Many sites (including Parker's site) report that Eisenhower used Parker 51s to sign the Armistice agreement with Germany at the end of WWII. I know it would have to be a vacumatic, but does anyone know what color/cap combination he used?

Eisenhower used the Vac 51. The Aero 51 did not come into production until 1948.
There are pictures of his 51's in the Parker 51 book, along with the story. I don't have the book as it's a bit pricey.

Apparently the story goes that he became friends with Kenneth Parker and Kenneth Parker gave Ike a couple 51's to sign the Armistice with. I believe they were used however Ike didn't attend the signing but the pens were given to his Chief of Staff Walter Bedell Smith who performed the signing with the Germans. Apparently Ike didn't want to be anywhere near the German surrender party.

I also believe I've heard that Parker kept furnishing Ike with 51's through to his Presidency (the Signet model I believe?). I've also heard that when he would get mad at staffers he would chuck these pens at them.

But to answer your question it would have been a Vac 51.

Rowdy

One more thing. I heard that one of the models had a rainbow cap. there are others here that could probably provide much more information. I know Len Provisor is a wealth of Parker 51 knowledge in this regard.

Rowdy

Now, this leads to the important question:

What happened to Gen. Eisenhower's Parker 51 pens he signed the armistice with?

What happened to any of the important Parker 51's Ike had even in his presidency?

That would be good to find out.

Shamouti

I heard many of them are well preserved and protected from the elements in the vaste Phillip Benz Collection.

Todd

That's the ELEMENT. Just the one.

He obviously Benz the truth then?

Let it be known that no Mercedes were harmed in the making of this statement

John

One of the "51"s used to sign the German surrender is in the Parker archives, if I remember correctly, and is pictured in David and Mark Shepherd's wonderful book. I would imagine that any other of Eisenhower's "51"s are probably in the collection in his Presidential Library, although that is only a guess on my part.

The story of the signing of the surrender that I always understood was that General Eisenhower refused to be in the same room as the German contingent, so he sent in his two Parker "51" pens with his Chief of Staff, General Walter Beedel Smith. It was General Beedel Smith who signed the documents instead of Ike. The famous photograph of Ike holding the two pens in a "V-for-Victory" sign, as he had long promised Kennath Parker he would do, was taken after the signing ceremony was completed. To his credit, Kenneth Parker refused to use the photograph for commercial gain, believing that to do so under such a solemn occasion would be wrong.

I would be interested if anyone has any further detailed information.

Sometimes when you are looking for a Parker 51, it overwhelmingly holds historical value. But in the case of these pens, there's no information or pictures or anything about Gen. Eisenhower's 51s. Surely someone would have something on this. Do you suppose it's a good idea to check with the Smithsonian to find out what happened to them?

What kind of sources do you think we need to check out? Got any ideas?

Shamouti

Did they ever retrieve the one lodged in the eye-socket of Estes Kefauver?

Re Gen. Eisenhower's 51s, I have one. Alas, no provenance.