Lot 612

'OPERATION HUSKY' FILE OF GEN. GEOFFREY KEYES (10)

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'OPERATION HUSKY' FILE OF GEN. GEOFFREY KEYES (10)

Estimate: $600 - $800

Starting Bid: $300

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by Alexander Historical Auctions LLC
July 30, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
106 East Main Street, Suite 103
Elkton, MD, US 21921

'OPERATION HUSKY' FILE OF GEN. GEOFFREY KEYES (10)
GEOFFREY KEYES (1888-1967) Highly decorated Lieutenant General who commanded the II Corps during World War II. Keyes was George Patton's invaluable chief of staff, leading Patton's I Corps in Morocco, and accepting the surrender of Palermo. Keyes was Chief of Staff, 2nd Armored Division, commanded the 9th Armored Division, Dep. Commander, 7th Army [Sicily], Commander 7th and 3rd Armies (assuming Patton's old command), and headed occupation forces in Austria. He also served with distinction under Mark Clark at Anzio, Cassino and before Rome. Important grouping of ten documents from Keyes' files concerning his involvement as Deputy Commander, Seventh Army under Gen. George S. Patton, Jr. in Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, July 9 - Aug. 17, 1943. The documents, almost all of which are marked 'SECRET', include: (June 1, 1943) Sunrise and sunset schedule for D-1 to D plus 3, (June 4) Copy of Keyes' letter to 'A.O.C.,Force 343' asking how remaining elements of the 82nd Airborne could be landed at the airfield at Fibula, (June 7) sends panoramic sketches of Beach '70-A JOSS' [not included], (June 27) additions to various artillery, signal, hospital and quartermaster forces ordered by Patton, (no date) 'Plan and Scheme for of Maneuver for Advance Eastward', 2pp., 'The advance must be pushed to the limit of physical endurance...strafe and bomb at night...Navy gunfire on fixed defense s day and night on call...Raiding landing parties...Estimated number of days, San Stefano to conclusion, ten-twelve...use 82nd Airborne to assist in capture of PONTE OLIVO...push 3rd Division to CAMPOBELLO...', (no date, handwritten notes by Keyes) '...Have taken 30 prisoners...Lost four DWKS...artillery of the 1st Div. will neutralize the enemy gun batteries...Eight field pieces ashore. Three were lost...airfield Point Olivia will be taken in the morning...', with some information obtained from a prisoner, (Telegram to C.G., 85th Div. and 88th Div., undated) 'IMPERATIVE NEW PUSH ON TO ASSIGNED OBJECTIVES WITH UTMOST VIGOR...BY DASH PASS LIGHT AND SCATTERED RESISTANCE LEAVING THE TASK OF MOPPING UP TO SUCCEEDING UNITS WHICH MUST BE KEPT CLOSED UP...OPERATIONS ARE APPROACHING THE CONDITIONS OF A PURSUIT...TACTICS...NECESSITATE THE ASSIGNMENT OF DISTANT OBJECTIVES IN MINIMUM TIME AND SUCCESS WILL BE ASSURED ONLY BY THE INTIATIVE AND AGGRESSIVE BOLDNESS...', (Text of telegram from Eisenhower to Seventh Army, no date) '...THE EIGHTH ARMY IS GOING FULL OUT TODAY TO CRUSH THE RESISATANCE IN ITS FRONT...[You may] WILL LEAVE A PROFOUND INFLUENCEON THE FUTURE STRATEGY OF THE WHOLE WAR. BECAUSE OF YOUR GREAT DEPTH...YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ATTACK DAY AND NIGHT WITHOUT CESSATION...CRACK THE ENEMYS MORALE...IF WE SPEEDILY FINISH OFF THE GERMAN IN SICILY, YOU NEED HAVE NO FEAR OF BEING LEFT THERE IN THE BACKWATER OF THE WAR...', and (July 10) Patton officially appoints Keyes Deputy Commander of of the 7th Army. Also present is a label from an Italian mortar gifted to Keyes, and Keyes' copy of Stars and Stripes, Aug. 21, 1943, declares the Sicilian Campaign a 'great success.' Originates directly from Keyes' estate, with a copy of his Report of Separation from the Army. A great grouping, overall very good.

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$100 $499 $20
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$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
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$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
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