December 7th Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 16:
Description
This lot features two original, historically significant newspapers from the Rocky Mountain News published during the height of American involvement in World War II, offering immediate contemporaneous accounts of major Allied victories. The two newspapers are dated Monday, April 20, 1942, and Wednesday, April 22, 1942, shortly after the pivotal Doolittle Raid on Tokyo.
The April 20, 1942 edition features the sensational front-page headline: Aircraft Carriers Revealed as Base of Tokyo Raiders ALLIES WIN AERIAL BATTLE BY 30 TO 8. The paper provides the first details regarding the successful Doolittle Raid, confirming that the attack on the Japanese capital was launched from aircraft carriers. The headlines also boast a decisive Allied aerial victory. The paper includes a dramatic front-page photograph of a wrecked American forces vehicle being serviced.
The April 22, 1942 edition provides the follow-up news with the headline: Complete Story of Tokyo Raid! Bombers Took Off From Hornet and the huge secondary headline ROOSEVELT IN MEXICO!. This edition further details the Doolittle Raid, confirming the USS Hornet as the launch platform, and features a photograph of bombers being launched for the raid. The coverage also includes news of a meeting between FDR and Camacho Confer in Monterrey.
Original WWII newspapers documenting key events like the Doolittle Raid are highly sought after historical artifacts, providing a direct connection to the public s understanding of the war at the time. The papers show characteristic aging, yellowing, and creases consistent with their age.
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