Arleigh Burke WWII Carrier Signal flags & Cap Memento kamikaze attach Enterprise

Description

Extremely rare Arleigh Burke WWII Carrier Signal flags & Cap Memento kamikaze attach Enterprise and
from the collection of Rear Admiral Arleigh Burke.
He was aboard both the USS Bunker Hill aircraft carrier and USS Enterprise aircraft carrier when they were hit by Japanese kamikaze aircraft during the Okinawa campaign.
This flag belonged to Rear Admiral Arleigh Burke who himself had a distinguished WWII career and was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1955. He sold it in a 1970's military auction. Burke served an unprecedented three terms as Chief of Naval Operations during a period of growth in the Navy. This important flag was donated to raise money for a military fund. I have his original auction donation card for this WWII  flag. Many officers donated to these auctions as the proceeds benefitted the troops during the Vietnam War.
US Navy aircraft carriers of WW2 launched and recovered planes in the same "scarf in the wind, seat of the pants" style used by the airmen flying those old warbirds. Landing Signals Officers guided planes back onto "the boat" visually from platforms outboard of the flight deck, using yellow and orange "paddles" in outstretched hands. The LSOs were usually qualified aviators themselves, and they knew that a pilot's life depended on their skill in assisting safe landings. If brought in too low, the plane would crash onto the heaving deck, with catastrophic results; brought in too high, and the plane would overshoot into the sea, and in the path of the oncoming ship. Landing Signals Officers wore distinctive yellow cotton flight deck helmets for easy recognition by returning pilots.
Here is a photograph of the Army Navy Relief Fund Auction that came with all of Admiral Arleigh Albert Burke items. Along with his Viet Cong flag he was gifted, the Admiral also donated in this lot some other historically important items from his WWII service years. Near the end of WWII, he was given the temporary rank of Commodore, and participated in all the force's naval engagements until June 1945. He was aboard both the USS Bunker Hill aircraft carrier and USS Enterprise aircraft carrier when they were hit by Japanese kamikaze aircraft during the Okinawa campaign. The Admiral kept several items as mementos from one or both carriers that were also donated. One is a large #9 signal flag dated 1945 and three other items are carrier flight signalman cap and two small airplane signal flags that he would use to direct planes. There is also a WWII Real Admirals flag but as he was not made Rear Admiral until 1949, I don't think it is his. I think that nylon flags were now in use but this could be his Rear Admiral flag if Nav
y
surplus was used. At least on his first flag. Plus there are two Admirals names written in faded ink on the two stars. I originally was under the impression that this flag belong to one of them but he could have gotten them to autograph his flag.