Richard E. Cole Signed Acoustic Guitar Pickguard Inscribed "4-18-42" (PSA COA)

This pickguard has an adhesive back and can be attached to an acoustic guitar. The pick guard has been hand-signed and inscribed in silver paint pen by Richard E. Cole.

On April 18, 1942, little more than four months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 80 airmen in 16 modified North American B-25B Mitchell bombers lifted off from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet in the northwest Pacific bound for targets in Japan. The operation marked the first Allied retaliatory strike on the Japanese Home Islands. To plan the daring mission U.S. Army Air Forces Lt. Gen. Henry H. “Hap” Arnold had tapped Lt. Col. James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle, the famed air racer, test pilot and aeronautical engineer. Doolittle piloted the lead plane fromHornet. His co-pilot was 26-year-old Lieutenant Richard E. “Dick” Cole. Neither Doolittle nor any of his men had flown a single combat mission.

A portion of the sale of this auction will be donated to the General James. H Doolittle Scholarship Fund. The General James H. Doolittle Scholarship Fund was founded to assist college students by awarding one scholarship annually in the maximum amount of $5,000 to a deserving student who is pursuing a baccalaureate or advanced degree in aeronautical engineering or an aerospace science. Students are selected based on their scholastic achievement, school and community participation, demonstrated leadership potential and financial need. More information can be found at the Doolittle Scholarship Funds' website.

The autograph includes an official PSA/DNA hologram and matching COA for authenticity purposes.

Authentication: PSA COA

Due to the uniqueness of each item, please refer to the photos provided in this auction. We offer high resolution images of each item rather than a written description of condition.

This item is being shipped from the Pristine Auction warehouse.