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Gathering of Eagles Autographed Lithographs   11 Lots      

Lot 237.  1983 “Gathering of Eagles” Print Signed by 27 Aviators – Yeager, Sakai, the Haizlips, Vaughn, Hill, Borman, Etc. John Ficklen’s “Great Moments in Aviation History” lithograph, matted to 30” x 35”, features a variety of World War I and II aircraft, as well as a space shuttle and capsule. The print is hand-signed in pencil by 27 aviation pioneers, including: “Tex” Hill (died 2007), U.S. World War II ace; Chuck Yeager, the U.S. test pilot who was the first to travel faster than sound; Olli Puhakka, World War II ace from Finland (d. 1989), and Saburo Sakai (d. 2000), the fourth-ranking ace in Japan’s World War II Navy. Also, James G. Haizlip, legendary air racer who learned to fly with the French in World War I and won the second Bendix Trophy race, and his wife, Mary Haizlip, the second woman in the U.S. to receive her commercial pilot’s license. For seven years, she held the world’s speed record for women, and at the 1931 National Air Races, she was the second highest money winner, man or woman. The other autographs are by George Vaughn Jr., World War I ace; Leigh Wade, aviation pioneer who began flying in the 1920s and commanded a U.S. air base in Cuba during WWII; Pete Quesada, (d. 1993), pioneer in developing tactical air power, lieutenant general and one-time owner of the Washington Senators; Witold Urbanowicz, Jack Cram, recipient of the Navy Cross for heroism at Guadalcanal; Clive Caldwell, Australia’s top fighter ace of WWII with 28.5 victories; John W. Oswalt, pilot of the first WWII forward air control aircraft who later helped to develop the U.S. Army’s first armed helicopter; Francis (Gabby) Gabreski (d. 2002), one of the top-scoring U.S. aces of WWII; Günther Rall, Pierre Clostermann, WWII French fighter ace; William Hudson, Carl Fraser, Frank Borman, retired NASA commander of Apollo 8, the first mission to fly around the Moon; Maxie Anderson, pilot and commander of the crew that completed the first trans-Atlantic crossing in a gas balloon in 1978; Punch Dickens, pioneering Canadian aviator, bush pilot and World War I bomber pilot; John Cunningham, Paul W. Tibbets, (d. 2007), commander and pilot of the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima; James Brewer, Cook Cleland, Bernie Fisher, the first living U.S. Air Force recipient of the Medal of Honor and the first USAF member to receive it in Vietnam, and Joe Engle, one of the first astronauts in the Space Shuttle program and commander of the second orbital test flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1981. Kevin Keating authenticated the autographs, which are 9s and 10s. This lithograph was issued in an edition of 1,000. This copy is numbered HC 3/100. HC, or Hors Commerce, prints are seldom offered to the public. They typically are used for commercial purposes such as entering shows or advertising. The Gathering of Eagles is an annual event at the U.S. Air Force’s Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. It focuses on the study of aviation history and the contributions of aviation pioneers. Winning Bid $198.

Lot 238.  1984 “Gathering of Eagles” Print Signed by Doolittle, Schirra, Ridgway, McCampbell, Cheshire, 19 Other Aviators. This is the first Gathering of Eagles “Great Moments in History” lithographs to feature images of the signers. Jay Ashurst created the artwork, which is presented as a triptych double-matted to 32” x 40”. The central image, about 18” x 25”, presents a variety of aircraft, from World War I to the Space Age. Plates on each side of the aircraft contain the portraits and pencil autographs of J. H. (Jimmy) Doolittle (died 1993), who received the Medal of Honor for leading the Doolittle Raid on Japan; Gerald Young (d. 1990), Medal of Honor recipient in the Vietnam War; E. Ilmari Juutilainen (d. 1999), Finland’s top World War II ace; Matthew Ridgway (d. 1993), who commanded the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division in WWII and contributed significantly to the U.S. Korean War effort; Wally Schirra (d. 2007), the only astronaut to fly in all three of the first U.S. space programs; Douglas Campbell, WWI fighter pilot, the first American flying in an American unit to achieve the status of ace; James H. Howard, Medal of Honor recipient; Waclaw Makowski, WWII commander of the Polish Air Force; Leonard Cheshire, British pilot who received the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest award for gallantry; John F. Whiteley, pilot of the first cross-continental bomber flight in 1923; David McCampbell (d. 1996), all-time leading ace of the U.S. Navy with 34 WWII victories; Haywood S. Hansell, Jr., a general and leading advocate for strategic bombing and daylight precision bombing; Roland de la Poype, French fighter ace; Jose Larios, Spanish Civil War ace; Adolf Galland (d. 1996), WWII commander of Germany’s fighter force and an ace with 104 victories; Bram van der Stok, the Netherlands’ most decorated aviator and one of the three men to escape to freedom in The Great Escape; Bryce Poe (II) (d. 2000), four-star general; Chuck Yeager, famous test pilot and WWII ace; Chesley G. Peterson, U.S. ace and commander of the famous 4th Fighter Group 1942-1943; Robert H.M. Gibbes, a leading Australian fighter ace; Marion E. Carl (d. 1998), the first U.S. Marine Corps ace in World War II; Randy (Duke) Cunningham, fighter ace in Vietnam; Leon W. Johnson, Air Force general and Medal of Honor recipient, and Brewster H. Shaw, Jr., astronaut. The artist also signed; the signatures are 9s and 10s authenticated by Kevin Keating. This print is numbered HC 45. HC, or Hors Commerce, prints are seldom offered to the public. They typically are used for commercial purposes such as entering shows or advertising. Winning Bid $198.

