Help From the Masses
Unlike the last post mystery which I'm pretty sure none of my readers could ever help me answer, this one is more likely to be answered by asking your help. And so I am. I am sorting through inherited things determining what I should keep and how to preserve those things. Above is a small pillow, probably 10 inches square, that belonged to my great uncle who fought in the Pacific Ocean during World War II in the Navy. The stitching says it is certainly homemade but I am intrigued by the color scheme. What does it mean?
My uncle served on several battleships in the Pacific theater of World War II and was in Tokyo Bay during the Japanese surrender signing though not on the U.S.S. Missouri where it precisely happened. I thought perhaps it was Navy signal flag but wasn't able to find it. I did find a Navy signal for the number 4 from around 1880 that has the square with the red and blue triangles but not with the gold star. Nor could I find anything signal flag that was merely a gold star.
I looked into flags and found the above flag of the Viet Cong. It has the right elements but is from the wrong time frame as my great uncle wasn't serving during that timeframe.
Perhaps I am also looking at it from the wrong timeframe. Perhaps it belonged to his parents, my great grandparents. Perhaps it was their "star in the window" signifying that they had a son off at war and after his return, it ended up in his possession as a cherished item. The red and blue colors are just completely arbitrary.
Other than the military, the only things I know that my great uncle was passionate about was collecting records, teaching and musical theater. None of those things come to mind when I look at the pillow at the top of this post so I am stumped. Perhaps one of you have run across this and know what it represents. If you do, please drop me a line in the comments below or even if you have a suggestion of what it might represent.
Just so you know who I am referring too, check out the sailor below
Well this particular 'mass' is no help at all. It is hand sewn, so I find myself wondering if it wasn't the handiwork of a mother or a girl friend stitching something to while fretting for her military man. Perhaps it decorated a bed or a sofa?
ReplyDeleteNow that I think about it some more, how do I even know it was something he even cherished. It was in a box of other important mementoes but may have been put there arbitrarily by my parents when they were cleaning out his house.
DeleteI wish I could offer something Ed, but that sure is a great picture of your uncle and that small pillow looks as new as it did the day it was probably sewn 75 years ago! I sure hope you find out more.. 🙂👍
ReplyDeleteFor now. I gave it to my youngest daughter who has a collection of stuffed things.
DeleteAs usual, I am no help whatsoever.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me the use of a program called Roots (Roots Magic?) when we have all of our data in Ancestry or FamSearch.?
Years ago, I used to have a version of Roots but have stopped using it. Essentially, it is just software to store your family tree offline, though newer versions I'm sure can connect online. I gave it up because it was essentially duplicate of what I had on Ancestry and was gradually getting out of date. The one advantage, is that it is more lenient (I think) on what kinds of files you can attach to your tree so say if you had a Word document, you could attach it where you can't to Ancestry.
DeleteThanks. The thought of having it on my computer has some appeal.
DeleteCould it be a VietCong flag that someone else gave him -- a younger friend who was a Vietnam veteran, maybe? That really DOES look like the answer, although the star isn't lined up quite right.
ReplyDeleteThat would bother me if it was supposed to be a VietCong flag and someone goofed on getting the colors wrong in relation to the star. Just knowing my Great Uncle though, he wasn't really a big military guy so it would seem like an odd gift for someone to give him. He served his country faithfully but wasn't all about it in his later years and had I not known about his service, I would never have guessed it.
DeleteA handsome young sailor. The pillow does look like a flag but it may have simply been a design. I'm no help!
ReplyDeleteI searched a lot of flags but came up empty except for the VietCong one.
DeleteAlso hoping for a resolution of but no use otherwise. Did he has an association with a state that had a star in its flag?
ReplyDeleteHis childhood was in Iowa and most of his adulthood in Indiana, neither of which have stars.
DeleteHe's cute. But that doesn't answer the mystery. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteHe certainly looked pretty dapper during his early adult years.
DeleteThe plot thickens. Did he ever marry? I just have the idea that it might have meant a great deal to someone who was making it, perhaps to display their own patriotism and courage. They probably had a star in their window too. It doesn't seem like someone that would be sent to a soldier on the front. Interesting. I can't wait to see what other people come up with.
ReplyDeleteHe did marry when he returned to the war and I still have some of his letters that he wrote to his (later wife) girlfriend while serving. But the marriage ended with the early death of his wife and he never remarried. It was obvious that he truly loved his wife though even 50 years after her death so you may be onto something there. His wife very well could have made it and that would explain it being among other things he held as very sentimental to his life.
DeleteIt could be something that a quilter made as a gift and that person liked primary colors.
ReplyDeleteHis mom, my great grandmother liked to tat and crochet but I'm not sure she ever quilted though it wouldn't surprise me if she did. I still have a crocheted throw blanket that she made me as a young boy.
DeleteI haven't a clue and hope someone will know the answer. I like the photo. There's something about a man in uniform...
ReplyDeleteI'll also note those steps look awfully slick to me.
I got all three of your comments and will delete the other two. Yes, those steps do look treacherous, especially in dress shoes that I'm sure he was wearing at the time.
DeleteOddly enough, I only tried twice.... so I guess the third was one that decided to repeat itself. Go figure.
DeleteThere may have been something wrong with blogger as another commenter left the exact same comment three different times. Usually if the comment is retyped, there are slight differences but in this case, they were exactly the same down to the character.
DeleteI used my best searching skills to find that cushion flag but failed miserably. In my opinion the design is surely connected with a flag that existed at the time but lord knows what it was.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Google didn't just let me down!
DeleteWell I am going to offer little help like everyone else. Sorry, Ed. The photo of your great uncle is wonderful and the Navy uniforms look much cooler than when I was enlisted. Hope someone can help you solve your mystery.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your service!
DeleteIt may remain a mystery - I have nothing of any help to offer. I just love that photo. I have one of my father in dress whites - there's nothing like a sailor!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure I have a couple in his dress white as well but for some reason, I just like this one the best.
Delete