Description:

Nixon Richard

Nixon, Ford, and Air Force One Archive

 

[AIR FORCE ONE.] Archive of 12 Autograph and Typed Letters and Notes Signed and 6 Signed Photographs. 21 pp., 4.5" x 7" to 8.5" x 11". All signed by presidents or pilots of presidential aircraft.

 


This remarkable collection of letters and photographs are signed by many of the pilots of the presidents’ aircraft from the 1940s to 1990s. Autographs of Presidents Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford are also included.

 


Highlights and Excerpts

GERALD R. FORD and LESTER C. MCCLELLAND, Signed Photograph of Air Force One over Mount Vernon, Virginia.
Lester C. McClelland (1932-2007) was the pilot of Air Force One from 1974 to 1980.

RICHARD M. NIXON, RALPH D. ALBERTAZZIE, and GERALD R. FORD, Signed Photograph of Air Force One over Mount Vernon, Virginia.

Endorsement by Lee F. Simmons: “I served as President Nixon’s personal steward on his final flight aboard Air Force One returning to San Clemente on August 9th, 1974.”


Ralph D. Albertazzie (1923-2011) commanded Air Force One from 1969 to 1974.

JAMES B. SWINDAL, Autograph Letter Signed, to Harold W. “Skip” Hensel, December 31, 1996.
James B. Swindal (1918-2006) was the pilot of Air Force One from 1961 to 1965.

HENRY T. MYERS, Typed Letter Signed, to A. F. Ruppenthal, June 24, 1947, on “The Flying White House” stationery, 1 p. + envelope.

“The Flying White House, sometimes called the ‘Sacred Cow’, has served both President Roosevelt and President Truman. We have visited 55 countries for a distance of over 400,000 miles. Many distinguished guests have been our passengers in all parts of the world and have made complimentary remarks about the elegance of the interior furnishings of this luxurious Douglas DC-4. We are here today to accept delivery of the new Presidential Douglas DC-6 Flying White House named ‘The Independence’. The beautiful interior furnishings of both of these famous airplanes were fabricated and installed by your firm.”

Henry T. Myers (1907-1968) was the first Presidential pilot and a lieutenant-colonel in the Air Force. He transported Presidents Roosevelt and Truman to destinations around the world.

FRANCIS W. WILLIAMS, Typed Letter Signed, ca. 1948-1953, on “The Flying White House” stationery, 1 p.
Francis W. Williams (1906-1985) was the pilot of Air Force One for President Truman (1948-1953)

Signed Photograph of Crew of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s C-54 “Sacred Cow” Aircraft, ca. 1945-1947.

ALBERT T. KEELER, Partially Printed Document Signed, Flight Plan for flight from Andrews Air Force Base to John F. Kennedy International Airport, for passenger United Nations Ambassador Adlai S. Stevenson, August 4, 1964.

JAMES U. CROSS, Autograph Letter Signed, to Harold W. “Skip” Hensel, September 16, 1997, 1 p.
“We were privileged to have been honored to fly ‘Air Force One’ and serve as Military Assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson, particularly after having been raised on a 40 acre Alabama farm during the 1930’s.”
James U. Cross (1925-2015) was the pilot of Air Force One from 1965 to 1968.

RALPH D. ALBERTAZZIE, Typed Letter Signed, to Harold W. Hensel, January 15, 1985, and Signed Photograph.
“I knew personally and had the honor of flying on specific trips or frequently Presidents Hoover, Truman (after they were out of office, but still living), Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford. I also flew Governor Reagan on a trip when he was Governor of California.”

RALPH D. ALBERTAZZIE, Signed Photograph of Air Force One over Mt. Vernon, Virginia

ROBERT D. BARR, Signed Photograph of Air Force One over Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota.
Robert D. Barr (b. 1947) was the pilot of Air Force One from 1989 to 1996.

“Aboard Air Force One” stationery signed by Air Force One pilots James B. Swindal, James U. Cross, Ralph D. Albertazzie, Lester C. McClelland, Robert E. Ruddick, and Robert D. Barr, ca. 1997.
Robert E. Ruddick (b. 1940) was the pilot of Air Force One from 1980 to 1989.

“Aboard Air Force One” stationery signed by President GERALD R. FORD and Air Force One pilot Lester C. McClelland.



Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president to fly in an aircraft while in office in 1933. Air Force One is the radio call sign used on any aircraft of the U.S. Air Force when the president is aboard. It was first used during the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower. A Boeing 707-120 was the first jet aircraft used by President Eisenhower in his goodwill tour of 1959. President John F. Kennedy began using a Boeing 707-320, which went on to serve seven presidents, before being replaced in 1990 by a Boeing 747-200B.

 


This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

 


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