Lot 239.  1988 “Gathering of Eagles” Print Signed by Aces, Astronauts and Flight Pioneers - LeMay, Hill, Slayton, Etc. Two aces are among the 18 aviators who autographed this Jay Ashurst lithograph, which is double-matted to 32” x 40”. Ashurst was commissioned to produce the artwork by the U.S. Air Force’s Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. The Gathering of Eagles program focuses on the study of aviation history and the contributions of aviation pioneers. Numbered 114 of 1,200, the print honors the class of 1987. William T. Badham (died 1991), who served in World War I; “Tex” Hill (died 2007), U.S. World War II ace; Francis S. Gabreski (d. 2002), one of the top-scoring U.S. aces of WWII, and Chuck DeBellevue, a Vietnam veteran, are the aces. In 1972, DeBellevue became the first Air Force Weapons System Officer to become an ace when he was credited with his sixth MIG kill. Ralph Parr achieved another first: accumulating more than 8,000 flying hours and carrying out 641 combat missions in three wars, he became the only person ever awarded both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Air Force Cross. The Space Age is represented by Deke Slayton (d. 1993), one of the original NASA Mercy Seven astronauts, NASA’s Director of Flight Crew Operations 1963-72 and the oldest person to fly into space until he was surpassed by John Glenn. One of the top achievers among the group is Tom (Thomas H.) Moorer (d. 2004), Navy pilot who achieved the rank of admiral and served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Other signers are Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, pilot and co-pilot for the Voyager aircraft that flew around the world in 1986; Bob Knapp (d. 1994), aviation pioneer who received U.S. pilot license #185, served in three wars and led the first Allied attack on Rome in World War II; Bee Beamont (d. 2001), British WWII fighter pilot; Thomas H. Miller (d. 2007), combat veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam, test pilot who set a world speed record in an F4H-1 (F4B) Phantom, the first American to fly the Marine Corps’ AV-8A Harrier jet and generally regarded as the Corps’ “father of STOVL (short take-off and vertical landing) aviation”; Joseph H Moore (d. 2006), pilot who achieved the rank of lieutenant general; Gen. Curtis LeMay, who oversaw a strategic bombing campaign in the Pacific Theater in WWII and headed the Berlin Airlift; Tony LeVier (d. 1998), air racer and test pilot for the Lockheed Corporation from the 1940s to the 1970; Richard C. Catledge (d. 2007), U.S. Air Force general who formed and originally led the Thunderbirds, R. F. Toliver and Chuck Yeager. Kevin Keating authenticated the autographs, which are in pencil. The Badham autograph is nm 7. The others are 9s and 10s. A high-quality color softcover book accompanies the print; it contains a description of the artwork, as well as a portrait of each aviator, biographical information and a description of the plane the aviator flew. Winning Bid $113.

