TYPED LETTER SIGNED by the Assistant Operations Officer of the Air Force's 11th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron MAJOR JACK B. COMPTON, containing a bill for snacks & drinks for flying wheelchair bound GOVERNOR GEORGE C. WALLACE to Cape Kennedy for the launch of Apollo XVII, together with related official letters and an ORIGINAL KENNEDY SPACE CENTER PHOTOGRAPH of Governor Wallace waving to people from his wheelchair at the launch site.

[Wallace, George (1919-1998)]; Smith, Wayne; Sohmer, Arthur J. (1926-1991), Chief-of-Staff to Vice President Spiro T. Agnew: and Compton, Major Jack B. (1935-2023), Assistant Operations Officer, Department of the Air Force, 11th Aeromedical Airlift Squadr

Published by Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, December 13, 1972., 1972

About this Item

Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, December 13, 1972., 1972. Very good. - Over 80 words typed on 10-3/4 inch high by 8 inch wide "Department of the Air Force / 11th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron" stationery. Major Jack B. Compton writes to Colonel Lee / Special Missions: "On 6 November 1972, the 11th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron supported Governor Wallace in providing aeromedical airlift from Maxwell AFB to Cape Kennedy to Maxwell AFB". As extra snacks were not budgeted for beyond the frozen meal service, and had to be paid out-of-pocket, Major Compton is including a bill for "snack and soft drink service for the Governor's party of 23 persons." Signed "Jack B. Compton". Stapled to additional supporting letters, with a piece out from the top left corner. As Governor Wallace's "Transportation was sponsored by the Vice President", stapled to Compton's letter is a Typed Memorandum "for Wayne Smith" from the "Vice Presidential Pilot's Office" on 9 inch high by 7 inch wide "Office of the Vice President" Stationery. An additional "Memorandum" typed on 10-1/2 inch high by 8 inch wide "Office of the Vice President" stationery is addressed to Vice President Spiro T. Agnew's Chief-of-Staff Arthur J. Sohmer by Wayne Smith. The letter is signed by Smith and annotated "Susan - pay here" by Sohmer with his initials. The correspondence is accompanied by an original official "John F Kennedy Space Center, NASA" 8 inch high by 10 inch wide matte finish black & white photograph depicting Governor George Wallace waving to others from his wheel chair. The Governor is accompanied by family and staff. Fine. The Governor's flight took place on December 6th but, rare for Apollo missions, the launch was delayed until December 7. The longest serving governor of Alabama George Wallace (1919-1998) was shot and paralyzed by Arthur Bremer while running in the 1972 Democratic presidential primaries. Then a major, Colonel Jack Barney Compton (1935-2023) served in the U.S. Air Force for 28 years. During his career, he flew missions in and out of Vietnam, including flying POW's home. He was stationed at Cam Rahn Bay in Vietnam for 9 months. He subsequently flew air missions for the Special Air Missions Unit which flew President Nixon's family as well as senators and General Omar Bradley. He flew President Johnson's remains to Texas for burial.

Seller Inventory # 100804

Bibliographic Details

• Title: TYPED LETTER SIGNED by the Assistant Operations Officer of the Air Force's 11th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron MAJOR JACK B. COMPTON, containing a bill for snacks & drinks for flying wheelchair bound GOVERNOR GEORGE C. WALLACE to Cape Kennedy for the launch of Apollo XVII, together with related official letters and an ORIGINAL KENNEDY SPACE CENTER PHOTOGRAPH of Governor Wallace waving to people from his wheelchair at the launch site.
• Publisher: Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, December 13, 1972.
• Publication Date: 1972
• Condition: Very good
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • Americana