As the ONLY Memorial Day TRIBUTE OF IT’S KIND IN THE NATION, the FIELD OF HEROES is quite unique. It first began to memorialize the U.S. Casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. Other organizations and communities have put up small flags for each casualty, but that is nothing compared to the FIELD OF HEROES.
A small cross, the accepted worldwide casualty symbol, is put up for each soldier’s death. Each cross is painted white. On the cross arm is placed a Name Tag. On each Name Tag there is the Casualty Number, Name and Rank. The white crosses are then set in the ground, properly spaced, as in Arlington National Cemetery.
In 2004, the FIELD OF HEROES was first presented on Veterans Day, 11 November. At that time there were 153 casualties in Afghanistan and 1,178 casualties in Iraq. Needing a location large and secure, the Football Field at Irving Middle School in Pocatello, Idaho was chosen. It was at that time, the viewers first began to realize the sacrifices we are having in this War on Terrorism.
To emphasize the loss of our soldiers from the State of Idaho, all those casualties were given another white cross, doubling the size of the original one. On those nine larger crosses a Plaque was put on the cross arm. On each Plaque there is the Casualty Number, Name, Rank, Age, Branch of Service, Unit, Cause of Death, Location and Hometown. Family members and friends decorated those crosses with flowers, mementos and notes.
In 2005, the FIELD OF HEROES was presented at the POW*MIA AWARENESS RALLY in the Bannock County Fairgrounds at the end of July. The death toll had risen. At that time there were 220 casualties in Afghanistan and 1,798 casualties in Iraq. The number of the larger Idaho crosses increased to fifteen.
It was during this year the FIELD OF HEROES added a recognition of the ten POW*MIAs from the State of Idaho still in Vietnam. Each one of those was marked with a black full-size silhouette of a bayoneted rifle stuck in the ground with a helmet on top over the butt plate. On each silhouette was placed a Plaque with the Name, Rank, Unit, Date of Death, Location, Age, Hometown and Photo if available.
In 2006, the FIELD OF HEROES was moved to the Century High School Soccer Field, south of Pocatello and was opened for public viewing during the whole Memorial Day Holiday at the end of May. The number of our heroes that had died fighting terrorism was 296 in Afghanistan and 2,474 in Iraq. The number of the larger Idaho crosses increased to seventeen. Once again the ten Idaho POW*MIAs still in Vietnam were displayed.
The Century High School Soccer Field displaying FIELD OF HEROES was visible to both lanes of Interstate 15. That made it more visually accessible to travelers out for their Memorial Day Holiday. This was especially true at night. We made use of the donated portable tower lights with their own generators that lit up the whole FIELD OF HEROES. Travelers on the interstate would pull off the highway and come back to see what we were doing. We told them of our purpose and they all complemented us for what we were showing. Many asked afterwards why no one else in the country was doing this.
After their initial questions, we told each of them they could also walk through the field after dark and still view the crosses. The tower lights provided enough illumination so that one could still read the Name Tags. What makes night viewing more meaningful is the tower lights shining down on the white crosses, creating reflection from each Name Tag on the crosses, which in turn forms a kind of halo over all the field of fallen heroes.
In 2007, the FIELD OF HEROES will again be displayed on the Memorial Day Holiday, at the Century High School Soccer Field. This time, the Library of Congress, Veterans History Project has asked for a video chronicle of the entire event. That will include videos, photos and interviews on subjects such as making the crosses, setting the crosses in the ground, showing the days when open to the public and finally the removal and storage of the crosses until next year.
The FIELD OF HEROES is a community volunteer project. The materials required for its production are all donated. That includes everything from the wood, paint, lamination of the plaques, lights, portable toilets, to the metal connectors, signs and all additional needs.
What is amazing are all the volunteers who come out to make the crosses and then put them up with exact precision. These include old veterans, Boy Scouts, Veteran Bikers and kids out of school. Also, professionals who take time from their workday to come out, housewives and just regular patriotic citizens who take the time and wish this completed correctly. Other volunteers include the local law enforcement and members of our local National Guard and Reserve Units, some of who have already served in Iraq. They wish to see this done, knowing that they can voluntarily contribute. They volunteer to come out in all kinds of weather to make the tribute perfect.
I have had it repeated so many times, that now I know it is true. They say, “I have been out there in either the snow, rain, hailstorms, or ungodly heat. I have bent over so many times on my knees that I couldn’t get up without help. But, looking at this now that it is finished, I have never been so proud of doing anything else in my whole life!”