Ralph Belanger Signed Index Card (PSA) WWII Nagasaki Mission Flight Engineer

"**Hand-Signed Index Card by WWII Great Artiste Assistant Flight Engineer Ralph Belanger — Encapsulated by PSA/DNA Authentication Services**

Presented for auction is a rare and historically significant **hand-signed index card by Ralph Belanger**, who served as the **assistant flight engineer aboard the B-29 ""The Great Artiste""** with the elite **509th Composite Group** during World War II. This signature has been **professionally encapsulated by PSA/DNA Authentication Services**, ensuring authenticity and archival protection.

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### **About Ralph Belanger**

**Ralph Belanger** was a proud member of the 509th Composite Group and served as **assistant flight engineer** on **“The Great Artiste”**, one of the three aircraft directly involved in the atomic bombing missions over Japan in August 1945. On the **August 9, 1945 mission to Nagasaki**, “The Great Artiste” did not carry a bomb but flew alongside the strike aircraft **“Bockscar”** to measure and record the blast effects of the “Fat Man” atomic bomb.

Belanger's responsibilities included maintaining the aircraft's complex systems under extraordinary operational conditions and ensuring the safe function of critical systems during one of the most consequential missions in world history. His participation in these missions placed him among the select few airmen whose roles directly supported the culmination of the Manhattan Project and the end of World War II.

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### **About the 509th Composite Group**

The **509th Composite Group** was a specialized unit of the United States Army Air Forces created in 1944 under the command of **Colonel Paul W. Tibbets**. Composed of hand-picked crews and support personnel, the group was tasked with the **delivery of the world’s first atomic bombs** as part of the top-secret **Manhattan Project**.

Operating from **Tinian Island** in the Mariana Islands, the 509th launched the atomic bombing missions over **Hiroshima (August 6, 1945)** and **Nagasaki (August 9, 1945)**. The group’s aircraft, including the **Enola Gay**, **Bockscar**, and **The Great Artiste**, became permanently etched into history for their pivotal role in ending the war in the Pacific. Their legacy remains one of technological innovation, military precision, and historical consequence.

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### **Item Details**

- **Signer**: Ralph Belanger

- **Role**: Assistant Flight Engineer on B-29 *The Great Artiste*

- **Unit**: 509th Composite Group, U.S. Army Air Forces

- **Format**: Hand-signed index card

- **Authentication**: **Encapsulated by PSA/DNA Authentication Services**

- **Condition**: Clear, bold signature, encapsulated in a tamper-evident holder

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This encapsulated signature represents a unique opportunity to own a piece of world history, directly connected to the pioneering atomic missions that helped bring World War II to a close. A distinguished addition to any collection of **military aviation memorabilia**, **WWII history**, or **atomic-era artifacts**."

A portion of the sale of this auction will be donated to the General James. H Doolittle Scholarship Fund. The General James H. Doolittle Scholarship Fund was founded to assist college students by awarding one scholarship annually in the maximum amount of $5,000 to a deserving student who is pursuing a baccalaureate or advanced degree in aeronautical engineering or an aerospace science. Students are selected based on their scholastic achievement, school and community participation, demonstrated leadership potential and financial need. More information can be found at the Doolittle Scholarship Funds’ website.

The autograph(s) has been authenticated and encapsulated by PSA/DNA for authenticity purposes.

Authentication: PSA Encapsulated

Due to the uniqueness of each item, please refer to the photos provided in this auction. We offer high resolution images of each item rather than a written description of condition.

This item is being shipped from the Pristine Auction warehouse.