ITEMS LEFT AT THE WALL

Artifact assemblage consisting of a transfemoral prosthetic leg with affixed photographic prints and a typewritten poem dedicated to U.S. Army sniper and Vietnam veteran Walter Scott Luce. The photographs feature Mr. Luce, his brother Kirk, and their mother, while the poem draws parallels between the accidental death and dismemberment of a stray dog in Vietnam (upon encountering a buried land mine) and Mr. Luce's eventual combat injury. Handwritten inscriptions upon the leg identify the donor as Mr. Luce's brother Kirk, note his wounding in combat in 1969, record his death due to complications from exposure to Agent Orange on, "July 27, 1987" at "Age 37", list the immediate family members Mr. Luce left behind after his death, and specify the location of his treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, "Ward 35". Kirk Luce closes the final prosthesis inscription with the plea on behalf of his departed brother, "U.S. Army Sniper / Please Put My Name on THE WALL". The artifact assemblage was left at The Wall by the brother of U.S. Army sniper and Vietnam Veteran Walter Scott Luce, a Mr. Kirk Luce, on May 30, 2000.

ASSEMBLAGE DEDICATED TO U.S. ARMY SNIPER AND VIETNAM VETERAN WALTER SCOTT LUCE AND CONSISTING OF: COMPONENT (A) PROSTHETIC LEG, COMPONENT (B) TYPEWRITTEN POEM, AND COMPONENT (C) THREE (3) PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS. COMPONENT (A) PROSTHETIC LEG. THE OBJECT CONSISTS OF A TRANSFEMORAL (ABOVE THE KNEE JOINT) PROSTHETIC LEFT LEG WITH A HINGED KNEE JOINT COMPRISED OF A FLESH TONED EXTERIOR FIBERGLAS SHELL, FLESH TONED CLOSED CELL FOAM INTERIOR PADDING, FOAM LATEX [?] FORMED FOOT (SIZE 9), EXTERIOR METAL ADJUSTMENT SCREW AT THE INSTEP, PROPER RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE LOWER THIGH, AND FABRIC-COVERED, CLOSED CELL FOAM PADDING AT THE HAMSTRING AREA. A SHORT LENGTH OF ROUGH-CUT WOOD HAS BEEN INSERTED INTO THE HINGED KNEE JOINT AT THE REVERSE OBJECT SURFACE, PRESUMABLY TO STABILIZE THE PROSTHESIS WHEN NOT IN USE, WHILE MULTIPLE STRIPS OF SILVER AND BROWN ADHESIVE DUCT TAPE HAVE BEEN AFFIXED AROUND THE UPPER (OR RIM) EDGE OF THE PROSTHESIS. A FULL COLOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT (PORTRAIT ORIENTATION) UPON A RECTANGULARLY SHAPED SEGMENT OF WHITE PHOTO PAPER HAS BEEN AFFIXED TO THE LOWER ANKLE AREA OF THE PROSTHESIS AT THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE VIA STRIPS OF CLEAR, ADHESIVE PACKING TAPE. THE IMAGE FEATURES A MIDDLE AGED WOMAN WEARING A DARK COLORED BLOUSE AND A STRING OF PEARLS, SEATED AND FACING THE CAMERA IN FRONT OF A CHRISTMAS TREE IN A LIVING ROOM DECORATED IN 1950'S - 1960'S-ERA DECOR. TWO (2) YOUNG MALE CHILDREN (APPROX. SIX (6) YEARS OF AGE [?]) ARE SEATED WITH THE FEMALE FIGURE, AND ARE IDENTIFIED BY HANDWRITTEN INSCRIPTIONS IN BLACK MARKER AND BLOCK SCRIPT AS, "SCOTT [WALTER SCOTT LUCE, PROPER RIGHT-HAND SIDE]" AND "KIRK [KIRK LUCE- WALTER'S BROTHER, PROPER LEFT-HAND SIDE]", RESPECTIVELY. FROM CONTEXT, IT MAY BE INFERRED THAT THE PHOTOGRAPH REPRESENTS MR. LUCE AND HIS BROTHER KIRK AS YOUNG CHILDREN WITH THEIR MOTHER DURING A CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. HANDWRITTEN INSCRIPTIONS IN BLACK