ITEMS LEFT AT THE WALL

Artifact assemblage dedicated to U.S. Army Specialist 4 (SP4) John Thomas Montgomery and consisting of: two (2) Ambassador brand, Hallmark Cards, Inc. bi-fold greeting cards, a greeting card envelope, and a five (5) decade Catholic Christian rosary. A handwritten inscription inside the larger of the two (2) greeting cards is addressed, "Dear John", is signed, "All my love / Margaret", and contains the passage, "I still love you. / I always will. / It's been 20 years and 5 months. / And I still miss you and grieve for you. / The pain of losing you is as much today as April 3, 1969. / Be at peace my love." The artifact assemblage was left at The Wall by a donor identified only as, "Margaret" between September - November 1989.

ASSEMBLAGE DEDICATED TO U.S. ARMY SPECIALIST 4 (SP4) JOHN THOMAS MONTGOMERY AND CONSISTING OF: COMPONENT (A) BI-FOLD GREETING CARD, COMPONENT (B) BI-FOLD GREETING CARD, COMPONENT (C) GREETING CARD ENVELOPE, AND COMPONENT (D) CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN ROSARY. COMPONENT (A) BI-FOLD GREETING CARD. THE OBJECT CONSISTS OF AN AMBASSADOR CARDS BRAND, HALLMARK CARDS, INC. GREETING CARD PRINTED IN PINK, BROWN, GOLD, ORANGE, PEACH, & BLACK INK AND BLOCK SCRIPT/ARABIC NUMERALS UPON A RECTANGULARLY SHAPED, BI-FOLD SEGMENT OF WHITE CARDSTOCK. THE BACKGROUND OF THE EXTERIOR, OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE CARD IS PRINTED WITH A PINK, BROWN, & PEACH COLORED GRAPHIC MOTIF IN A PATTERN REMINISCENT OF THE TEXTURE OF MARBLE. AT THE UPPER, CENTER OF THE EXTERIOR, OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE CARD IS AN EMBOSSED GOLD HEART SHAPE ADORNED WITH RAISED DOTS ALONG THE PERIMETER EDGE, AND BEARING THE INSCRIPTION, "IF YOU COLD WRITE KISSES, I WOULD SEND YOU AN INFINITY OF THEM. / VOLTAIRE" EXECUTED IN EMBOSSED, RAISED, GOLD, BLOCK SCRIPT AT THE CENTER. UPON THE INTERIOR, PROPER RIGHT-HAND SURFACE OF THE CARD IS AN INSCRIPTION HANDWRITTEN IN BLACK INK AND CURSIVE SCRIPT/ARABIC NUMERALS WHICH IS ADDRESSED, "DEAR JOHN", IS SIGNED, "ALL MY LOVE / MARGARET", AND WHICH OPENS WITH THE LINES, "HELLO LOVE! / I'VE COME TODAY TO SEE YOU, TO SEE YOUR NAME ON THIS WALL, THIS PLACE THAT REMEMBERS AND HONORS YOU. / AND SO MANY OTHERS." IN CONTENT, MARGARET ASSURES SP4 MONTGOMERY THAT SHE STILL LOVES HIM AND ALWAYS WILL, NOTES THAT IT HAS BEEN OVER TWENTY (20) YEARS SINCE HIS DEATH AND YET SHE STILL MISSES AND GRIEVES FOR HIM, AND STATES THAT, "THE PAIN OF LOSING YOU IS AS MUCH TODAY AS APRIL 3, 1969." THE AUTHOR OF THE CARD CLOSES HER INSCRIPTION WITH THE LINES, "BE AT PEACE MY LOVE. / I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU." UPON THE CENTER OF THE INTERIOR, PROPER LEFT-HAND SURFACE OF THE CARD IS AN INSCRIPTION PRE-PRINTED IN ORANGE INK AND BLOCK SCRIPT READING, "SO OFTEN DURING THE DAY I THINK OF YOU AND SMILE. / JUST KNOWING THAT YOU AND YOUR LOVE ARE ONLY A THOUGHT AWAY MAKES ME FEEL SO WONDERFUL. / IT MAKES ME WISH I COULD BE WITH YOU AT THAT VERY MOMENT TO HUG YOU AND TELL YOU HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU." UPON THE CENTER OF THE EXTERIOR, REVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE CARD THE MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER'S PHRASE, "AMBASSADOR" IS PRINTED IN BLACK INK AND BLOCK SCRIPT IMMEDIATELY ABOVE A GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF THE AMBASSADOR CARDS CORPORATE LOGO (I.E. A HEART SHAPE) PRINTED IN BLACK INK. AT THE LOWER, PROPER RIGHT-HAND CORNER OF THE EXTERIOR, REVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE CARD A UPC BAR CODE AND THE NUMERIC PHRASE, "0 095192 8" IS PRINTED IN BLACK INK AND ARABIC NUMERALS. AT THE LOWER, PROPER LEFT-HAND CORNER OF THE EXTERIOR, REVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE CARD THE MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER'S INFORMATION, "AMBASSADOR CARDS / © HALLMARK CARDS, INC. / MADE IN U.S.A. / 175PRF 61 J / THOUGHTS TO SHARE" IS PRINTED IN BLACK INK AND BLOCK SCRIPT/ARABIC NUMERALS. THE BI-FOLD GREETING CARD WAS ORIGINALLY DISCOVERED HOUSED INSIDE COMPONENT (C). COMPONENT (B) BI-FOLD GREETING CARD. THE OBJECT CONSISTS OF AN AMBASSADOR CARDS BRAND, HALLMARK CARDS, INC. GREETING CARD PRINTED IN PINK & BLACK INK AND BLOCK SCRIPT/ARABIC NUMERALS UPON A HEART SHAPED, BI-FOLD SEGMENT OF WHITE CARDSTOCK. THE EXTERIOR, OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE GREETING CARD IS COLORED PINK AND BEARS AN INSCRIPTION HANDWRITTEN IN BLACK INK AND CURSIVE SCRIPT READING, "JOHN T. MONTGOMERY". HANDWRITTEN IN BLACK INK AND CURSIVE SCRIPT UPON THE INTERIOR, PROPER RIGHT-HAND SURFACE OF THE GREETING CARD IS AN INSCRIPTION READING, "I REMEMBER / MARGARET". UPON THE LOWER, PROPER RIGHT-HAND CORNER OF THE EXTERIOR, REVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE CARD THE MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER'S PHRASE, "AMBASSADOR" IS PRINTED IN BLACK INK AND BLOCK SCRIPT IMMEDIATELY ABOVE A GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF THE AMBASSADOR CARDS CORPORATE LOGO (I.E. A HEART SHAPE), AS WELL AS THE MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER'S INFORMATION, "40GE 610 M / © 1981 HALLMARK CARDS, INC. / MADE IN U.S.A." PRINTED IN BLACK INK AND BLOCK SCRIPT/ARABIC NUMERALS. UPON THE LOWER, PROPER LEFT-HAND CORNER OF THE EXTERIOR, REVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE CARD A UPC BAR CODE AND THE NUMERIC PHRASE, "0 095082" IS PRINTED IN BLACK INK AND ARABIC NUMERALS. THE BI-FOLD GREETING CARD MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN ORIGINALLY DISCOVERED HOUSED INSIDE COMPONENT (C) [?] COMPONENT (C) GREETING CARD ENVELOPE. THE OBJECT CONSISTS OF A RECTANGULARLY SHAPED ENVELOPE COMPRISED OF PLAIN YELLOW PAPER WITH A TRIANGULARLY SHAPED, ADHESIVE CLOSURE FLAP AT THE REVERSE OBJECT SURFACE. AN INSCRIPTION HANDWRITTEN IN BLACK INK AND CURSIVE SCRIPT AT THE CENTER OF THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE ENVELOPE READS, "JOHN MONTGOMERY". COMPONENTS (A & B) MAY BOTH HAVE BEEN ORIGINALLY DISCOVERED HOUSED INSIDE THE GREETING CARD ENVELOPE [?] COMPONENT (D) FIVE (5) DECADE CATHOLIC ROSARY. THE OBJECT CONSISTS OF A STRING OF OPALESCENT, CLEAR POLY-PLASTIC PRAYER BEADS STRUNG ON A LENGTH OF SILVER COLORED METAL LINK CHAIN. AT THE LOWER EDGE OF THE STRING, A SMALL, SILVER COLORED METAL MEDALLION BEARING A TEAL COLORED ENAMEL INSERT WITH A RAISED