Rear Admiral Francis J. Mee, World War II Archive Including Japanese Surrender Notification

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American History: Premier Auction

By Cowan's Auctions

Nov 16, 2018

Set Reminder 2018-11-16 10:00:00 2018-11-16 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : American History: Premier Auction https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/cowans/american-history-premier-auction-3577
Cowan’s Fall American History: Premier Auction features over 200 lots including early photographs, documents, manuscripts, broadsides, flags, and more dating from the Revolutionary War period to the mid-20th Century, many representing important landmark moments in American history. Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com

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• Lot Description
  Francis James Mee was born in 1899 in White Earth, Minnesota. After attending the local public schools he won an appointment to the US Naval Academy, Annapolis. He graduated in June 1922 and was commissioned Ensign. Following graduation, he was assigned to the battleship USS Tennessee (BB-43) as Junior Watch and Division Officer in the Engineering Department. The following year he transferred to the USS Thompson (DD-305) as Assistant Engineering Officer. He detached in 1927 to return to Annapolis for postgraduate courses in mechanical engineering, continuing at Columbia University from Feb. 1928 to Sept. 1929, earning a Master of Science degree. While the lot does not contain much from his earliest years in service, there are Directories for the Class of 1922 for the years 1937, 1939, 1962, 1967, 1972 and 1976.
  
  In November, he reported to the USS MacLeish (DD-220) as Engineer Officer. The MacLeish was attached to the Asiatic Station. He served in a similar capacity on the USS Luzon (PG-47/PR-7) from June 1931 - June 1932, with further duty on the staff of Commander of the Yangtze River Patrol. There is a group of 44 - 4 x 4.75 in. photographs, plus 13 others of various sizes. A second envelope has 8 additional photos from 3.5 x 5.5 in. to 8 x 10 in.
  
  After his tour in China, he was assigned to the Navy Yard in Philadelphia (1932) for two years when he was given command of the USS Robin (AM-3). The Secretary of the Navy commended him for the engineering performance of the Robin. He then transferred to the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) until reporting to the Office of Naval Materials in New York. A 1.5 x 5 in. silver plate with small holes in corners for mounting reads: "Presented By / the crew of the USS Robin / To Lieutenant F.J. Mee Commanding Officer / on his detachment - Dec. 1935."
  

  He served as Assistant to the Inspector until late 1938 when he began outfitting the USS Ellet (DD-398) at the Federal Shipbuilding Company in New Jersey. She was commissioned 17 Feb. 1939 with Mee as her commander. The lot includes 9 photos of the commissioning ceremony, one of which is the official Navy photo of the ship underway. There are congratulatory telegrams, the dinner menu from the ceremony and a postal cover with the Ellet. A draft and final carbon copy of Mee's comments at the ceremony are part of the collection of papers associated with this group. A letter from the Editor of Our Navy describes the commissioning of the ship. There is also a menu from Christmas dinner at Galveston, TX. A group of 8 telegrams are from the Ellet, two from 1939, the others from late spring 1941. One of those describes the grounding of the Ellet in the Corpus Christi channel. Another typed letter copy is to Commodore L.E. Denfeld describing the incident plus Denfeld's typed, signed reply. A later carbon copy of a letter to a former Ellet shipmate (dated 8 Dec. 1949) laments that the Ellet is to be scrapped. "…and it makes my blood boil. She covered herself with glory during the war…"
  

  There are many letters that Mee wrote to family and friends on USS Ellet stationery. A number were to his mother just after he took command. One in particular stands out. Mee writes to his mother 31 Jan. 1941: "I guess you have been wondering why I haven't written for the last ten days. I have been on leave. I went to Mississippi to see my friend Sue." Sue Kathryn Kelly would later become his wife and the couple would settle in Vicksburg.
  

  In early 1941 the USS Ellet was sent to the Pacific in anticipation of Japan declaring war. She often served as an escort, including escorting the carrier Wasp as it took James Doolittle and his raiders to the Western Pacific to set up for his famous bombing mission. She also participated in the Battles of Midway, Guadalcanal and Tulagi. She fought in the Eastern Solomons, the Marshals, New Guinea, Marianas and Ulithi fleets. She also was occasionally called upon to rescue survivors, such as those of Savo Island and from the Australian cruiser, Canberra. He transferred to the USS Portland (CA-33) participating in many of these same actions until November 1942.
  

  In November 1942 Mee was sent to the Naval War College for training. The lot includes the manual "Sound Military Decision, US Naval War College, 1942 (Restricted, No. 1795). 8vo, ring bound with printed wraps. In April 1943 Mee attained the rank of Captain. He is thought to be the first flag officer of Native American heritage, being part Chippewa.
  

