Collections Item Detail

DescriptionAward pin: Navy 'E' Award to Keuffel & Esser Co., Hoboken, N.J. Commemorative pin issued to employee Arthur E. Miller, no date, circa 1941-1946. Enameled brass oval, 5/8" wide x 7/8" high; pin back. Back has maker's mark (Bastian Bros. Co., Rochester, N.Y.) plus three other union marks. K&E did significant work in Hoboken for the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy during World War II. The Army - Navy "E" Award (Award for Excellence in Production) was given to K&E seven times. Only 13 companies in the entire country received seven awards. Text reads: E for Production United States Navy Bureau of Ordnance K & E K&E received its first award on August 9, 1941, second on May 29, 1942 and third on Nov. 4, 1942 (see objects 2012.021.0005 for Miller's pin and related materials.) Date of fourth one not found. Fifth one was displayed on July 10, 1945. Typically in K&E promotional publications and on stationery, the additional ones are indicated by the number of stars (usually depicted on a pennant with an "E"), so five stars equaled five awards. The pin here is not dated, but without any added stars, it may have been issued for the first award in 1941, but that is not definitive. The pin is from the personal memorabilia of Arthur E. Miller (1914-1984) who was also known as Edwin Arthur Miller. Born and raised in Hoboken, his job at K&E at this time is not known except that it was an occupation considered essential to the war effort and thus he was excused from military service. He is known have been engaged directly in manufacturing work as his tool chest from his time at K&E is in the Museum collections (objects 2012.021.0100) and has many small bench tools for that have yet to be studied.