A mystery

The contractors are speculating about the origin of the nine slanted holes drilled in these boards, used as sheathing in the original house.

One speculation is ventilation, but for what? If you believe that these boards were removed meticulously from a World War II packing crate, and applied to the house in the original configuration making the holes line up, then maybe the ventilation was for the contents of the crates.

I think that he had holes drilled for flag holders for tiny little flags. :-)