

From the collection of the National Park Service, National Mall and Memorial Parks.
note, printed
VIVE 00832
04/18/1985
Printed note dedicated to U.S. Navy Aviation Ordnanceman, Petty Officer Second Class (AO2) Clayton Mitch Blankenship, U.S. Navy Airman (AN) Daniel Parks Cherry, U.S. Navy Airman (AN) Robert W. Haakenson, Jr., U.S. Navy Airman Apprentice (AA) Robert Allen Yankoski, and U.S. Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) Michael Sargent Bixel. The note reads, "24 October 1972 / AO2 Clayton Blankenship VA-56 / AMSAN Dan Cherry VA-93 / AA Bob Haakenson, Jr. V-1 Div / AA Bob Yankoski V-4 Div / died... / LTJG Mike Bixel VA-115 / lost at sea... / courageous shipmates, rest." The artifact was left at The Wall along with a military issue, Presidential Unit Citation award citation (VIVE (814)) by an anonymous U.S. Navy & Vietnam veteran between February - April 1985.
PRINTED NOTE DEDICATED TO U.S. NAVY AVIATION ORDNANCEMAN, PETTY OFFICER SECOND CLASS (AO2) CLAYTON MITCH BLANKENSHIP, U.S. NAVY AIRMAN (AN) DANIEL PARKS CHERRY, U.S. NAVY AIRMAN (AN) ROBERT W. HAAKENSON, JR., U.S. NAVY AIRMAN APPRENTICE (AA) ROBERT ALLEN YANKOSKI, AND U.S. NAVY LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE (LTJG) MICHAEL SARGENT BIXEL. THE OBJECT CONSISTS OF A NOTE PRINTED IN BLACK INK AND BLOCK SCRIPT/ARABIC NUMERALS UPON A RECTANGULARLY SHAPED SHEET OF WHITE, UNLINED PAPER. THE NOTE READS, "24 OCTOBER 1972 / AO2 CLAYTON BLANKENSHIP VA-56 / AMSAN DAN CHERRY VA-93 / AA BOB HAAKENSON, JR. V-1 DIV / AA BOB YANKOSKI V-4 DIV / DIED... / LTJG MIKE BIXEL VA-115 / LOST AT SEA... / COURAGEOUS SHIPMATES, REST." THE OBJECT IS ASSOCIATED WITH VIVE (814).
VIVE-00007
1
Text of the printed inscriptions upon the obverse object surface is transcribed in full, as follows: "24 October 1972 / AO2 Clayton Blankenship VA-56 / AMSAN Dan Cherry VA-93 / AA Bob Haakenson, Jr. V-1 Div / AA Bob Yankoski V-4 Div / died... / LTJG Mike Bixel VA-115 / lost at sea... / courageous shipmates, rest."
Item Weight: 0.8g
Item Length: 15.1cm
Item Width: 10.1cm