco leather softcover scrapbook (lightly affixed at their corners), 13.5 x 11.25, imprinted in gilt on the cover. Additional pages in the scrapbook bear an image of the medal, an Acme news photo of Mr. and Mrs. Truman, Snyder, his wife, and daughter, after having received the medal from Truman, two clipped news reports of the presentation, and an eight-page list of the 238 recipients of the Medal of Merit. In fine overall condition, with some scattered light toning and soiling to both documents, and expected handling wear to scrapbook.

During World War II, the federal government financed numerous arsenal-type facilities—such as the Defense Plant Corporation—to bolster the war effort and “the successful prosecution of the war.” Approximately $25 billion was funneled toward such private endeavors, with Snyder, as executive vice president of the Defense Plant Corporation, financing plants with some rather large expenditures such as the facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee...the very facility that oversaw the construction of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, effectively ended World War II. The president here highly praises Snyder, who went on to serve in Truman’s cabinet, for “his foresight, initiative, and great ability...in providing American industry and the Armed Services with the machine tools and plants with which to forge the weapons for victory.” Honors such as this, bestowed upon high-ranking federal officials, are seldom encountered.