December 14-17, 2021 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/15/2021
In November 2018, Morphy Auctions sold a life ring from the most recognizable Pacific Fleet Battleship, BB-39, the USS Arizona. It was believed at the time, that this was a once-in-a-lifetime artifact related to the day which lived in infamy, the Japanese surprise attack on the US Navy fleet at Pearl Harbor. During the detailed historical research and interviews with museum curators that were conducted prior to the sale, it was determined that the only confirmed life rings from the ship were either unrelated to the attack and dated to the ship’s previous service, or were already in museums. It has been long determined that most of the large-size life rings that were present on the superstructure went down with the ship, or were disposed of after the cleanup efforts and salvage operations. Cursory research showed that the few verified surviving Arizona life rings are of a smaller size and were assigned to the small motor launches moored in between each battleship and Ford Island. It quickly became apparent that artifacts from the sinking of the Arizona are far rarer than those off of the RMS Titanic, which is still visited for the purpose of salvaging artifacts, with literally thousands recovered since the discovery by Dr. Robert Ballard in 1985. In a truly amazing and historical stroke of fate and timing, Morphy Auctions has discovered another fresh to the market and previously unknown life ring which separated from the USS Arizona during the day of the December 7th attack. This past December was the 80th Anniversary of the Pearl Harbor Attack. As time marches forward, the actual living survivors of that fateful day pass away into single digits. At the time of this writing, only two surviving crew members from the Arizona remain alive. The actual tangible artifacts of the attack are just as rare…rusting away in Hawaiian waters or forever remaining tucked away in naval museums and institutions. The ring which we are proud to offer has resided in one family since that fateful Sunday morning in which the United States was dragged into another World War. On Dec 7, 1941 Ernest K. Morita, a resident of Honolulu, and native-born Hawaiian of Japanese descent, reported to work as a civilian contract mechanic at the Pearl Harbor Submarine Base near what is known as the Southeast Loch, across the harbor from Battleship Row. This was literally under the direct path of the first Japanese wave of the attack against the battleships. His work that day involved operating a heavy lift crane with his brother and another work partner. In forensic examination of 1941 images of the submarine base, you can clearly see only one heavy lift crane on the end of one of the submarine piers at this location. According to his own written account, he started his shift at 7am, less than an hour before 183 aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy commenced their attack. One can only imagine the fear he was experiencing when he first heard and saw large numbers of aircraft starting to appear in the blue skies of Oahu. As events quickly unfolded, Morita found himself in an unpredicted front row seat across from Battleship Row and Ford Island. In mere minutes, he most likely witnessed the fateful explosion that sent the Arizona into the air and would later drag the wounded vessel down to the once clear shallows of Pearl Harbor which the Japanese attack had clouded with oil and infamy. During and after the attack Morita assisted in the salvage operations and recovery of survivors and the dead using his 1937 Buick as an emergency addition to the Red Cross ambulance service. In a notarized letter obtained from the family, it was noted that Morita transported the wounded in his vehicle from Aiea Navy Landing to the Fort Shafter Hospital located nearby. Geographically, Aiea Landing is located directly across the East Loch from the USS Arizona, and would have most definitely received survivors from the ship, as they struggled to swim ashore there, delivered by the dozens of small craft which were used to pick up the wounded and suffering. It can be reasonably surmised that due to his close physical proximity to where the Arizona was moored, it would put him in a prime position to recover such an artifact. It is most likely where Morita obtained the life ring that day. Historical writings and many recent new discoveries of first-hand accounts recall that it was a monumental effort that many Japanese civilians also took part in. The war ended, and many decades passed with Morita remaining an honored owner of the life ring, proudly displaying it on his patio deck as a conversation piece with friends and family alike. In 2014 the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper featured Morita in an article on the 73rd anniversary of the attack. In one of the pictures, Morita poses with his family on his deck at his Honolulu home, in which the life ring is clearly identifiable in the background of the photo. After Ernest Morita passed away, his assets were divided amongst his family. One of his nephews (our consignor) and an Air Force veteran, had always been fascinated with the story of the life ring since he was a child, and chose this sacred artifact as his inherited item. He has been the current caretaker until now, and the life ring has been in the possession of a Pearl Harbor survivor’s lineage until being offered here. During historical research of this life ring, it was verified by US Census documents and draft cards that Ernest K. Morita was listed as a mechanic residing in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii in December of 1941. He was without a doubt present during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and is forever intertwined with the significant history of that fateful day. The ring’s provenance and authenticity are impeccable, and even more impressive that it resided in same family for 80 years, including the lifetime of its original caretaker. This is truly remarkable and only adds to its extreme rarity and value. CONDITION: Although it hung on a patio and was exposed to the outside air at Mr. Morita's residence, the ring was always under cover so it only sustained limited exposure to the elements, and therefore remains in very solid condition. There is an area of canvas deterioration on the right side of the life ring that measures approximately 16”, that starts at the top of the “N” and ends just before the reinforcement. There is also a smaller area of separation at the left reinforcement that exposes the cork and measures approximately 2 – ½” inches in length. The paint was examined under magnification and a black light for authenticity. Only two small spots on the white background were noted with the black light examination, and the family, as well as the 2014 Las Vegas Review-Journal article, verified Morita had touched up the spots himself over the years as his way of preserving the life ring and making sure it did not further deteriorate. Otherwise, the life ring is correctly blancoed with scattered areas of light tarnishing especially around the edges. There are a few small flecks of a turquoise-colored latex house paint noted, the largest measuring approximately 1” in length. This color is consistent with the paint used on Morita’s patio deck which is noticed in the 2014 Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper article image. The black stenciled lettering appears to be all original and are an exact match in style, font, and size to the previous Arizona life ring sold by Morphy Auctions in November 2018 that was authenticated by the former and current curator at the Museum of the Pacific in Pearl Harbor. The positioning of the letters relevant to reference points on the ring are nearly identical, and is a near perfect match. The twisted hemp rope is also identical to the previous life ring that was sold and its location and style of attachment are also a perfect match. The rope exhibits age commensurate wear and deterioration which is evident from the weight of the ring when it was displayed on the patio. Overall very good, especially considering the history of this artifact. BRM/JLD
Condition: (Very Good).
Item Dimensions: 31" x 31" x 4".