Allied Navies in the Pacific Fought for a Photo of This Actress for 70 Years

Esther Williams may not be a household name today, but during World War II (and beyond), she was an Olympic-level competitive swimmer and Hollywood actress who made some of the top-grossing movies of the day.

For nearly 70 years, she was also the object of desire among officers serving in the naval forces of the United States, Great Britain, Australia and Canada. At least, her photograph was -- and it was one framed photo in particular.

The decades-long battle began as a joke between two friends, Lt. Lindsay Brand and Lt. David Stevenson, in 1944. While trying to woo the affections of a certain lady during World War II, the lady was spirited away by Stevenson. In an act of consolation, Stevenson faked the famous actress' signature on a photo and presented it to Brand.

Aboard the destroyer HMAS Nepal, on which the two men were stationed, first names weren't used for security reasons during the war. Brand was known as "George" and Stevenson was called "Charles." In signing the photo, "Charles" wrote an inscription:

"To my own Georgie, with all my love and a passionate kiss, Esther"

Brand put the framed photo in his cabin aboard the Nepal, but one day it suddenly disappeared. He learned that it was stolen by a fellow officer, and he devised a plan to steal it back. The original thief stole it once more, but before Brand could retake his prize, it was stolen by a third party – from another ship.

Suddenly, the photo was known as the "Esther Williams Trophy," and wardrooms all over the Pacific began planning their own heists to retrieve it for themselves. Brand came across the photo of the famous actress a number of times throughout his career, but when he left the Navy in 1946, it was gone and he'd forgotten about it.

The framed photo had made its way around the allied navies of the Pacific for almost a decade before it was retired in 1957. The competition became so intense that two copies of the photo were made. First, there was the "trophy copy," the original, framed photo signed by Stevenson. Then, another version was made, a "fighting copy" that became the object of every Pacific officer's desire.

The "fighting copy" was displayed where other officers could clearly see it and make an attempt to steal it, while the "trophy copy" was kept under lock and key. Often, these attempts were made by brute force. For example, when the crew of the Essex-class aircraft carrier USS Boxer attempted to steal it from the Australian destroyer HMAS Warramunga, three American sailors and one Australian ended up in the hospital.

In another instance, the crew of the USS Floyd B. Parks got the crew of a British warship drunk and simply walked off with Esther. The reason we know about this event is that Esther (at this point) had her own official logbook, flag and official naval signals, which let all the ships in the area know exactly where she was.

The official rules of the Esther Williams Trophy are as follows:

• The Battle Trophy is to remain unsecured and in full view.
• The trophy may only be removed by force (preferable of the brute variety) or by exceedingly low cunning and vile stealth.
• Use of enlisted personnel (ratings) in any fashion is prohibited.
• The only other restriction is against firearms and clubs.
• Unsuccessful suitors are to be given haircuts and lodging (cells).

By the time Esther Williams was first retired in 1957, she had been aboard an estimated 200 allied ships. She was retired only because the officers aboard ships were exhibiting more and more "risky" behavior to get her.

In 1997, she was reintroduced to the fleets of the world to continue the tradition. Brand himself didn't see the framed photo again until 2004, in a special ceremony at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, the trophy's 60th anniversary. It was only the fourth time Brand had laid eyes on the photo.

The "Esther Williams Trophy" was finally retired forever in 2013, upon the death of the actress herself. Brand died in 2010. The last unit to hold the trophy was Australia's Clearance Diving Team Four, which gave it to the frigate HMAS Stuart, which then transported it to Australia's Navy Heritage Centre.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.

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