Lot 240.  1991 “Gathering of Eagles” Print Signed by 20 Aviation Pioneers, Aces, a WASP Pilot and Jay Ashurst created this artwork for the U.S. Air Force’s Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. Featuring the images of 20 aviators and the aircraft they flew, it honors the ACSC class of 1991. The Gathering of Eagles program focuses on the study of aviation history and the contributions of aviation pioneers. Each aviator autographed the lithograph, HC 9 of 100, next to his or her image. HC, or Hors Commerce, prints are seldom offered to the public. They typically are used for commercial purposes such as entering shows or advertising. Authenticated by Kevin Keating, the signatures are 9s and 10s in pencil. Those recognized are: R. E. Galer (died 2005), a U.S. Marine Corps pilot who received the Medal of Honor for heroism in aerial combat during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II; Joe M. Jackson, who flew for the U.S. in three wars and earned the Medal of Honor in 1968 for a heroic rescue at Kham Duc, South Vietnam; Vermont Garrison (d. 1994), who achieved ace status in both World War II and Korea; Francis S. Gabreski (d. 2002), one of the top-scoring U.S. aces of WWII; (Leonard B.) Tuck Smith (d. 2006), U.S. Navy pilot and veteran of three wars who found and led the attack on the German battleship Bismarck; Barbara E. (Erickson) London, Women’s Army Service Pilot (WASP) who, in 1943, made four 2,000-mile trips to Europe to deliver P-47, P-51, and C-47 aircraft in just five day and was the only woman to receive the Air Medal in WWII; Chuck Yeager, U.S. Air Force test pilot, retired major general and the first pilot to fly faster than sound; Fitz Fulton, Korean War pilot and NASA test pilot; Ernst K Gann (d. 1991) aviation pioneer who flew The Hump in WWII and wrote “The High and the Mighty” and “Fate Is the Hunter”; (Richard O.) Dick Covey, U.S. Air Force officer and astronaut veteran of four space flights; Russ Schleeh who, in 20 years with the Air Force, tested virtually every bomber from the B-17 Flying Fortress to the B-52 Stratofortress; Joe Smith, John S. Loisel, Andrew Auld, Rick Brickert, (A. G.) Tony Dudgeon, Hansgeorg Bätcher, (M. A.) Tony Liskutin, HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands and Horacio Mir Gonzalez. Ashurst also signed the print, which is double-matted to 32” x 40”. A high-quality color softcover book accompanies the print; it contains a description of the artwork, as well as a portrait of each aviator, biographical information and a description of the plane the aviator flew. A high-quality color softcover book accompanies the print; it contains a description of the artwork, as well as a portrait of each aviator, biographical information and a description of the plane the aviator flew. Winning Bid $125.

Lot 241.  1996 “Gathering of Eagles Print” Signed by 20 – Vietnam MOH Pilot, Jet Ace, First African-American Marine Pilot, Etc. Jay Ashurst provides portraits of the aviators in two side panels and representations of the planes they flew in a central panel. The Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama commissioned the artwork as “A Tribute to Leadership.” The Gathering of Eagles program focuses on the study of aviation history and the contributions of aviation pioneers. Signatures on the lithograph, double-matted to 32” x 40” and numbered 757 of 1,200, are 9s and 10s in pencil. Authenticated by Kevin Keating, the autographs are by Bruce P. Crandall, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Ia Drang, during which he flew 22 missions in an unarmed helicopter into enemy fire to bring ammunition and supplies and evacuate the wounded; (Ralph D.) Hoot Gibson, who became the world’s third jet ace in the Korean War; (Stanley) S. W. Vejtasa, World War II ace who set a record for a Wildcat pilot by scoring seven victories in one mission; Frank E. Peterson, first African-American pilot in the Marines Corps (served in Korea and Vietnam) and the first promoted to general; Sabiha Gocken (d. 2001), the first female combat pilot in the world and the first Turkish aviatrix; (Henry E.) Pete Warden, “the father of the B-52”; Richard Knobloch (d. 2010), one of the 80 airmen who, under the leadership of Jimmy Doolittle, participated in the first bombing raid over Tokyo in World War II; Jerry Leatherman, Desert Storm pilot who delivered a devastating blow to a crucial Iraqi communications facility during the opening minutes of the Gulf War under intense anti-aircraft fire; Bill Kirk, U.S. Air Force pilot who served in Vietnam and became a four-star general and Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe; Chuck Yeager, the U.S. test pilot who was the first to travel faster than sound; Marcel Albert, Jim Swett, Raymond A. Lallemant, Warren Schrader, Peter Twiss, Pavel Taran, Robert S. Johnson, (Diether) D. Lukesch, Joe Shannon and (John) J. Capellupo. A high-quality color softcover book accompanies the print; it contains a description of the artwork, as well as a portrait of each aviator, biographical information and a description of the plane the aviator flew. Winning Bid $83.

