An incredible archive relating to Lt. Cmdr. Wayne Jordan, housed in his original military foot locker. Born on 18 December 1911 in Wateska, Illinois, Jordan attended Purdue University, graduating in 1935 with a degree in engineering. After graduation, he entered the U.S. Navy as an aviation cadet, eventually being assigned to the USS Colorado. During the ship's cruise in 1937, Jordan was selected as one of six pilots to be in the first search group for the missing pilot Amelia Earhart and navigator Frederick Noonan. He additionally saw active combat during World War II while aboard the USS Mount Olympus from 1944-1945; he acted as an assistant operations officer, directing carrier-based strikes during the Battles of Leyte Gulf and Luzon. Following World War II, Jordan left active duty but remained in the Naval Reserves. He would pass away on 30 March 1994. 

 

This archive includes: 

 

1. Metal foot locker. Painted green with white lettering identifying the trunk as Jordan's. Metal and leather fixtures. Peeled interior lining. Approx. 30 x 16 x 12 in. 

 

2. World War II aviation greens. Wool blazer and trousers. Blazer includes bullion wings, stars and black bars on cuffs, brass buttons and label to interior reading, "Uniforms of Quality / S.W. Rice Inc / Annapolis, MD / Pensacola, FLA". Blazer shoulder approx. 17 in. across, sleeve approx. 25 1/2 in. long, blazer approx. 30 in. long. Trousers signed by Jordan along inside waistband. Trousers waist approx. 13 in. flat, inseam 31 in. long. 

 

3. Tan jacket. Cotton. With bullion wings badge, brass buttons, stars and black bars on cuffs, stamped "JORDAN" on inside and label featuring the word "SANFORIZED" on inside. Shoulder approx. 16 in. across, sleeve approx. 26 in. long, jacket approx. 31 in. long. 

 

4. U.S. Navy Service Class A blazer. Wool. Double breasted. With service ribbons, gold bullion wings badge, stars and gold bars on cuffs and label to interior reading, "Marshall Field & Company / The Store for Men / Chicago". Shoulder approx. 18 in. across, sleeve approx. 25 in. long, blazer approx. 31 in. long. 

 

5. U.S. WWII Navy M-69F Leather Transport Pilot Aircraft coat. Goatskin leather with alpaca lower fur lining and mouton collar. Missing interior tag. Shoulder approx. 19 in. across, sleeve approx. 24 in. long, coat approx. 44 in. long. 

 

6. Pre-war U.S. Navy flight boots. Brown leather with fur lining. Sole approx. 13 in. long. 

 

7. Two (2) tan cotton hats. First features small brass badge and measures 11 1/4 x 4 3/4 in. flat. Second features cording and measures 10 3/4 x 4 3/4 in. flat. 

 

8. Visor cap. Likely a beige cotton twill with brown patent-style material. With gold American eagle seal badge and buttons. Marked "60" inside brim. Cap diam. 7 1/2 in. 

 

9. MA-1 flight gloves with inserts. Brown leather with knit cuffs. Approx. 5 x 11 in. 

 

10. Two (2) flight helmets. One features a shearling interior, tagged to the interior "7 1/4" and approx. 10 x 10 in. lying flat without extended chin strap. Second is tagged "7" to the interior and approx. 11 x 12 in. flat. 

 

11. Two (2) pairs of 1930s flight goggles. Both approx. 10 in. wide lying flat. 

 

12. ca. 1940 flight headphones. Plastic and rope cord. Features Jordan's name on the ear cups. Approx. 6 1/2 wide headset and approx. 52 in. long from top of headset to bottom of cord. 

 

13. Three (3) dog tags. On metal chain or cord. Sizes range from 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 in. to 2 x 1 in. 

 

14. Assorted service ribbons, medals and badges. Four (4) service ribbons, one (1) ribbon bar featuring five (5) circular medals and one (1) Navy cap badge. Longest service ribbon is approx. 4 1/4 in., each circular medal diam. approx. 1 1/4 in., cap badge approx. 1 1/8 x 1 1/4 in. 

 

15. Ten (10) membership and ID cards, and one (1) leather ID patch. All cards approx. 3 3/4 x 2 1/2 in. Leather patch 4 x 2 in. 

 

16. "Officer's Qualification Record Jacket." Features Jordan's Officer's Qualification Report, Notice of Separation from the Naval Service, Report of Compliance with Order and Commander Air Support Control Units Amphibious Forces U.S. Pacific Fleet address confirmation contract. 8vo. 

 

17. U.S.S. COLORADO: The Log of Our Cruise into the Domain of His Royal Highness NEPTUNUS REX, May 20, 1936. Capt. Wilhelm L. Friedell and Cmdr. A.H. Gray. 4to, 48 pages. 

 

18. Partly printed document signed by the ship's acting Neptunus, Rex and Davy Jones. A subpoena and summons for Wayne Jordan "to become one of our trusty shellbacks" and answer to four charges. USS Colorado on the Pacific Ocean, 9 July 1937. 1 page, 8 1/8 x 9 7/8 in. 

 

19. "Extracts from Letters Written on the U.S.S. Colorado by Aviation Cadet, Wayne Jordan Concerning Search for the Lost Flyers, Amelia Earhart Cap't Noonan." 3 July 1937, 8 July 1937 and 25 July 1937. On modern paper. 8 1/2 x 11 in. 

 

20. The Colorado Lookout. San Francisco: R.O.T.C., 22 July 1937. 4to, 8 pages. 

 

21. "Five Star Weekly and Feature Section" in Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 21 August 1937. 12 pages, approx. 17 x 23 in. 

 

22. Autograph letter signed by Jordan to Benjamin Jordan, his father. USS Colorado, 3 July 1938. 1 page, 4to. In "Visiting Santa Cruz California" and U.S.S. Colorado illustrated cover. With blue six-cent air mail stamp. 

 

23. Partly printed document signed by Claude A. Swanson as secretary of the Navy. Appointing Jordan to ensign. Washington, D.C., 1 July 1939. 1 page, 8 x 10 1/2 in. 

 

24. Two (2) photographs of planes. One taken by B.R. Anderson on 29 December 1939. 10 x 8 in. 

 

25. Partly printed document signed by [Charles Edison], acting secretary of the Navy. Appointing Jordan to lieutenant junior grade. Washington, D.C., 9 February 1940. 1 page, 8 x 10 1/2 in. 

 

26. Partly printed document signed by J.H. Schultz, captain of the USS Mount Olympus. Commemorating Jordan for crossing the equator during a mission of war. USS Mount Olympus at Latitude 0°, Longitude 153°, 30 September 1944. Framed to 23 x 18 in. 

 

27. "Lt. Cdr. Wayne Jordan Helps Direct Carrier Based Planes" in Iroquois County Times. 10 August 1945. 1 page, 7 1/2 x 8 1/4 in. 

 

28. Partly printed document signed by James Forrestal as secretary of the Navy. Presenting a certificate of satisfactory service to Jordan for his role in World War II. Washington, D.C., 16 November 1945. 1 page, 8 x 10 in. 

 

Note: This lot cannot be packaged and shipped in-house. Successful bidders winning items marked as being packaged and shipped by a third-party service are responsible for paying the third party directly. We are happy to offer complimentary drop-off service to local third-party packing/shipping companies in Columbus, Ohio.

 

[World War II, WWII, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Adolf Hitler, Allied, Axis, George S. Patton, Air Force] [Militaria, Accouterment, Equipment, Uniforms] [Medals, Corps Badges, Badges] [Manuscripts, Documents, Letters, Ephemera, Signatures, Autographs]

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