ITEMS LEFT AT THE WALL

Handwritten note dedicated to U.S. Army Specialist 4 (SP4) George Arthur Baker. The note is from Juan Ruiz, who (although he acknowledges that he never personally knew SP4 Baker) hopes that the note will honor SP4 Baker's sacrifice and will assure him that he has not been forgotten. The artifact was left at The Wall along with an associated handwritten note (VIVE (11745)) by Juan Ruiz on May 9, 1997.

ASSEMBLAGE DEDICATED TO U.S. ARMY SPECIALIST 4 (SP4) GEORGE ARTHUR BAKER AND CONSISTING OF: COMPONENT (A) HANDWRITTEN NOTE AND COMPONENT (B) LETTER ENVELOPE. COMPONENT (A) HANDWRITTEN NOTE. THE OBJECT CONSISTS OF A HANDWRITTEN NOTE IN GREEN INK AND CURSIVE SCRIPT/ARABIC NUMERALS UPON A SMALL, RECTANGULARLY SHAPED, STATIONERY-SIZED SHEET OF WHITE, UNLINED PAPER. THE NOTE IS ADDRESSED, "THIS LETTER IS FOR A PERSON WHO I REALY [sic] DON'T KNOW, BUT WHO HAS GIVEN HIS LIFE", IS SIGNED, "SINCERELY / JUAN RUIZ", IS DATED, "MAY 9, 1997", AND OFFERS REMEMBRANCE, HONOR, AND ASSURANCE THAT HE HAS NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN TO A MAN WHO SACRIFICED HIS LIFE FOR THE AUTHOR'S SAKE. COMPONENT (B) LETTER ENVELOPE. THE OBJECT CONSISTS OF A HAND-ADDRESSED LETTER ENVELOPE IN GREEN AND BLACK INK AND CURSIVE SCRIPT. THE ENVELOPE IS ADDRESSED, "TO: GEORGE BAKER" IN GREEN INK AT THE CENTER OF THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE ENVELOPE, AND BEARS SP4 BAKER'S VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL (VVM) WALL LOCATION INFORMATION, "33W 12" HANDWRITTEN IN BLACK INK AND BLOCK SCRIPT/ARABIC NUMERALS AT THE LOWER, PROPER LEFT-HAND CORNER OF THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE. THE OBJECT IS ASSOCIATED WITH VIVE (11745 & 11746). ACCORDING TO VIVE CATALOG NOTES COMPILED BY MRCE STAFF, UPON RETURN FROM NYRO LOAN VIVE (11746) IS MISSING AND UNACCOUNTED FOR.

Text of the handwritten inscriptions upon COMPONENTS (A & B) is transcribed in full, as follows: [COMPONENT (A), handwritten inscriptions] "May 9, 1997 / This letter is for a person who I realy [sic] don’t know, but who has given his life so that I may live in this wonderful nation. / I hope that this letter will honor you and show you that you are not forgotten. / Sincerely / Juan Ruiz" / [COMPONENT (B), handwritten inscriptions] "To: George Baker / 33W 12"

Item Weight: 0.6g (Weight of COMPONENT (A) only)
Item Length: 14.0cm
Item Width: 8.25cm