Flag Case - Need some advice

Ed Nelson

Member
Messages
1,486
Location
Charlotte, NC
Hello all! I finally finished the flag case I started a while back. This is for my MIL's husband who passed away earlier this year.

Here's a pic, but my MIL was also given the casings from the 21 gun salute. I would like to arrange them in the case, but am having trouble figuring out how. I also need to know if there is any significance in how the casings are arranged. Let me know what you think. I still need to leave some room for several ribbons. BTW, he served in the Army in the late 50's.

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Thanks!
 
If you want the casings to stand vertically, 21 holes in a mounting board would do....maybe even angled holes so they lean would be cool. If you want to lay them horizontally, I think I'd tried appropriately sized slots from a core box/round nose router bit.

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What about arranging them like this. Just a thought

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You could spread them out enough to take up that entire red half of the triangle if you wanted. At least you will be able to lay them in there (what ever you do) and see how they look before you set it in stone.
 
Nice box!.

As for holding the shells, you could also use thin brass wire put in a loop around the groove of the back end of the shell give it a couple of turns and then pass both ends through a small hole in the back of the frame.

The wire would be almost invisible, and the little hole would be hidden by the shell itself. The the positioning of the shells could be anyone you wanted without much hassle.
 
Thanks everyone! The shadow box portion is filled with about 2" of foam covered with red felt. I think I may pull that back out and insert a block of cherry drilled to fit the casings.
 
Question: how many letters in the persons name...could you spell out his name in tastefully arranged lettering somehow (Not sure how exactly, kind of presenting an outside-the-box concept here rather then specific instructions).

Maybe a shape would be better, like painting the casings purple and arranging them into a heart if he got a purple heart during a conflict or something? A star perhaps if he is of Jewish decent...or some other shape along those lines?
 
get in contack with your local VFW and they can tell you the significance and proper way to display the casings.. i wouldnt suggest a name or a symbol,, to much chance of having a misunderstanding.
 
Thanks all! Some one else pointed out the sequence of the 21 gun salute. I think I'll add a block of cherry and inset it in the red field with the casings set in three rows of seven.
 
As some have already said, traditionally casings are displayed in 3 rows of 7 though there is no real "protocol.

Usually the red field is filled with the awards the individual has earned during their service. Sometimes rank and even a picture of the individual is added to the box too. There's no set way to build the display, but it's a memorial and should be done in tastefully layout and fitting tribute.

Awards are usually listed in block 13 of an individuals form DD214 (certificate of release or discharge from active duty). I would assume the family has a copy as the individual had military honors at the funeral. Awards are displayed in order of precedence and can either be medals or ribbons. Any military clothing and sales can provide the medals/ribbons as well as a number of on line sites. http://armyawards.com/awards.shtml can help with putting them in proper order.

Mike
 
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