Lot 242.  1998 “Gathering of Eagles” Print Signed by 20 Aviation Heroes of Various Wars - Donahue, Risner, Hill, Yeager, Etc. A Medal of Honor recipient, fighter aces and pioneers of aviation signed this Jay Ashurst lithograph, #167 of 1,000 and double-matted to 32” x 40”. Ashurst produced this triptych for the Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell Air Force Base and its Gathering of Eagles program, which emphasizes the study of aviation history and the contributions of aviation pioneers. The 20 aviators and the artist autographed the print in pencil. Authenticated by Kevin Keating, the autographs are 9s and 10s. Fred Ferguson was the first Army aviator to receive the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. Four aces are here, Archie Donahue (d. 2007), who twice shot down five Japanese planes in a single day in World War II; Herschel H Green (d. 2006), the leading ace of the Fifteenth Air Force, who downed 18 enemy aircraft and destroyed 10 more on the ground; Robinson Risner, Korean War ace, decorated Vietnam War pilot and seven-year POW, and the first living member of the service to receive the Air Force Cross twice, and “Tex” Hill (died 2007), U.S. World War II ace and a member of the Flying Tigers. Others who signed are Chuck Yeager, the U.S. test pilot who was the first to travel faster than sound; Connie Bowlin, the fourth female pilot of Delta Airlines and a member of the Warbirds of America Hall of Fame; Earl Brown, one of only three African-American F-86 pilots and wingman to three Korean War aces; Fernando Soto, a Honduran pilot who shot down two El Salvador fighters in the 1969 “Soccer War”; Alan Mulally, former Boeing executive, now the head of Ford Motor, and apparently too busy to sign more than his first name; Don Engen (d. 1999), decorated U.S. Navy pilot who headed the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum; Bob Titus, who flew more than 500 combat missions in Korea and Vietnam; Robert L. Gibson, astronaut who participated in five space missions, (Thorsteinn) T. E. Jonsson, Russ Bannock, Ron Fogelman, Pat Epps, Madan (KC Chetri), Giora Even and Bob Wright. A high-quality color softcover book accompanies the print; it contains a description of the artwork, as well as a portrait of each aviator, biographical information and a description of the plane the aviator flew. Winning Bid $152.

Lot 243.  1999 “Gathering of Eagles” Print Signed by Pete Conrad, 8 Fighter Aces, Etc. The Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell Air Force Base commissioned Jay Ashurst to produce this lithograph for its Gathering of Eagles program, which emphasizes the study of aviation history and the contributions of aviation pioneers. Twenty-two aviators and Ashurst signed the print in pencil. The signatures are 9s and 10s. Kevin Keating provided the authentication. Astronaut Charles (Pete) Conrad died in a 1999 motorcycle accident after he had joined the other aviators in signing the print. The third person to walk on the moon, Conrad flew on the Gemini 5 and 11, Apollo 12, and Skylab 2 missions. Three of the aces represented in this group were members of the Flying Tigers: John R Rossi, Joe Rosbert (d. 2009) and “Tex” Hill (d. 2007). Other aces are Joe DeBlanc (d. 2007), a World War II Marine Corps fighter pilot who was awarded the Medal of Honor; Bruce Holloway (d. 1999), WWII ace who later headed the Strategic Air Command; Guy Bordelon, the U.S. Navy’s first ace of the Korean War, and Dolph Overton, who shot down five Communist fighter aircraft to become an ace in only four days during the Korean War. Other signers are Ramsay Potts (d. 2006), highly decorated World War II bomber pilot; Chuck Yeager, the U.S. test pilot who was the first to travel faster than sound; Bill Harrell (d. 2006) World War II Air Force pilot who achieved the rank of major general; Woody Crockett, one of the Tuskegee Airmen; Ralph Puckett, Jr., who led the 8th Army Ranger Company during the Korean War and received the Distinguished Service Cross; Linda Finch, aviatrix and aviation historian who restored vintage aircraft and, in 1997, faithfully recreated Amelia Earhart’s ill-fated final flight in a restored Lockheed Electra 10E; Chuck Horner, (Sir Patrick) Paddy Hine, Philip Condit, A. Vybornov, David P. Fowler, Sam Johnson, Amir Nachumi and Dave Ferguson. The unnumbered print is double-matted to 32’ x 40”. A high-quality color softcover book accompanies the print; it contains a description of the artwork, as well as a portrait of each aviator, biographical information and a description of the plane the aviator flew. Winning Bid $125.