MARKER AND BLOCK SCRIPT/ARABIC NUMERALS UPON THE THIGH AND KNEE AREA AT THE THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE ARE ADDRESSED TO WALTER SCOTT LUCE WITH THE PHRASE, "DEAR BROTHER, / I MISS YOU SO", IDENTIFY HIS HOMETOWN OF, "SOMERSET, PA", SPECIFY HIS WOUNDING IN COMBAT IN VIETNAM IN 1969 AND HIS DEATH DUE TO COMPLICATIONS FROM EXPOSURE TO AGENT ORANGE ON, "JULY 27, 1987" AT AGE 37, LIST THOSE LOVED ONES LEFT BEHIND IN HIS HOME IN FRANCONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, INCLUDING, "TRINA LUCE - WIFE / KEISHA - 10YRS / RYAN - 7YRS", AND IDENTIFY THE AREA OF WALTER REED HOSPITAL IN WHICH MR. LUCE WAS TREATED FOR HIS COMBAT INJURIES, "WARD 35". UPON THE KNEE AREA AT THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE IS A HAND-DRAWN PEACE SYMBOL IN BLACK MARKER. A HANDWRITTEN NOTE IN BLACK MARKER AND BLOCK SCRIPT UPON THE SHIN AREA AT THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE IS ADDRESSED, "DEAR BROTHER", IS FROM, "YOUR BROTHER, / KIRK LUCE", IS DATED, "MAY 30, 2000", AND INFORMS WALTER THAT HIS BROTHER HAS BEEN WAITING TO LEAVE HIS PROSTHESIS AT THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL (VVM) SINCE HIS DEATH, THAT IT IS KIRK'S WAY OF, "[...] PUTTING YOUR NAME ON THE WALL", AND ASSURING THAT THE ACT OF DONATION WILL PROVIDE HIM WITH CLOSURE AND ENABLE HIM TO REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES THEY SHARED. A FINAL HANDWRITTEN INSCRIPTION IN BLACK MARKER AND BLOCK SCRIPT UPON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE MOLDED FOOT OF THE PROSTHESIS (AT THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE), READS, "U.S. ARMY SNIPER / PLEASE PUT MY NAME ON THE WALL". COMPONENTS (B & C) ARE PRESENTLY AFFIXED TO THE UPPER, PROPER LEFT-HAND (OUTSTEP) EDGE OF THE PROSTHESIS VIA A LENGTH OF WHITE FABRIC TWINE CONNECTING THEM. COMPONENT (B) TYPEWRITTEN POEM. THE OBJECT CONSISTS OF A TYPEWRITTEN POEM IN BLACK INK AND BLOCK SCRIPT UPON A RECTANGULARLY SHAPED SHEET OF WHITE, UNLINED PAPER. THE POEM IS ENTITLED, "JUNGLE", IS NOT ATTRIBUTED TO ANY AUTHOR, AND IS COMPRISED OF FOUR (4) STANZAS AND TWENTY-THREE (23) TOTAL LINES. IN CONTENT, THE POEM DESCRIBES IN GRAPHIC DETAIL THE WOUNDING OF A LOST DOG UPON THE OUTSKIRTS OF AN AMERICAN MILITARY CAMP IN VIETNAM, WHICH HAD UNINTENTIONALLY STEPPED UPON LAND MINES BURIED BY THE AMERICAN TROOPS POSTED NEARBY AND SUFFERED THE LOSS OF A LIMB PRIOR TO DEATH. THE POEM DESCRIBES THE DISCOVERY OF THE ANIMAL AND RELATES THE EXPERIENCE TO THE EVENTUAL WOUNDING OF WALTER SCOTT LUCE WITH THE CLOSING LINES, "THAT NIGHT WAS A FORESHADOWING. / IT WOULD SOON BE MY LEG, / MY FOOT THAT I PICKED UP LIKE A STONE." THE POEM IS PRESENTLY AFFIXED TO THE LOWER, OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF A BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT (COMPONENT (C)) VIA A SINGLE METAL STAPLE AND IS SECURED TO THE UPPER, PROPER LEFT-HAND (OUTSTEP) EDGE OF COMPONENT (A) VIA A LENGTH OF WHITE, FABRIC TWINE. COMPONENT (C) THREE (3) PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS. THE OBJECT CONSISTS OF THREE (3) PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS AFFIXED (VIA A METAL STAPLE TO COMPONENT (B) AND A LENGTH OF