Sale 2503 - Printed & Manuscript African Americana, March 28, 2019

337 337 c   (MILITARY—WORLDWARTWO.) Roll of Honor, World’s Great War for Freedom. Poster, 19 1 / 2 x 15 1 / 2 inches to sight, serving as frame for an original color photograph of a soldier, 5 x 3 1 / 4 inches oval to sight, and completed in manuscript with the soldier’s name; some edge wear; not examined out of period frame. Woodmere, NY: George J. Mayer, circa 1945 [300/400] Bennie E. Byard (1919-2002), the holder of this patriotic display certificate, was a resident of coastal Glynn County, GA who enlisted in June 1943. 338 338 c   (MILITARY.) Wise, Leonard. Scrapbook kept as a paratrooper. 54 photographs (mostly small), mounted on 27 scrapbook pages. Oblong 8vo, original calf, minimal wear; a few leaves coming loose and slightly worn at fore-edge. Vp, 1953-56 [400/600] Leonard C. Wise (born 1934) of Hudson, NY enlisted into the United States Army in September 1953 for a three-year term. He cycled through various bases including Camp Kilmer, NJ; Camp Rucker, AL; Fort Bragg, NC; and West Point, NY. He trained as a paratrooper and reached the rank of corporal. His scrapbook is embellished with long dated captions on every page, many of them humorous, including poker games, dozens of paratroopers falling through the sky, and the Japanese women his brother met overseas. The last entry, though, is in earnest: “I don’t think there will ever be anyone who will be prouder than I to say I was once a United States paratrooper. It was very good experience and something I’ll always remember.”