World War 1 Arsenal Document Signed by Major General

[Eagleeye1965]

Hello everyone I am new to the forum and this is my first post. I have quite the collection that I have inherited and would like to show some of it to you this evening

Can anyone tell me exactly what this is and how rare this just might be?

 

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Thanks so much for any info or help anyone can give me on here and I hope I posted everything correctly as well.

I think its a beautiful piece of United States history and just hope to hear back from everyone on what they think about this piece

I recently inherited 3 storage units full of collectibles from my grandparents and I am sure there will be many more items to show you all as my grandparents were very much into our history

Thanks everyone and I look forward to enjoying the site with you

Dave in Florida

[gwb123]

We had a discussion on these earlier. The best guess is that they were given to civilian ordnance workers after WWI. You will note that the individual that it is named to does not have military rank.

 

Also note the various positions listed on the columns.

 

WWI was our first "industrial war", and we employed thousands of civilians, many of whom were brought into the industry on short notice. This was apparently the military's way of saying thank you and acknowledging their service.

[Eagleeye1965]

Thank you Gil for the quick reply and wonderful information given I havn't been able to find another like it on the internet and in that, I started really wanting to know more about

I will try to find the earlier post on the discussion

I am considering looking for a nice frame for it now instead of it being held in that tube..think it's overdue for display and also think it will be safe and sound for years to come in a frame

Gil by chance do you know anything about the General who has signed this and also do you think its his genuine signature or is just another one of those copied signatures?

I think its really quite amazing mainly because its been drawn by hand

Again many thanks

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[JBFloyd]

Major General Clarence C. Williams was Chief of Ordnance from 1919 through 1930. A short bio is at: http://www.goordnance.lee.army.mil/history/chiefs/williams.html

 

The document is unusual, but not rare, having been given to the civilians who worked in various ordnance-related facilities. Unfortunately, many collectors overlook this document because it went to civilians rather than military workers. They're around in the $50-75 range.

 

If you look at William's signature under magnification, you should be able to tell if it's a printed signature (the ink impression will be consistent throughout, where an autograph signature will vary in density because of they way people use a pen, and points where lines intersect will usually be heavier on autograph signatures). It's likely to have been signed by a secretary for the general, but that's hard to know without an original signature to compare it with. Colonel Gibson's counter-signature is clearly a secretarial signature (by "RHB").

[Eagleeye1965]

Thank you both very much and now that I understand what exactly this is it sure is unusual! Having common civilians off the streets working in the various facilities (I guess where they would fit in best with whatever talents they had)

and then to be given something nice like this so that your family would know you did help in the cause..The really cool thing now would be to find the family / relatives of the Joseph P. Fox and get this back to them, as it truly belongs in the family.

Now that would make for a great short story for a show like 60 minutes

Here is a nice scan of the Major General's signature..what do you think? A bit tricky to me but my bet is that it looks like a copy

I have a 1805 British Shako Infantry Hat I want to show you guys next

Thanks again!

Dave

 

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[zotig111]

Eagleeye,

I can't wait to see what other treasures you find in the lockers. Keep the photos coming and you'll be up to your 50 posts in no time.

 

Welcome aboard!

[Eagleeye1965]

Thank you Tom and great to hear folks appreciate seeing things like this!

My gramps passed a while back now and being I am currently unemployed it's become my job to research the things he collected and then try to sell and disperse amongst the family members

Let me tell you something..it's a monumental collection of you name it items...he owned a bar in Buffalo for over 40 years and his customers brought in all sorts throughout the years and I think he never got rid of anything by the looks of it

My gramps served in the Airforce in world war 2 and was stationed in Baffin Bay I believe is the name of that..he told me he was up there with a handful of other men and the eskimos..with objective of looking out for I think the Russians maybe??

Here is my favorite photograph of him

Love the Pin -up girls on the wall hahahaa

Stanley J Cichon

My other grandfather served in the Navy and here is my favorite photo of him

 

Teddy P. Szczesniak on the USS North Carolina / 2nd row back 5th from left in sailors hat

I miss you both so very much

[Patriot]

I wouldn't say that World War I was the first "industrial war". The Civil War was fought when the Industrial Revolution was in full swing, and only a small portion of the arms and equipment that was used by both sides was made by the government.Thousands of firms and factories contracted with the governments of both sides to help fill the massive orders to fight that war.