The first appearance of the "battlefield cross" is a matter of conjecture. It could have been created during the Civil War to mark a dead soldier who, during a truce declared for this purpose, was collected and buried. The dead soldiers were buried in graves in temporary cemeteries near the battlefields, marked by simple wooden plaques. The configuration of the rifle pointing downward with a helmet perched on the stock was more common during World War I and World War II. While the battlefield cross still served as a marker for Graves Registration Service personnel to remove the body for burial, it also began to serve as a memorial. Although it is referred to as a cross, the memorial has no overt religious context. During the Korean War, the treatment of the fallen changed. Instead of burying soldiers in makeshift military cemeteries, they were taken to collection sites to prepare them for transport to Japan and eventually home. The battlefield cross memorial probably gained importance during this time, as it was intended to provide closure for the fallen soldier's comrades. As Richard Holmes put it best in his book, Acts of War: The Behavior of Men in Battle, "The proper burial of the dead, accompanied by some measure of formalized mourning, is as necessary for those who die in battle as for those who perish under more peaceful circumstances." Having some sort of focal point for mourning is useful for the dead soldier's comrades." Beginning with the 1991 Gulf War and continuing during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, the latest version of the battlefield cross : rifle, helmet, boot and dog tag, has become a symbol of loss, mourning and closure for the living. There are different interpretations about the meaning of the components and their placement. A rifle pointed down means the soldier fell in battle; a rifle with a bayonet stuck in the ground tells us the soldier fell in battle. It is not difficult to interpret the placement of the boots or the presence of the dog Tags: The soldier has made the Final march into battle, and he will never be forgotten. We ask that you take some time this Memorial Day to reflect on the meaning of the holiday.
