Distress beacon from pilot survival vest owned by Charles F. Bolden

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

An MS2000 strobe IR/visible distress beacon attached to the survival vest (2014.243.34.1) owned by Charles F. Bolden. The beacon is drab olive green plastic with a black cover and a length of yellow nylon tied to its base. There is a large sticker on either side at the top of the beacon detailing the manufacturing information and safety directions. There is a metal slide switch on one side and a piece of black velcro on the other. The cover of the signal is movable and slides away to reveal the lights. The text [CB5603] is etched into one side of the beacon. The plastic casing near the switch is stamped with battery information and directurs to turn the light on and off. The beacon is attached to a length of white cordage which is tied to a velcroed pocket on the PR side of the vest.

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