WERNHER VON BRAUN.  Wernher von Braun (1912–1977) was a German rocket scientist and former Nazi SS officer who emigrated to the United States following World War II and assumed an instrumental role in the development of the American space program.

VIRTUALLY NONEXISTENT VOLUME FROM THE LIBRARY OF WERNHER VON BRAUN THAT CONTAINS BRAUN’S BOOKPLATE AND AN INSCRIPTION FROM THE AUTHOR TO BRAUN

Maxfield, Marietta and Dan Wise.  The Day Kennedy Died.  San Antonio, Texas: The Naylor Company, 1964.  First edition, hardcover with dust jacket, 8.5” by 6”, 137 pages.  The book is in very good condition with minor toning, chipping, and soiling to the dust jacket.

WE WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE ANY VOLUMES FROM BRAUN’S LIBRARY AVAILABLE AT AUCTION MAKING THE PRESENT VOLUME POSSIBLY THE ONLY ONE IN PRIVATE HANDS

Virtually nonexistent volume from the library of Wernher von Braun with his bookplate affixed to the front pastedown endpaper that states: “Alabama Space and Rocket Center, Wernher von Braun Collection”.  In addition, the half-title page contains an inscription from the author gifting the volume to Braun: “To Dr. Wernher Von Braun, with deepest admiration to a great pioneer in Space Exploration, Marietta Maxfield”.  Braun gave two separate tours of the Marshall Space Flight Center to President John F. Kennedy and the two flew together on Air Force One from Huntsville to Cape Canaveral to view additional NASA advancements.  Braun was personally invited to a reception at the White House by President Kennedy on November 25, 1963, three days after Kennedy was assassinated.  We were unable to locate any volumes from Wernher von Braun’s library available at auction in the past 50 years making the present volume possibly the only one in private hands.