April 11-13, 2023 Firearms and Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/13/2023
Possibly the best war souvenir brought home by a young general officer, this 5-star (General of the Army) license plate was once secured to the front of Douglas MacArthur's command car. The plate was brought home by Henry K. Kellogg after his service during the Korean War. Kellogg was a decorated veteran of World War II, serving in North Africa as a Lieutenant Colonel with the 19th Engineer Combat Regiment. He continued to serve throughout the Korean War, serving as the commander of the 63rd Infantry Reserve Division and held the rank of major general. An excerpt from Kellogg's diary that was written September 5th, 1951 confirms the plate's history: "Capt Kidd gave me Gen. of the Army Douglas MacArthurs auto license plate with 5 stars. the first one he had when he was made a 5-star general=Quite a souvenir!" General MacArthur was promoted to 5-star general on December 18th, 1944 and served as such at the beginning of the Korean War before being relived of his command in Korea on April 11th, 1951. The plate measures 9" x 6" and is constructed of steel, painted red, with 5 nickel plated brass stars bolted into the plate. CONDITION: The plate exhibits various blemishes from handling and use. Scattered plating loss to the stars revealing the brass construction. Mismatched nuts on reverse. Very good overall, a rare opportunity to own a memento from one of the most significant military figures in history.