Military Memorial - Collinsville, OK
Posted by: hamquilter
N 36° 21.858 W 095° 51.366
15S E 243743 N 4028144
This memorial stands in downtown Collinsville, adjacent to the Veterans Building.
Waymark Code: WMVFXK
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 04/13/2017
Views: 3
Located at 9th and Main, this memorial stands on a concrete circular patio, bordered by inlaid bricks. At the center is a 5-sided black granite base on which stands a Marine Corps Battle Cross memorial. On each of the five faces, a soldier's creed for each branch of service is engraved.
Wikipedia has a web page describing the symbol and history of the Battle Cross: "The Fallen Soldier Battle Cross, Battlefield Cross or Battle Cross is a symbolic replacement of a cross, or marker appropriate to an individual service-member's religion, on the battlefield or at the base camp for a soldier who has been killed. It is made up of the soldier's rifle stuck into the ground or into the soldier's boots, with helmet on top. Dog tags are sometimes placed on the rifle, and the boots of the dead soldier can be placed next to the rifle. The purpose is to show honor and respect for the dead at the battle site. The practice started during or prior to the American Civil War,as a means of identifying the bodies on the battleground before removal. Today, it is a means of showing respect for the dead amongst the still living members of the troop. It is commonly seen in the field or base camp after a battle, especially among American troops in Afghanistan or Iraq. While it is used less today as a means of identification, it still serves as a method of mourning among the living, as attending the funeral is not always possible for soldiers still in combat."
Circling this centered sculpture are five large sloped granite slabs on which bronze seals of each of the armed forces are shown: Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard.
A plate on the sculpture indicates it is part of the Randolph Rose Collection. The Veterans Building which stands adjacent was recently renovated, and as far as we could tell, this memorial was placed here and dedicated on November 11, 2016.
The creeds engraved on this memorial for the five branches of service can be found at this link: (
visit link)