Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Silver Star and other insignia to Captain F. R. Sellers Jr., U.S. Navy, a survivor from the West Virginia, severely damaged in the attack at Pearl Harbour.

Silver Star, officially numbered, ‘94666’; Identity Disks (2) on a chain inscribed, ‘Frank Este Sellers Jr., 74834 U.S.N.-B-P.’, extremely fine (lot) £400-500

Frank Este Sellers Jr. was born in Charleston, South Carolina on 15 February 1914. He was educated at Woodrow Wilson High School, Portsmouth, Virginia and Severn School, Severn Park, Maryland before entering Naval Academy. He graduated in the Class of 1935 and was commissioned Ensign aboard the U.S.S. Colorado. During June 1940- September 1941, in the increasingly uneasy peace in the Pacific,he served aboard the destroyer (seaplane tender) Thornton. In September 1941 he was transferred to the battleship West Virginia based at Pearl Harbour.

In the early morning of 7 December 1941 the West Virginia was moored alongside the Tennessee in the harbour, when the U.S. Pacific Fleet was attacked by Japanese carrier-born aircraft. The West Virginia (the ‘Wee Vee’) was struck by seven torpedoes and two armour-piercing bombs. The damage was such that the ship capsized and had to be abandoned. On 19 December, most certainly as a result of his actions aboard the ship, Sellers was promoted Lieutenant. The severely damaged West Virginia was later refloated and rebuilt and saw action later in the war. For Sellers, his next posting was a return to the destroyer Thornton; the ship had also been berthed at Pearl Habour but was fortunate to have escaped damage and with fire from the Hulbert, had accounted for at least one japanese bomber. Employed on the ship, firstly as Executive Officer, December 1941-January 1943 and then as Commanding Officer, January 1943-February 1944, Sellers and the Thornton participated in a number of actions, including, the battle of Midway, actions off the Aleutian Islands with T.F.8 and actions in the two Solomon campaigns. He was promoted Lieutenant-Commander on 11 May 1943. Seller’s next appointment was as C.O. of the Anti-Aircraft Training Centre at Pacific Beach, California, March 1944-July 1945, being promoted Commander on 1 March 1944. After the war he served as Gunnery Officer on the Iowa and Commanding Officer on the Tolman and Huntington. During the Korean War he served as Executive Officer on the Juneau which participated as a member of T.F.77 in Korean waters. Sellers attained the rank of Captain on 1 April 1954. During 1954-56 he attended the Naval War College and completed the Naval Warfare Courses I and II. Following on from this he held the post of Aide to the Chief of Staff of Carrier Division 17, June 1957-July 1958; Commanding Officer of the Washburn, July 1958-December 1959 and Commander of Destroyer Squadron One, December 1959-April 1961. He then went to OPNAV until September 1962, when he became Commander Fleet Training Group, San Diego. Captain Sellers retired from the Navy in July 1965.

Sold with four sets of riband bars displaying the following ribbons of the Silver Star; American Defense with bronze star; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign, with two bronze stars; American Campaign; Victory 1945; Occupation; China Service; National Defense; Korea Campaign, with two bronze stars; U.N. Korea; Korean Presidential Unit Citation (The award of these all confirmed). Together with metal cap badge and two metal and two cloth badges. Also with metal plate for address cards, ‘Frank Este Sellers, Jr., Captain, United States Navy’; membership card to the Naval Officers’ Club, Espiritu Santo, New Hampshire inscribed to ‘Lt. Cdr. F. E. Sellers, Jr.’ and three ‘membership’ cards named to Sellers as having been initiated into the ‘Ancient Order of the Deep’, 15 November 1942, the ‘Order of the Golden Dragon’, 17 November 1942 and the ‘Domain of Neptunus Rex’, 15 March 1958. These items in card box addressed to ‘Frank Sellees (sic) Capt., U.S.N., Commander DES. Sqd. 1, c/o F.P.O., San Francisco, California’.Sold with copied photograph and research.