WHITE FABRIC TWINE) TO THE UPPER, PROPER LEFT-HAND (OUTSTEP) EDGE OF COMPONENT (A). THE FIRST (1ST) IMAGE IS A LAMINATED BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT (PORTRAIT ORIENTATION) UPON A RECTANGULARLY SHAPED SHEET OF WHITE, KODAK BRAND PHOTO PAPER AFFIXED TO THE UPPER EDGE OF COMPONENT (B) VIA A SINGLE METAL STAPLE. THE IMAGE AT THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE FEATURES U.S. ARMY AND VIETNAM VETERAN WALTER SCOTT LUCE IN MILITARY ISSUE SHIRT, CAP, AND GLASSES, FACING THE CAMERA AND LEANING AGAINST A TELEPHONE POLE. A HANDWRITTEN INSCRIPTION IN BLACK MARKER AND BLOCK SCRIPT AT THE REVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE PRINT READS, "WALTER SCOTT LUCE", WHILE A MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER'S STAMP IN GRAY INK UPON THE REVERSE SURFACE OF THE PHOTO PAPER READS, "KODAK / OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES / [OLYMPIC LOGO]". THE SECOND (2ND) IMAGE IS A LAMINATED FULL COLOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT (PORTRAIT ORIENTATION) UPON A RECTANGULARLY SHAPED SHEET OF WHITE, KODAK BRAND PHOTO PAPER, WITH A WHITE, RECTANGULARLY SHAPED BORDER CIRCUMSCRIBING THE IMAGE SURFACE. THE IMAGE AT THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE COMPRISES A FORMAL MILITARY STUDIO PORTRAIT AND FEATURES U.S. ARMY AND VIETNAM VETERAN WALTER SCOTT LUCE IN MILITARY ISSUE SHIRT, CAP, GLASSES, AND ENLISTED COLLAR INSIGNIA, SEATED AND FACING THE CAMERA IN FRONT OF A NONDESCRIPT STUDIO BACKGROUND. A HANDWRITTEN INSCRIPTION IN BLACK MARKER AND BLOCK SCRIPT AT THE REVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE PRINT READS, "WALTER SCOTT LUCE", WHILE A MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER'S STAMP IN GRAY INK UPON THE REVERSE SURFACE OF THE PHOTO PAPER READS, "KODAK / OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES / [OLYMPIC LOGO]". THE THIRD (3RD) IMAGE IS A LAMINATED BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT (LANDSCAPE ORIENTATION) UPON A RECTANGULARLY SHAPED SHEET OF WHITE PHOTO PAPER. THE IMAGE AT THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE FEATURES U.S. ARMY AND VIETNAM VETERAN WALTER SCOTT LUCE WEARING A SLEEVELESS T-SHIRT AND GLASSES AND LYING PRONE IN A HOSPITAL BED IN FRONT OF A WINDOW WITH VENETIAN BLINDS. A WOMAN STANDING NEXT TO THE BED AND HOLDING MR. LUCE'S ARM WEARS A LIGHT COLORED BLOUSE AND DARK JACKET, AND MAY BE INFERRED FROM THE CONTEXT OF THE OBJECT TO BE MR. LUCE'S MOTHER. HANDWRITTEN INSCRIPTIONS IN BLACK MARKER AND BLOCK SCRIPT/ARABIC NUMERALS AT THE UPPER AND LOWER EDGES OF THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE PRINT IDENTIFY THE SCENE AS, "WALTER REED HOSPITAL / WARD 35". A HANDWRITTEN INSCRIPTION IN BLACK MARKER AND BLOCK SCRIPT AT THE REVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE PRINT READS, "WALTER SCOTT LUCE". ACCORDING TO VIVE CATALOG NOTES PREPARED BY MRCE COLLECTIONS STAFF, THE OBJECT WAS PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED THE CATALOG NUMBER VIVE (23894), BUT WAS NEVER ACTUALLY CATALOGED/DOCUMENTED WITH THIS NUMBER. THE NUMBER HAS SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN REASSIGNED TO ANOTHER OBJECT.

Text of the handwritten and printed inscriptions upon COMPONENTS (A - C) is transcribed in full, as follows: [COMPONENT (A), obverse object surface, thigh and knee area, handwritten inscriptions] "Dear Brother, / I Miss You So / Walter Scott Luce / Somerset, PA / Combat Wounded - 1969 / Died From Agent Orange / July 27, 1987, Age 37 / Left Behind / Trina Luce- Wife / Keisha- 10yrs / Ryan- 7yrs / Franconia, N.H. / Ward 35 / [peace symbol]" / [COMPONENT (A), obverse object surface, shin area, handwritten inscriptions] "Dear Brother, / I've been waiting to do this since you died. / This is my way of putting your name on the Wall. / This is closure for me, to forget the bad times and remember the good times. / I miss you so. / Your brother, / Kirk Luce / P.S. We're moving to Franconia / May 30, 2000" / [COMPONENT (A), obverse object surface, affixed color photographic print, handwritten inscription] "Scott Kirk" / [COMPONENT (A), obverse object surface, upper foot area, handwritten inscription] "U.S. Army Sniper / Please Put My Name on THE WALL" / [COMPONENT (B), obverse object surface, printed inscription] "Jungle / We rushed with heavy guns in the / Palms of our sweaty hands, / To the outskirts of our camp. / The sound of the explosion a / Feverish beating in our minds. / A lost dog had discovered teh [sic] mines we / Buried carefully under the earth. / He lay contorted on the ground, / His ribs stretched across his torso like a / White picket fence. / The skin on his back leg, / Hung like torn clothing, / Exposing a splintered bone. / His paw lay like a stone a few feet from his body. / My boots were soaked and crimson. / I lifted my hand to run it through my long / Phantom hair. / Only to find my newly shorn scalp. / The palm of my hand wiping salty rivers from my face. / That night was foreshadowing. / It would soon be my leg, / My foot that I picked up like a stone. / Never will I run my hand across my face with all my fingers." / [COMPONENT (C), photographic print #1, reverse object surface, handwritten inscription] "Walter Scott Luce" / [COMPONENT (C), photographic print #1, reverse object surface, printed inscription] "Kodak / Official Sponsor of the Olympic Games / [International Olympic Committee (IOC) logo]" / [COMPONENT (C), photographic print #2, reverse object surface, handwritten inscription] "Walter Scott Luce" / [COMPONENT (C), photographic print #2, reverse object surface, printed inscription] "Kodak / Official Sponsor of the Olympic Games / [International Olympic Committee (IOC) logo]" / [COMPONENT (C), photographic print #3, obverse object surface, handwritten inscriptions] "Walter Reed Hospital / Ward 35" / [COMPONENT (C), photographic print #3, reverse object surface, handwritten inscription] "Walter Scott Luce"

Item Weight: 3500.0g (Collective weight of COMPONENTS (A - C)
Item Length: 86.0cm
Item Width: 17.5cm
Item Depth: 26.7cm