USS GENERAL D.E. AULTMAN (AP-156)

[Guest Mister44]

Howdy gang.

 

I found this site as I was trying to learn more about the item I have. I believe I have chatted with Disney Dave before when I found his website about his book. I have to say that his collection is fantastic. I can't believe all the originals he has acquired. Most impressive.

 

My piece was given to my one day by my grandmother. I am not sure why - I guess she thought I liked comic books and so she gave it to me. I ams soooo glad she did.

 

The Aultman was a troop ship, carrying gear and men from the European Theater to the Pacific. It was a Navy ship, but the Coast Guard was in charge of her. My grandpa was a career Coastie, and was a Chief Warrant Officer (I believe that was his rank, they may call it something else. He was the highest NCO you can be in the Coast Guard).

 

As I understand it, Disney made these little items up as morale boosters. Prints were made and sold/given away to the troops. Looking through some of the sample (which is AWESOME because up until now I have never seen another print like mine), I count myself lucky that mine features not one, but two of the main ensemble. We have Donald Rowing a boat with Pluto in GI gear and a sign floating in the water, pointing the way to Tokyo.

 

I was hoping you guys would tell me a few things:

 

1) Was the print made through a screen print process??

 

2) About how many were made of each one? Any clues?

 

3) Any idea on the value? Should I be insuring this thing?

 

At any rate, now that my grandparents are gone, this makes a fantastic heirloom at I am going to get it professionally framed with the anti-UV glass and everything.

 

Sooo - with out waiting any longer here is the link to the file (512k on a slowish server).

USS Aultman

[disneydave]

Hello.

 

Yes we've corresponded before - thanks for the kind comments about my blog and my collection.

 

Here is an image of the USS General D.E. Aultman AP-156 as supplied by Mister44:

 

 

A friend of mine actually owns the original painted art for this ship. Here's some history I've pulled from my insignia database:

 

 

USS General D.E. Aultman AP-156

 

Dwight Edward Aultman was born in February 1872. During the Spanish-American War he fought in the Battle of San Juan Hill and in World War I he was an artillery commander in France. He received the Distinguished Service Medal and returned to the United States in 1919 as Commanding General, Camp Knox, Kentucky. Brigadier General Aultman's last command was the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

 

Commissioned May 1945.

 

Transported troops, nurses and Red Cross workers from Europe to the Pacific theater, and then transported troops to Manila. Made two "Magic-Carpet" voyages to the Far East transporting troops back to the United States. Transferred to the Army Transportation Service and eventually placed into the National Defense Reserve Fleet.

 

Decommissioned March 1946.

 

Insignia created: July 1945

Description: Donald Duck and Pluto in a rowboat sailing for Tokyo

Background: DANFS

 

As to your questions:

 

1) yes, I think the prints made for sale to men in the unit were made using a type of silk screen process.

2) the number made was probably dependent on the number of men in the unit.

3) the original painted art is probably worth $2,000, the pencil drawing $750, and a print $100.

[SergeantMajorGray]

Awesome art. I have a Coast Guardsman's jumper that was on this ship it was entirely crewed by the Coast Guard.