RELIEF DEPICTING THE VIRGIN MARY HALOED SUSPENDS ANOTHER SMALL STRING OF BEADS AND A SILVER COLORED METAL CRUCIFIX TEXTURED TO REPRESENT THE APPEARANCE OF WOOD. FOUR (4) OTHER SILVER COLORED METAL MEDALLIONS BEARING TEAL COLORED ENAMEL INSERTS WITH RAISED RELIEF DEPICTIONS OF VARIOUS CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN SCENES AT THE OBVERSE AND REVERSE OBJECT SURFACES ARE SPACED ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE BEAD STRING. AFFIXED TO THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE CRUCIFIX (VIA A SINGLE METAL RIVET AT THE CENTER OF THE CHRIST FIGURE) IS A METAL RAISED RELIEF OF THE CRUCIFIED CHRIST. THE CRUCIFIX BEARS THE INSCRIPTION, "INRI" ENGRAVED IN RECESSED, BLOCK SCRIPT AT THE UPPERMOST EDGE OF THE STIPES (OR VERTICAL MEMBER OF THE CRUCIFIX). THE ROSARY IS PART OF THE CATHOLIC VENERATION OF MARY, FIRST INTRODUCED INTO THE ROMAN LITURGICAL CALENDAR AS THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF VICTORY (LATER CHANGED TO OUR LADY OF THE ROASRY) BY POPE PIUS V IN THE 16TH CENTURY. THE TERM "ROSARY" IS USED TO DESCRIBE BOTH A SEQUENCE OF PRAYERS AND A STRING OF PRAYER BEADS USED TO COUNT THE PRAYERS. ACCORDING TO VIVE CATALOG NOTES PREPARED BY MRCE COLLECTIONS STAFF, AN NPS RANGER'S TAG ORIGINALLY DISCOVERED WITH THE ARTIFACT READ, "10/57".

Text of the embossed, printed, handwritten, & engraved inscriptions upon COMPONENTS (A - D) is transcribed in full, as follows: [COMPONENT (A), exterior, obverse object surface, embossed inscription] "If one could write kisses, I would send you an infinity of them. / VOLTAIRE" / [COMPONENT (A), interior, proper right-hand surface, handwritten inscriptions] "Dear John, / Hello Love! / I've come today to see you, to see your name on this Wall, this place that remembers and honors you. / And so many others. / I still love you. / I always will. / It's been 20 years and 5 months. / And I still miss you and grieve for you. / The pain of losing you is as much today as April 3, 1969. / Be at peace my love. / I'll always remember you. / All my love / Margaret" / [COMPONENT (A), interior, proper left-hand surface, printed inscription] "So often during the day I think of you and smile. / Just knowing that you and your love are only a thought away makes me feel so wonderful. / It makes me wish I could be with you at that very moment to hug you and tell you how much I love you." / [COMPONENT (A), exterior, reverse object surface, printed inscriptions] "Ambassador / 0 095192 8 / AMBASSADOR CARDS / © HALLMARK CARDS, INC. / MADE IN U.S.A. / 175PRF 61 J / THOUGHTS TO SHARE" / [COMPONENT (B), exterior, obverse object surface, handwritten inscription] "John T. Montgomery" / [COMPONENT (B), interior, proper right-hand surface, handwritten inscription] "I remember / Margaret" / [COMPONENT (B), exterior, reverse object surface, printed inscriptions] "Ambassador / 40GE 610 M / © 1981 HALLMARK CARDS, INC. / MADE IN U.S.A. / 0 095082" / [COMPONENT (C), obverse object surface, handwritten inscription] "John Montgomery" / [COMPONENT (D), obverse object surface, engraved inscription] "'INRI"

Item Weight: 17.4g (Weight of COMPONENT (A) only)
Item Length: 19.5cm
Item Width: 13.5cm