Lot 244.  2001 “Gathering of Eagles” Print Signed by NASA’s Bolden, 15 Other Aviators - Bud Day, Blesse, Etc. A former pilot and major general in the U.S. Marine Corps, C. F. (Charlie) Bolden Jr., heads a group of aviation notables who autographed this Jay Ashurst print that was commissioned by the Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell Air Force Base. Bolden piloted Space Shuttles Columbia and Discovery and commanded Discovery and Atlantis crews. He became NASA Administrator last year. Another astronaut signed the print, Joe Engle, commander of the second orbital test flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1981. Three fighter aces are among the 16 aviators illustrated in the three-panel print, numbered 596 of 750, double-matted to 32” x 40” and titled Legends and Leaders of Aerospace: Boots Blesse, U.S. jet ace in the Korean War with nine kills; (Randy) “Duke” Cunningham, one of two U.S. Navy flying aces during the Vietnam War, and Robbie Risner, Korean War ace, decorated Vietnam War pilot and seven-year POW, and the first living member of the service to receive the Air Force Cross twice. (George E.) Col Bud Day received the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam; he is generally regarded as the most decorated U.S. service member since Gen. MacArthur. Others who signed are R. A. (Bernard) Schriever (d. 2005), who had a major role in the U.S. Air Force programs for space and ballistic missile research; Herbert E. Carter, a Tuskegee Airman who reached the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force; Red Blount (d. 2002), who trained to be a B-29 pilot late in WWII and served as U.S. Postmaster General 1969-72; Florene Miller Watson, one of only 25 women to qualify for the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron, later known as the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASPS); Don Parker, who played a central role in developing and modernizing Army Aviation; Jerry Denton, retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, naval aviator and a former Republican U.S. Senator from Alabama who spent almost eight years as a POW in Vietnam, Bob Goebel, Hank Potter, Jerry Denton, Stan Ritchie and Sean D. Tucker. The autographs in pencil are generally nm-m 8 or better. In Blount’s signature, only “Red” is clearly recognizable. Kevin Keating authenticated the signatures. The Gathering of Eagles program emphasizes the study of aviation history and the contributions of aviation pioneers. A high-quality color softcover book accompanies the print; it contains a description of the artwork, as well as a portrait of each aviator, biographical information and a description of the plane the aviator flew. Winning Bid $113.

Lot 245.  2004 “Gathering of Eagles” Medal of Honor recipients and flying aces are among the signers of this lithograph, #143 of 750, based on Jay Ashurst artwork commissioned by the Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell Air Force Base. Double-matted to 32” x 40”, the print is signed in pencil by two Medal of Honor awardees, Bud Day and Ed (Too Tall) Freeman (d. 2008), both for service in Vietnam. Day is generally considered to be the most decorated U.S. service member since Gen. MacArthur. Five aces autographed the print: Ralph Parr, Korean War ace, flew 641 combat missions in three wars and became the only person ever awarded both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Air Force Cross. Steve Pisanos recorded 10 victories as a fighter pilot with the British Royal Air Force and then the U.S. Air Force in World War II. John Alison, highly decorated as a WWII ace, also served in Korea. (Randy) “Duke” Cunningham was one of two U.S. Navy flying aces during the Vietnam War. And Gordon M. Graham (d. 2008) was a World War II triple ace who reached the rank of Air Force lieutenant general. Among the interesting greats who signed is Eugene Kranz, former NASA Flight Director who led the successful efforts of Mission Control in saving the crew of Apollo 13. Others who signed are (Richard) R E Cole, Jimmy Doolittle’s co-pilot in the raid on Tokyo; T Ross Milton, who led numerous successful bombing raids on Germany in World War II, including the first daylight raid on Berlin; Roscoe C Brown, Jr., one of the Tuskegee Airmen and former commander of the 100th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group; Joe Kittinger (Joseph W. Kittinger Jr.), career U.S. Air Force officer and Vietnam pilot and POW best known for his high-altitude balloon flights and parachute jumps aimed at solving the problems of high-altitude bailout; Forrest S. McCartney, retired United States Air Force lieutenant general and former director of NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center; (Melvin) M. A. McKenzie, Alex Vraciu and Swede Vejtaqsa. Authenticated by Kevin Keating, the autographs are 9s and 10s. The Gathering of Eagles program emphasizes the study of aviation history and the contributions of aviation pioneers. A high-quality color softcover book accompanies the print; it contains a description of the artwork, as well as a portrait of each aviator, biographical information and a description of the plane the aviator flew. Winning Bid $113.

