Lieutenant Antonio Locatelli and a crew of three left Pisa, Italy on July 25, 1924 flying a Dornier Wal (I-DEOR) on an attempt to fly around-the-world. They met the rival (and ultimately successful) American around-the-world flight in Reykjavik, Iceland, and joined them on their North Atlantic crossing east. Locatelli ran out of fuel 120 miles short of Greenland and had to make a forced sea landing. The crew drifted for three days before being picked up on August 24, 1924 by the USS Richmond, the American World Flight support vessel. The Wal was scuttled and left to sink in the North Atlantic

Before the Wal was scuttled, sailors assigned aboard the Richmond took personal souvenirs. This specific piece of fabric was turned into memorabilia by Electrician's Mate Second Class G.T. Bromley and the donor's father, Chief Electrician's Mate Harvey Montgomery Mills, also a sailor on the Richmond, acquired it. It was in his possession until his death and his son took ownership.