ITEMS LEFT AT THE WALL
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crucifix
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From the collection of the National Park Service, National Mall and Memorial Parks.

crucifix

CATALOG NUMBER

VIVE 00287

ACCESSION DATE

11/24/1985

ASSOCIATED NAMES ON THE WALL
CHARLES K BUTLER
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ITEM SUMMARY

Wooden Christian crucifix dedicated to U.S. Marine Corps First Lieutenant (1stLt) Charles King Butler. A handwritten inscription upon the obverse surface of the crucifix bears 1stLt Butler's name, his casualty date, "28 DEC 69", and the phrase, "HONOR". A handwritten inscription at the reverse surface (subsequently scratched out) may represent the name of the donor of the crucifix and reads, "RUDY V NSUELA". The artifact was left at The Wall by Rudy V. Nsuela [?] between November 1982 - November 1984.

ITEM DESCRIPTION

CHRISTIAN CRUCIFIX DEDICATED TO U.S. MARINE CORPS FIRST LIEUTENANT (1STLT) CHARLES KING BUTLER. THE OBJECT CONSISTS OF A CRUCIFORM SHAPED OBJECT COMPRISED OF TWO (2) SEPARATE LENGTHS OF PLAIN, UNFINISHED WOOD WITH FLAT PLANED OBVERSE/REVERSE OBJECT SURFACES WHICH CONSTITUTE BOTH THE STIPES (OR VERTICAL MEMBER) AND PATIBULUM (OR HORIZONTAL MEMBER). HANDWRITTEN IN BLACK MARKER AND BLOCK SCRIPT UPON THE PATIBULUM AT THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE IS THE NAME, "CHARLES K. BUTLER", WHILE SIMILARLY HANDWRITTEN IN BLACK MARKER AND BLOCK SCRIPT/ARABIC NUMERALS UPON THE STIPES AT THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE IS THE CASUALTY DATE, "28 DEC 69" AND THE PHRASE, "HONOR". AT THE REVERSE OBJECT SURFACE, THE NAME, "RUDY V NSUELA" HAS BEEN HANDWRITTEN IN BLACK MARKER AND BLOCK SCRIPT UPON THE PATIBULUM AND SUBSEQUENTLY SCRATCHED OUT. THE TWO (2) WOODEN PIECES COLLECTIVELY COMPRISING THE CRUCIFIX APPEAR TO BE AFFIXED TO ONE ANOTHER VIA TWO (2) METAL STAPLES AT THE REVERSE OBJECT SURFACE.

ACCESSION GROUP

VIVE-00002

RECORD COPONENT QTY

1

ASSOCIATED ITEM TEXT

Text of the handwritten inscriptions upon the obverse object surfaces of the stipes and patibulum and upon the reverse object surface of the patibulum is transcribed in full, as follows: [Obverse object surface, patibulum, handwritten inscription] "CHARLES K. BUTLER" / [Obverse object surface, stipes, handwritten inscription] "28 DEC 69 / HONOR" / [Reverse object surface, patibulum, handwritten inscription (subsequently scratched out)] "RUDY V NSUELA"

ITEM DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT

Item Weight: 32.5g
Item Length: 31.0cm
Item Width: 15.5cm
Item Depth: 1.0cm (Thickness)