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The battlefield cross is a memorial to fallen soldiers consisting of their boots, bayonet, helmet, rifle, and dog tags. It originated in the American Civil War and has become an iconic symbol of military loss. Many units erect them to commemorate fallen comrades, and high-ranking members of the military recognize their value. After a specified amount of time, the memorial is dismantled and returned to the government.
A battlefield cross, or fallen soldier’s battle cross, is a memorial to a fallen or missing soldier, consisting of the soldier’s boots, bayonet, helmet, rifle, and sometimes dog tags. As the name suggests, it is generally erected on or near the battlefield, allowing the soldier’s companions to pay their respects and begin to process the loss. Among the military, the image has become quite iconic and appears in military tattoos and sculptures as a motif that is meant to symbolize loss and mourning for fallen comrades.
The cross is made by standing the soldier’s boots, placing the rifle upright in the boots, and hanging the helmet from the vertical stock of the rifle. If dog tags are included, they are typically draped from the rifle. More tokens and keepsakes can be added by companions, symbolizing inside jokes and other moments of friendship with the deceased.
The origins of the battlefield cross appear to lie in the American Civil War, and are a bit macabre. Until this period, fallen soldiers were buried where they fell, sometimes by opposing forces, with crude markers erected and sometimes replaced later. In the Civil War, however, soldiers began to be sent home for burial, so after a battle was over, people would move across the battlefield to mark bodies that needed to be removed; the most convenient indicator would have been the soldier’s rifle with his helmet balanced on top, and over time, this image has become associated with military loss.
During the Second Gulf War, the battlefield cross began to attract popular attention, with many units erecting them to commemorate their comrades. Since they could not attend their comrades’ funerals, some units made it a habit to pay their respects at the place where the soldier fell, and photographers after the war captured iconic images that were widely reprinted across the United States. Since the Pentagon generally does not allow the publication of images of flag-draped coffins, these photos have been used as a poignant reminder of the cost of war.
While not an official military honor, many high-ranking members of the military have recognized the value of this type of memorial, encouraging members of their units to commemorate fallen comrades and sometimes holding ceremonies at the site. After a specified amount of time, the memorial may be respectfully dismantled, with the components returned to the government for proper disposition.
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