1950 ATOMIC BOMB TESTING PACIFIC COL.PAUL PREUSS SIGNED PHOTO ENIWETOK JTF 7 for Sale

On eBay Now...

1950 ATOMIC BOMB TESTING PACIFIC COL.PAUL PREUSS SIGNED PHOTO ENIWETOK JTF 7 For Sale

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

1950 ATOMIC BOMB TESTING PACIFIC COL.PAUL PREUSS SIGNED PHOTO ENIWETOK JTF 7:
$199.99

[ATOMIC BOMB TESTING, PACIFIC, COLD WAR]

On offer here is an ORIGINAL 6.25 X 8.5 B&W, SILVER GELATIN PHOTOGRAPH OF JOINT TASK FORCE 7 DEPUTY TEST DIRECTORCOLONEL PAUL T. PREUSS.

The photo framed with a plain mat and is framed in a matching frame to other photos and portraits Lt. Col. Gaylord had hanging in his office.

The photo is inscribed by Preuss to Gaylord:

\"...Best wishes Jim - Paul T. Preuss - Colonel, U.S. Air Force...\"

A SIGNED PHOTO OF A DEPUTY TEST DIRECTOR DURING THE 50\'S BOMB TESTING ERA

An original, important and historic photo (with an impeccable and important provenance) in the history of nuclear weapons development and strategic defense in the early days of the Cold War.

(Do see our other listings for other images of important figures in during this era of atomic / hydrogen weapons testing in the Pacific during the 1950\'s)

_________________

Paul TheodorePreuss (1916 - 1987) was born in Chicago, Ill., in 1916. He spent his boyhood in Seymour,Ind., and graduated from the Shields High School in that city in 1934. In thesame year he was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy from the 9thCongressional District of Indiana. He graduated in 1938, ranking eighth in a classof 302, and received a commission as a second lieutenant in the Corps ofEngineers.

Promoted tocolonel in October 1944, he received orders for overseas duty and in Novemberwas in Calcutta India, as chief of plans, Eastern Air Command, Southeast AsiaCommand. It was for his accomplishments in this position that Colonel Preussreceived his first Legion of Merit. The citation states in part: \"ColonelPreuss was responsible for the overall planning of the operations of both U.S.Army Air Forces and Royal Air Force units of Eastern Air Command, whichresulted in the defeat of the Japanese Air Force in Burma, and materiallycontributed to the success of the British 14th Army which was wholly suppliedby air. Colonel Preuss conceived a ground force plan of operations for retakingSouthern Burma, which was instrumental in the recapture of Rangoon.\"

From May 1945 toFebruary 1946, Colonel Preuss was chief of plans, Headquarters U.S. Army AirForces, in the China Theater. For this work he was awarded the first oak leafcluster to the Legion of Merit. The citation reads: \"Colonel Preussrendered invaluable assistance in the preparation of joint operational plansfor the U.S. Army Air Forces and the Chinese Air Forces.\" For his servicesin India and China Colonel Preuss received the Most Excellent Order of theBritish Empire and the Chinese Special Breast Order of Yun Hui.\"

Returning fromoverseas, the colonel was assigned to the Strategic Plans Section, WarDepartment General Staff, where he remained until May 1947. From then untilFebruary 1950 he served in the Division of Military Application of the AtomicEnergy Commission also acting as deputy test director, Joint Task Force 7,Eniwetok Marshall Islands, during operation Sandstone. As J-3 of Joint TaskForce 3 (Operation Greenhouse) from February 1950 until August 1951, he wasawarded the second oak leaf cluster to the Legion of Merit.

Provenance:

Lt. Col. JamesGaylord (USAAF) was the officer in charge of ‘Documentary Photography’ for Joint Task Force Seven related to the atomic and hydrogen bomb testswhich took place in the Pacific (Marshall Islands & Bikini Atoll) from 1946to the early 50’s.

The tests withwhich Gaylord was intimately involved were Operation Crossroads (1946) , Operation Sandstone (1948), Operation Greenhouse (1951), Operation Ivy(1952) & Operation Castle (1954).

We acquired avariety of items from his estate some of which we will offer here.

Please email anyquestions -