American Historical Ephemera & Photography

Congressional War Parents Association medal inscribed Ellsworth B. Buck. [Philadelphia, PA]: Bailey, Banks & Biddle, [1944]. Diameter 3 in. silver medal with gilt onlays. (Minor tarnish to rim.) Housed in original leather case (clasp lacking, scuffs). Obverse features a star, the spread-winged eagle with "E Pluribus Unum" riband with superimposed shield, and riband reading "Congressional War Parents Association." Reverse engraved: "Presented to / Hon. Ellsworth B. Buck / By HIs Colleagues in the Congress / As An Expression of Their Sympathy / And As A  / Tribute to His Son / 1st Lt. Orlando J. Buck /Who Died in the Service / of Our Country." RARE: no other medals from the Association such as this were located at the time of cataloging. Possibly unique.

Ellsworth Buck was a Republican congressman from New York representing Staten Island. The medal here honors his son, Orlando J. Buck who was a first lieutenant in the 10th Rescue Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Forces. He died on 18 September 1844 in Hawai'i in a plane crash. 

[With:] Vote Republican / Re-Elect Congressman / Ellsworth B. Buck. [New York]: Collison & Klingman, Inc., [1946]. 28 x 11 in. campaign broadside on cardstock (fold at center with separations, loss to corner, a few tears and creasing to edges). Verso reads "New York County" with vote counts for the Congressional and Presidential elections of 1944. Buck was originall elected in 1944 to vill the vacancy caused by the death of James A. O'Leary. He was re-elected in 1946 but did not seek re-eleciton in 1948.

[Also with:] Image of Ellsworth giving an address aboard the SS John W. Brown. North River, 13 December 1946. 8 x 10 in. press photograph. Pencil inscription to verso: "Addressing *eeling accepting SS John W. Brown for MetVoc H.S., North River, 12-13-46."