THE SECOND WORLD WAR -First American Edition Set with Tipped-In Signature of Winston Churchill

First American Edition Set. The best-selling six-volume history that helped gain Churchill a Nobel Prize for literature. Published first in the U.S., the ensuing English edition contained numerous corrections and even a few additional maps. This First American edition set, from the library of naval historian S.E. Morison, contains a blank sheet signed in ink: "Winston S. Churchill," tipped-in on the front free endpaper of Volume II, together with a typed presentation note on headed Chartwell notepaper signed in ink by Churchill's Private Secretary Anthony Montague Browne, dated 18 February, 1960: Dear Admiral Morison,Sir Winston Churchill has asked me to thank you for your letter, and to send the enclosed sheet which he has signed and which he hopes will meet the case for pasting in Volume I of THE SECOND WORLD WAR. Sir Winston asks me to send you his very good wishes and remembrances. Yours sincerely,Anthony Montague BrownePrivate Secretary.All six volumes are clearly First American editions, in very good condition, virtually mint, without dust jackets.Samuel Eliot Morison (1887-1976) was a U.S. admiral and historian who won Pulitzer Prizes for his biography of Christopher Columbus, "Admiral of the Ocean Sea," and for "John Paul Jones: A Sailor's Biography." In 1942, he was commissioned to write a history of U.S. naval operations in World War II, which was published in 15 volumes between 1947 and 1962.The books all bear discreet ink presentation inscriptions from Morison to his son, Larry. Volume I bears a further ink gift inscription on the front free endpaper: "To Catherine and Sam, with fondest thoughts always, Ernest Eller."Ernest McNeill Eller (1903-1992) was a U.S. Rear Admiral who served as Assistant Naval Attaché in London and as Observer with the British Home Fleet from September 1940 until May 1941, when he was ordered to the USS Saratoga as gunnery officer. Eller was on board that aircraft carrier when it made a high-speed run from San Diego to Pearl Harbor immediately after the Japanese attack, carrying plane and pilot replacements. Eller was also on board the Saratoga when it was torpedoed in January 1942 in the Marshall and Midway Island area. He survived to serve for three years on the staff of Admiral Nimitz, Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet. 8vo (Maps, diagrams and tables throughout.) (Cohen A240.3[I-VI]) (Woods A123aa).…