The tradition of using the Battlefield Cross or Battle Cross seems to have first appeared during the American Civil War. After a battle was over, the fallen soldier's rifle and bayonet was plunged into the earth to mark his location for recovery, his hat perched poignantly atop the rifle butt.

In World War II, conditions in the field often required Soldiers and Marines to bury their comrades in shallow graves, the Battlefield Cross marking the location. Over time, this image of the Battlefield Cross came to signify the ultimate sacrifice; a warrior's final gift to his brothers.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, the Battlefield Cross is used as a memorial to the fallen. Deployed soldiers are often unable to attend the funerals of their fallen friends, so the Battlefield Cross is a way for them to pay respects.

Over time, the Battlefield Cross became the ultimate symbol of the honor we show our dead; its components taking on their own symbolic meanings. The helmet and identification tags represent the fallen; their name never to be forgotten. The inverted rifle with bayonet indicates that they went down fighting, sacrificing their life for their country. The combat boots, worn and dirty, represents the final march of their last battle.