Description
The first edition of The Truman Program: Addresses and Messages by President Harry S. Truman, inscribed to his World War I comrade, Sgt. Fred J. Bowman.
Octavo, x, 261pp. Green cloth, title stamped in gilt on spine and front cover. No additional printings noted. Internally clean, a fine example. In the publisher’s dust jacket, $2.95 on front flap, chipping along top edge, shelf wear to panels, a solid, very good example.
Inscribed on the front free endpaper: “To Fred J. Bowman / with kindest regards – read this and you’ll know why I won / Harry S. Truman / 1/22/49.”
The recipient of this copy, Fred J. Bowman, whom Truman called “Fritz,” served in the 129th Field Artillery Regiment, Battery D, during World War I, under the command of Captain Harry Truman. After the war, Bowman returned to Chicago and became the president of Wilson Sporting Goods Company, but remained close with Truman, a friend and frequent fundraiser. On the morning of the presidential inauguration on January 20, 1949, the alumni of Battery D held a breakfast in Truman’s honor. After visiting with his old comrades, “Captain Truman” as they called him, instructed his men to “…stay sober at least until I’m inaugurated into office, then I don’t care what you do.” President Truman signed this book for Mr. Bowman two days after his inauguration.
