spit9mm Posted February 9, 2012 Share #1 Posted February 9, 2012 This is the commissioning pennant for the USS Newport News, commissioned in 1949 under Captain Roland N. Smoot. Enclosed is a photo of my Uncle Robert James Buehner whom after being Honorably Discharged in 1948 was talked into reenlisting for another four years by Smoot. The story goes that Smoot had befriended my Uncle who during his first four years was a ships Cook Second Class. Smoot supposedly like my Uncles cooking so much that he asked him to reenlist and that he would be promoted to Ships Cook First Class upon a new ship the USS Newport News. After Smoot was reassigned from the Newport News he gave my Uncle the ships Commission Pennant. I have not seen to many of these things around so if anyone has any comment I would like to hear from you Thanks Sal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spit9mm Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share #2 Posted February 9, 2012 Here are a few photos of the pennant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spit9mm Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share #3 Posted February 9, 2012 Photo of Robert James Buehner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spit9mm Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share #4 Posted February 9, 2012 Some Close up photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spit9mm Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share #5 Posted February 9, 2012 Just out of curiosity what do items like this go for in the collectors world? If anyone knows, I'm sure they are relatively rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 10, 2012 Share #6 Posted February 10, 2012 Depending on how often a ship is at sea, they'll go through multiple pennants each year. Sigsaye could probably tell you the normal usage rate, but I have seen them last around a month during a deployment...and upwards of 8+ months while in the yards (depending on weather). Additionally, each CO is typically given one of these as a parting gift during their change of command ceremony (often framed). Normally though, these are disposed of when they get worn out, unless given to someone like your uncle. One would tend to think they'd be a bit more common, but tend not to be. I normally (lots of "normally" here) see a handful of sale per year across ePay and unless they are older or are attributed, they don't bring major money. One like this one, is nice and has a good history to go with it. However, it's post-WW2, so that doesn't give it a premium. If I had to venture a guess, this would bring somewhere between $40 and $85 on eBay, possibly higher if there's someone who collects NEWPORT NEWS items. Personally, I'd frame it along with the photo of your uncle and write up the history to go with it. These look swell framed and on the wall! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDread Posted February 26, 2013 Share #7 Posted February 26, 2013 I'm the web master for http://www.uss-newport-news.com which is the official website for the USS Newport News. Do you have a higher resolution version of the ship's picture that you attached above? I put up a new picture of the ship on our website every month. I've not seen this one before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Meatcan Posted February 26, 2013 Share #8 Posted February 26, 2013 Depending on how often a ship is at sea, they'll go through multiple pennants each year. Sigsaye could probably tell you the normal usage rate, but I have seen them last around a month during a deployment...and upwards of 8+ months while in the yards (depending on weather). Additionally, each CO is typically given one of these as a parting gift during their change of command ceremony (often framed). Normally though, these are disposed of when they get worn out, unless given to someone like your uncle. One would tend to think they'd be a bit more common, but tend not to be. I normally (lots of "normally" here) see a handful of sale per year across ePay and unless they are older or are attributed, they don't bring major money. One like this one, is nice and has a good history to go with it. However, it's post-WW2, so that doesn't give it a premium. If I had to venture a guess, this would bring somewhere between $40 and $85 on eBay, possibly higher if there's someone who collects NEWPORT NEWS items. Personally, I'd frame it along with the photo of your uncle and write up the history to go with it. These look swell framed and on the wall! Dave that's a great idea Dave! That sort of display would be stunning! Hope the OP follows that advice. I'd love to see the finished result. I love that era of heavy cruiser design. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67Rally Posted February 26, 2013 Share #9 Posted February 26, 2013 Dave's comments are spot-on and Sigs would echo them while adding even greater detail. Commissioning pennants while seen infrequently certainly are not a rarity. In my opinion, they are more of a personally-significant item rather than something unique. Considering that, there are unique commissioning pennants - such as the first one raised over a ship as she is placed into commission or the last one as she is decommissioned. When I see one that is pristine it tells me that it is very likely to not have been flown (at least in the case of the modern, screen-printed pennants). The stack gasses are quite dirty and the masts they are flown from (the highest if there are multiples) are typically in close proximity to the stacks so it is a given that they get quite dingy and dirty. In the case of WWII ships, I have seen the pennants (with sewn stripes and embroidered/sewn stars) from WWII in similar condition as yours so I am lead to believe that they were either more impervious to the soot or they were laundered (or perhaps only ceremonially flown??). My own CP (from CG-49) was raised on commissioning day and taken down only a few weeks later (I got it from my SM friend when he was changing it out): This CP was flown over the CL-64 during WWII and is in an archive at Vincennes University that is dedicated to all four Vincennes warships: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 26, 2013 Share #10 Posted February 26, 2013 Here's one that came off the USS OKLAHOMA in 1941. You can see how dirty it became from regular use. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67Rally Posted February 26, 2013 Share #11 Posted February 26, 2013 Whoa, Dave...that is an impressive group! Sooty and tattered is how they should look after flying for an extended period of time (CPs fly 24x7 until they are changed out for a new one). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted February 26, 2013 Share #12 Posted February 26, 2013 While I know little about these and really don't fancy myself much of a knowledgeable person when it comes to USN, I still like the oddity of these. Very cool, thanks for showing them guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
namvet Posted March 3, 2013 Share #13 Posted March 3, 2013 the News served with us in Nam. here's her link on the yacht club http://www.uss-newport-news.com/ on October 1, 1972 she suffered a turrent explosion (number 2) that killed 20 crewmen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KySoldier Posted March 3, 2013 Share #14 Posted March 3, 2013 Great photos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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