U.S. "Blood Chit" for Ground Troops - Operation 'Enduring Freedom'.
This small cotton cloth is a modern "Blood Chit" used in the field by a female military intelligence officer attached to the 2nd Battalion of the 505th Infantry of the 82nd Airborne Division during Operation Enduring Freedom from 2002-2003. The 505th was deployed to Afghanistan from July 2002 to January 2003. They were based in South Eastern Afghanistan where they helped interdict enemy fighters attempting to cross into Afghanistan from Pakistan.
This chit bears the traditional U.S. flag in the upper center. However, the 50-star flag is imprinted with the stars all oriented one point downwards. It is unknown whether this was intentional or simply in ignorance of the design. This is likely a locally produced and locally acquired "Blood Chit" because the U.S. military issue chits were individually numbered and printed on more durable fabrics like Tyvek.
Below the flag is the Rescue Identification Message: "I am an American and do not speak your language. I will not harm you! I bear no malice towards your people. My friend, please provide me food, water, shelter, clothing and necessary medical attention. Also, please provide safe passage to the nearest friendly forces of any country supporting the Americans and their allies. You will be rewarded for assisting me when you present this number and my name to American authorities." The message is printed in the seven languages used in Afghanistan namely Pashto, Uzbek, Formal Dari, Spoken Dari, Persian Farsi, Urdu and Arabic.
Blood Chits in the American military have their origins in WII where they became ubiquitous among the American Volunteer Group in China and after America's entrance into World War II with American airmen serving in the China-Burma-India fights. They were revived in Korea and Vietnam, the Gulf War and again in Iraq and more recently in Afghanistan.
Provenance: Acquired by purchase at the 22 July 2012, Bay Area Militaria Show, Naperdak Hall, San Jose, CA.
Sources:
U.S. Operation Enduring Freedom Blood Chit, Pop's Leather, 31 July 2012, from: http://www.popsleather.com/prod_v2.php3?prod=130&hs=hvzpjzcn
Blood Chit, Wikipedia, 31 July 2012, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_chit
Blood Chit, The Central Intelligence Agency Museum, 31 July 2012, from: https://www.cia.gov/about-cia/cia-museum/experience-the-collection/text-version/collection-by-subject/afghanistan-1.html
Operation Enduring Freedom, Wikipedia, 31 July 2012, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Enduring_Freedom
Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection
