ITEMS LEFT AT THE WALL

United States national flag, also referred to as an "American" flag, dedicated to U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class (PFC) Robert Bates, Jr. A handwritten inscription upon the flagpole or staff specifies PFC Bates, Jr's KIA date, his Vietnam Veterans Memorial (VVM) Wall location information, and offers the benediction, "GOD KEEP YOU IN LOVE[?]" The artifact was left at The Wall by an anonymous donor in July 1989.

UNITED STATES NATIONAL FLAG, ALSO REFERRED TO AS AN, “AMERICAN" FLAG, DEDICATED TO U.S. MARINE CORPS PRIVATE FIRST CLASS (PFC) ROBERT BATES JR. THE OBJECT IS COMPRISED OF RED, WHITE, AND BLUE POLYESTER-BLEND [?] FABRIC WITH A BLUE CANTON CONTAINING FIFTY (50) WHITE, FIVE (5)-POINTED STARS, A FIELD OR GROUND BEARING THIRTEEN (13) ALTERNATING, HORIZONTAL RED AND WHITE STRIPES, AND A HOIST EDGE AFFIXED TO A LENGTH OF WOODEN DOWEL (APPROX. 82.0CM) VIA THREE (3) METAL STAPLES WHICH SERVES AS A FLAGPOLE OR STAFF. THE DOWEL IS PRESENTLY TOPPED WITH AN AFFIXED GOLD PAINTED, WOODEN STAFF ORNAMENT OR FINIAL. HANDWRITTEN IN BLACK INK AND BLOCK SCRIPT/ARABIC NUMERALS UPON THE SHAFT OF THE DOWEL IS AN INSCRIPTION DEDICATED TO, "ROBERT BATES JR.", SPECIFYING HIS KIA DATE & VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL (VVM) WALL LOCATION INFORMATION, AND EXTENDING A WISH FOR GOD'S GRACE UPON PFC BATES, JR.

Text of the handwritten inscription upon the shaft of the flagpole/staff or dowel is transcribed in full, as follows: "ROBERT BATES JR. / KIA 11/[illegible]/69 / GOD KEEP YOU IN LOVE[?] / 23W[?] 43[?]"

Item Weight: 55.1g
Item Length: 27.5cm
Item Width: 41.0cm