  In June 1943 he was assigned as Material Officer at Operational Training Command, US Pacific Fleet. He was responsible for underway training for newly commissioned ships from West Coast shipyards. There is an envelope with "Western Pacific Fleet Training Command" that contains dozens of papers related to this assignment. Another envelope has "Western Pacific" containing 26 - 8 x 10 photos, plus two color lithographs of the USS General William Mitchell (AP-114) and a 6 x 8 in. photo of an earlier "Masonic Motor Trip to Nathannia Springs July 28, 1925."
  

  In July 1944 he took command of the Amphibious Force, Seventh Fleet, LST Flotilla 22, with 36 LSTs. He received an award "For exceptionally meritorious conduct…in action against enemy Japanese forces at Balikpapan, Borneo, on July 2, 1945…." The Legion of merit with Combat Distinguishing Device "V." "Skillfully deploying the LST's under his command, Captain Mee maneuvered in close proximity to mine fields and unloaded assault echelons in proper order and exactly on schedule…" Another small envelope is labeled "Balikpapaw, Borneo" containing 69 - 3.5 x 4.25 in. photos, including one of a dead soldier floating in the water. An envelope labeled "WWII" contains copies of papers that seem to relate primarily to this assignment. One item in here is a shipping form from the new commander of the flotilla that they are sending a Japanese rifle and Japanese samurai sword to Mee's home. The form notes that the items have no significance for military intelligence and do not contain explosives! There are other envelopes of papers from the late war period. He threw very little away. There is even a cover letter that accompanied his third quarter income tax payment!
  

  Shortly after came the word - the war was over. Mee had a copy of the communication from SECNAV "All hands of the United States Marine Corps and Coast Guard may take Satisfaction in the conclusion of the war against Japan and pride in the part played by the men in accomplished battles. The Demobilization of the armed forces of the United States and the Return to conditions of the peace will create problems taking patience and control almost as great as the tension of war. I ask that the discipline which has done so well to bring this democracy through hours of great crisis be maintained to the end so that nothing shall mar the record of accomplishment and glory that rightfully belongs to the Navy Marine Corps and Coast Guard. James Forrestal."
  

  The next two years were spent in Panama City, Florida. Yet another envelope contains 34 - 8 x 10 in. photos from that assignment. He returned to the Western Pacific and again took responsibility for underway training and training facilities west of Hawaii. There are a number of photo groups likely from this period: "Guam & Japan" - 11 - 3.5 x 4 in. photos and 13 - 2.5 x 3.5 in. photos; Lingayen - 51 - 3.5 x 4.5 in. photos; Leyte - 45 - 3.5 x 4.5 in. photos. A larger envelope is also labeled "Guam" with 48 - 4 x 5 in. photos and 45 - 5 x 7 in. photos. There is an envelope with "Japan" - 20 - 8 x 10 in. photos.
  

  Francis Mee was retired (involuntarily) in June 1952. One of the notebooks contains a resume he put together in his search for a post-military job. Some other envelopes contain papers pertaining to retirement and transport of Navy dependents. Most items in here are from 1947-1952.
  

  Francis Mee died Dec. 29, 1990 and his wife in 1996. They are buried in Vicksburg.
  

  There are dozens of other items in this lot, including:
  

  Triangular piece of solid wood, 3.25 x 3.25 x 4 in. with F.J. Mee Captain U.S.N. on paper printed and affixed to 4 in. side.
  

  Eagle with fouled anchors cap device.
  

  7 caps - khaki cotton, navy wool, and 5 white cotton
  

  8 large format image of ships - some are photographs, others are photos of paintings; some are steam vessels, others are sailing vessels
  

  3 printing plates for cards plus a group of miscellaneous cards - business, advertising, membership, etc.
  

  Folder of field newspapers and press releases, including news of the Japanese surrender
  

  Envelope - "Medical" - with dozens of copies of Mee's medical examinations
  

  Envelope - "40th Naval Academy Reunion" with various ephemera, including menus, hotel arrangements, etc.
  

  Envelope - "Letters" - over 2 dozen cards, letters & telegrams, mostly to family - mother, wife, sister (Sue)
  

  Memoranda pocket journal, 3.5 x 6 in. with notes on everything from names and addresses to purchases to unintelligible abbreviations
  

  Wallet with "Chas. W. Mee" on inside flap. This was probably his father's paper file at one time.
  

  Register of Retired Flag Officers, USN, 1 Oct. 1979
  

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