Lot 246.  2005 “Gathering of Eagles” Legends Forging Leaders Print Signed by 16 Aviators. Two Medal of Honor recipients, four flying aces and a Tuskegee Airman are among the signers of this Jay Ashurst lithograph, #745 of 750, which was commissioned by the Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell Air Force Base for the 24th Gathering of Eagles. The Medals of Honor were awarded for service in Vietnam to Bernard Fisher, the first living US Air Force recipient of the award and the first USAF member to receive it in Vietnam, and Jim P. Fleming, a helicopter pilot honored for rescuing a Green Beret unit near Duc Co, Vietnam. The aces are Robin Olds (d. 2007), U.S. Air Force fighter pilot who achieved “triple ace” status with a total of 16 kills in World War II and Vietnam; “Tex” Hill (died 2007), U.S. World War II ace and a member of the Flying Tigers; Robbie Risner, Korean War ace and the first living member of the service to receive the Air Force Cross twice, and (Randy) “Duke” Cunningham, one of two U.S. Navy flying aces during the Vietnam War. The Tuskegee Airman is (Charles) C E McGee, served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam and rose to the rank of colonel in the U.S. Air Force. Other signatures are by Florene M. Watson, one of only 25 women to qualify for the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron; Bob Hoover, World War II pilot who escaped from a POW camp, and a show and test pilot; Eldon W. Joersz, the pilot who currently holds the world air speed record, 2,188 mph set in 1976; Mike Durant, U.S. pilot and author held prisoner after a raid in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993; Brian Binnie a former U.S. Navy officer and a test pilots for the experimental SpaceShipOne; Wayne L Fisk was directly involved in the Son Tay POW camp raid and the rescue of the crew of the SS Mayagüez; Chuck Horner, who served in Vietnam and commanded U.S. aerial forces during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Davy Jones (d. 2008), one of Doolittle’s Raiders who participated in the escape attempt described in the book Great Escape, and Gail Halvorsen, a Berlin Airlift pilot. The autographs are 9s and 10s in pencil. Kevin Keating authenticated them. The three-panel print is double-matted to 31 ½” x 42”. The Gathering of Eagles program emphasizes the study of aviation history and the contributions of aviation pioneers. A high-quality color softcover book accompanies the print; it contains a description of the artwork, as well as a portrait of each aviator, biographical information and description of the various plane. Winning Bid $68.

Lot 247.  “Gathering of Eagles” 2006 Print Signed by World War II to Space Age Aviators - Author Hal Moore, Archer, Hill, Etc. Titled “Timeless Honor-Enduring Promise,” this lithograph features Jay Ashurst artwork commissioned by the Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell Air Force Base for the Gathering of Eagles program, which focuses on the study of aviation history and the contributions of aviation pioneers. The aviators and the artist signed the print in pencil with signatures that are 9s and 10s. Kevin Keating authenticated the signatures. Numbered 41 of 800, the print is double-matted to 31 ½” x 42”. One Vietnam Medal of Honor recipient, Bud Day, autographed the print, and so did four fighter aces, “Tex” Hill (died 2007, WWII, Flying Tigers), Lee A. Archer, Jr. (d. 2010, WWII, Tuskegee Airman), Steve Pisanos (WWII) and Boots Blesse (Korea jet ace). Hal Moore is probably the best known author in the group. The lieutenant colonel in command of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, at the Battle of Ia Drang, wrote We Were Soldiers Once… And Young with co-author Joseph L. Galloway. The book was adapted into the 2002 film We Were Soldiers starring Mel Gibson. Others who signed are Barbara (Erickson) London, Women’s Army Service Pilot (WASP); Joe Kittinger (Joseph W. Kittinger Jr.), Vietnam pilot recognized for his high-altitude balloon flights and parachute jumps aimed at solving the problems of high-altitude bailout; Rosie Rosenthal (d. 2007), highly-decorated WWI pilot, including the Distinguished Service Cross; Kermit A. Weeks, aviation enthusiast, pilot and aircraft collector and twice U.S. National Aerobatic Champion; Susan Helms, a crew member on five Space Shuttle missions and now a major general with the Strategic Command; Eugene Kranz, former NASA Flight Director; Paul W Airey (d. 2009), first Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force; Robert M. White (d. 2010), who was a military aircraft test pilot and Air Force major general; Stanley L. Wood, decorated Ranger in Desert Storm and the War on Terror, and Mike Gilroy, among the most highly decorated Electronic Warfare Officers (EWO) in the U.S. Air Force. A high-quality color softcover book accompanies the print; it contains a description of the artwork, as well as a portrait of each aviator, biographical information and a description of the plane the aviator flew. Winning Bid $113.

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