Culture & Entertainment Notebook: Marine makes homemade American flags

United States Marine Corps veteran and self-taught woodworker Robert E. Pinkley Jr. of St. Genevieve, Missouri, owns True Allegiance Flag Co., a one-person dream built on the passion of "giving back" in the form of handcrafted, wooden American flags.

In 2000, Pinkley -- who now lives in Southeast Missouri -- joined the Marine Corps and was stationed outside of Missouri for about 13 years. He began to experiment with ideas of having his own business, so he started his own clothing company, Defiance Clothing Co.

But once he moved back to Missouri, he said the brand lost its momentum. The needed resources once available before no longer were, Pinkley said.

Robert Pinkley holds his 200th handmade wooden flag Thursday while at his booth at Heartland Harvest Market in Jackson.KASSI JACKSON

He found it very difficult to find a job, but he didn't give up.

"It took me a year to find an actual job," he said. "I have stacks of applications. I applied for 10 jobs a week."

During his newfound civilian life, Pinkley tried to be a volunteer firefighter for a little while, but that didn't work, he said.

Robert Pinkley's handmade wooden flags are seen on display and for sale in his vendor's booth at Heartland Harvest Market.kjackson@ semissourian.com

He finally obtained a new job at Life Care Center of Cape Girardeau, but Pinkley said he still felt like something was missing.

From going full-time active duty in the Marine Corps, Pinkley missed being "involved with America," and his community, he said.

"I was just trying to do anything and everything to feel like I was giving back," he said.

That's when he decided to build his first wooden flag for himself, out of a pallet.

Pinkley posted the finished prototype on social media and someone immediately asked whether he wanted to sell it, he said. So Pinkley built one after another, and it soon became a supply-and-demand domino effect.

Robert Pinkley holds his 200th handmade wooden flag Thursday while at his booth at Heartland Harvest Market in Jackson.KASSI JACKSON

"It took off very fast," Pinkley said. "I stopped using pallet wood and started using nice pine and oak lumber."

Nothing out of the ordinary is used to create each piece, Pinkley said, aside from his newly acquired tabletop computer numeric control, a tool he uses for cutting, carving, machining and milling in wood.

"I can actually put the whole flag under there and engrave," he said. "I'm starting to do more custom stuff, but it's very nerve wracking. I'm just learning the CNC process."

Pinkley has created 200 flags, he said, with the first 180 completely detailed by hand.

Robert Pinkley hangs up his 200th handmade wooden flag on display and for sale Thursday at his booth at Heartland Harvest Market in Jackson.KASSI JACKSON

"Anything that someone brings to me, if they have the idea, I take it onto the computer, create a digital rendering, and it's exactly as you would see it," he said.

He makes a range of sizes, from a small desktop size up to 38-by-19-inches.

His flags are on display for sale at Heartland Harvest Market and Antiques in Jackson, and also online.

Pinkley said he has four flags in production, accompanied by a four- to six-week waiting list on new orders.

Robert Pinkley stands in his booth with his handmade wooden flags Thursday at Heartland Harvest Market in Jackson.KASSI JACKSON

"I don't have any stock; I can't keep stock. I'm pumping them out left and right," he said. "I'm under pressure 24/7. ... It's just really humbling that people like my work the way they do."

Since creating the first flag, he believes his craftsmanship to be steadily improving, and he seeks to make each one better than the one before.

"I think it's part of my Marine nature," he said, "to strive to perfection, day after day, trying to make myself better with everything that I do."

Creating wooden flags is what Pinkley loves to do, adding he's not doing it for the money. It keeps him going.

"I had a rough patch in my life where most veterans do," he said, holding back tears. "I just didn't want to live anymore. And this gives me something."

jhartwig@semissourian.com

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