277

Roosevelt, Franklin D. - Signed Presidential.Yacht Log

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
Roosevelt, Franklin D. - Signed Presidential.Yacht Log
<Our item number 119285><B>Roosevelt, Franklin D.</B> &#34;Log of the President&#39;s Inspection Trip and Cruise on Board U.S.S. Potomac 19 March - 1 April 1941&#34; Signed and Inscribed, &#34;<I>for Mike Reilly / from Franklin D. Roosevelt</I>,&#34; in black ink on the title page, 20pp, n.p., n.d. Fine; one tear at upper right corner of front cover; otherwise, light toning only. Michael F. Reilly is listed as a member of the Secret Service, who was on board the U.S.S. Potomac with the President. A picture of FDR and his guests on the cruise, taken March 30, 1941, appears opposite the title page: Harry Hopkins, Attorney General Jackson, and Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes; also pictured are Rear Admiral Ross T. McIntire, who was the President&#39;s physician, and Major General Edwin M. Watson, FDR&#39;s secretary and military aide.<BR><BR>The U.S.S. Potomac was commanded by Lt. Commander G.A. Leahey; the escort vessel, U.S.S. Benson, was commanded by Lt. Commander A.L. Pleasants. The log gives the itin erary of the 2688 miles covered during the cruise, to the Bahamas, including the number, length, and weight of the fish each member of the party caught.<BR><BR>The 165-foot U.S.S. Potomac was built in 1934 as the Coast Guard cutter Electra. In 1936 it was commissioned as a U.S. Navy vessel, renamed the U.S.S. Potomac and served as President Roosevelt&#39;s presidential yacht until his death in 1945. FDR loved the sea and enjoyed spending time on the yacht, fishing, playing poker, and working on his stamp collection. He held family gatherings there, as well as informal strategy sessions with advisors and members of Congress. On March 19, 1941, FDR made one of his famous radio broadcasts from the U.S.S. Potomac. On August 4, 1941, FDR boarded the yacht, supposedly for a fishing trip to Martha&#39;s Vineyard. He was secretly transferred the next day to the heavy cruiser U.S.S. Augusta to travel to Newfoundland, where he would hold the first of his meetings with British Prime Minister Wins ton Churchill and begin a historic partnership. <BR>Estimated Value &#36;4,000-6,000. <BR><BR>Our item number 119285<BR><IMAGES><P ALIGN="CENTER"><IMG SRC="http://www.goldbergcoins.net/liveauction/43jpegs/119285.jpg"> </P></IMAGES>