For sale is an original 1944 U.S NAVY IMPERIAL MEMBER OF GOLDEN DRAGON MEMBERSHIP CARD which was awarded to Seaman M.F. Hinchey on June 12, 1944 while sailing on the U.S.S. James H. Kinkaid during WWII. This full color card measures 4 inches by 2 3/4 inches. A first rate WWII collectible.
The Domain of the Golden Dragon is an unofficial but highly coveted award of the United States Navy and the United States Coast Guard. It is given to crew members of ships which cross the International Date Line. You enter the dragon’s empire when you cross the International Date Line by sailing west, where Asian nations celebrate the power of the dragon. With the extensive Navy operations in the Far East since (and before) World War II, this passage has become so common that few initiation ceremonies are actually held. But the certificate, decorated with Chinese-style dragon, is still given out today.
The U.S.S James H. Kinkaid was a troop carrier Liberty Ship. In 1941, faced with war already underway in Europe and an expectation of war with Japan, there was seen to be a need for a ship that could be built rapidly. The Liberty ship design was chosen to meet this immediate need. Eighteen new shipyards were built to meet the demand, and a workforce was trained to handle the construction. It was a project on a massive scale, undertaken with great speed and efficiency. The first Liberty ship (the Patrick Henry) was launched on 27 September 1941 (and completed on 30 December 1941), which was an incredible feat considering that just seven months previously neither shipyard nor workforce existed to build her. A total of 2,710 Liberty ships were completed.
