U.S. 50 Star Vietnam War Airman's Flag.

United States 50 stars Vietnam War Airman's Flag.
During World War II, American flyers in the China-Burma-India Theater provided themselves with patches of cloth or leather to be sewn to the back of their airman's jackets. These chits (as they were called) bore the United States flag and that of our Chinese allies as well as inscriptions in Chinese (and other languages as needed) that explained that the wearer was a friendly aviator and that an award was due to be given to the person who returned him to friendly lines.

During the Vietnam War, the practice of wearing chit patches was revived. However, instead of our allies' flags, the 1961 approved chit bore only the United States flag, below this, text that outlines a reward was rendered in 13 languages other than English. An American aviator who was killed in action over Vietnam carried this particular chit. The American attempt to suppress the Communist-led movement to unify Vietnam as an independent nation began under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, escalating successively under Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard M. Nixon.

Exhibition History
First Presidio Exhibit
(ZFC0305)
50-Star United States Flag On A U.S. Airman's Chit

Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - GALLERY VI
(ZFC0305)
50-Star United States Flag on an Airman's Chi

Publication History:
Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 133.

Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0305) in 1996 from the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Collection of Baltimore, MD.

Sources:

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Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 133.

American Volunteer Group, Wikipedia, 6 September 2012, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Volunteer_Group

Baldwin, R.E., & Thomas W. McGarry, Last Hope: The Blood Chit Story, Schiffer Pub Ltd, Atglen, 1997.

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	9.5
Length of Fly	20.75

Frame
Is it framed?	yes
Frame Height	20.5
Frame Length	10.75

Stars
Are there stars on obverse?	no
Are there stars on reverse?	no

Stripes
Has a Blood Stripe?	no

Nationality
Nation Represented	United States

Documentation
Documents
Drawings	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.

Condition
Displayable	no

Exhibits

Exhibition Copy

First Presidio Exhibit (ZFC0305) 50-Star United States Flag On A U.S. Airman's Chit Date: About 1967-1975 Medium: Printed on cotton Comment: During World War II, American flyers in the China-Burma-India Theater provided themselves with patches of cloth or leather to be sewn to the back of their airman's jackets. These chits (as they were called) bore the United States flag and that of our Chinese allies as well as inscriptions in Chinese (and other languages as needed) that explained that the wearer was a friendly aviator and that an award was due to be given to the person who returned him to friendly lines. During the Vietnam War, the practice of wearing chit patches was revived. However, instead of our allies' flags, the 1961 approved chit bore only the United States flag and the reward was transcribed into 13 languages other than English. This particular chit was worn by an American aviator who was killed in action over Vietnam. Provenance:Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0305) in 1996 from the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Collection of Baltimore, MD. Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - GALLERY VI (ZFC0305) 50-Star United States Flag on an Airman's Chit Date: Approx 1967-1975, 50 Stars: Since July 4, 1960 (Hawaii statehood August 21, 1959) Medium: Printed cotton Comment: During World War II, American flyers in the China-Burma-India Theater provided themselves with patches of cloth or leather to be sewn to the back of their airman's jackets. These chits (as they were called) bore the United States flag and that of our Chinese allies as well as inscriptions in Chinese (and other languages as needed) that explained that the wearer was a friendly aviator and that an award was due to be given to the person who returned him to friendly lines. During the Vietnam War, the practice of wearing chit patches was revived. However, instead of our allies' flags, the 1961 approved chit bore only the United States flag and the reward was transcribed into 13 languages other than English. This particular chit was worn by an American aviator who was killed in action over Vietnam. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0305) in 1996 from the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Collection of Baltimore, MD. This is an important artifact from the Star Spangled Banner Flag House Collection.

Publications

Publication Copy

Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 133. 50-Star United States Flag On an Airman's Chit Vietnam War As in World War II when American flyers in the China-Burma-India Theater had provided themselves with patches of cloth or leather called chits, the practice was revived during the war with Southeast Asia. However, instead of U.S. allies' flags, the approved 1961 chit bore only the Stars & Stripes. Below this, text that outlines a reward was rendered in 13 languages other than English. This particular chit was carried by an American aviator who was killed in action over Vietnam. The American attempt to suppress the Communist-led movement to unify Vietnam as an independent nation began under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, escalating successively under Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard M. Nixon. Date: Approx 1967-1975 Size: 9.5" x 21" 50 Stars: Since July 4, 1960 (Hawaii statehood August 21, 1959) Medium: Printed cotton Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection in 1996 from the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Collection of Baltimore, MD. ZFC0305