First look at our Memorial Day Tribute Mug

Some Gave all....

According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs website, Memorial Day is defined as a day that “commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service.”

One percent of the general population step forward, raise their hands and promise to serve without asking for anything in return.

Those men and women have sacrificed time with their families so that the other 99 percent can live free. They have waved goodbye, sometimes multiple times without knowing whether or not they would ever come home. They have missed their kids’ milestones, holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. They did their jobs.

Memorial Day is also a day we are reminded of what every veteran has given to this country. Every veteran, whether he or she served in war or in peacetime, made sacrifices, most known to no one but themselves.

I wanted this mug to capture one of the most difficult and real moments in the life of those that have lost their loved one. 

The medallion - A Dog Tag (A notched Dog Tag)

One of the more common myths involves the reason for the notch on the tag issued between 1941 and the early 1970s. Battlefield rumor held that the notched end of the tag was placed between the front teeth of battlefield casualties to hold the jaws in place. No official record of American soldiers being issued these instructions exist; the only purpose of “the notch” was to hold the blank tag in place on the embossing machine. The machine used at this time doesn’t require a notch to hold the blank in place, hence, today’s tags are smooth on all sides.

The Scene - Normandy Colleville-sur-Mer

"HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY A COMRADE IN ARMS KNOWN BUT TO GOD." What great and brave acts did you perform before losing your life and your identity? What dreams did you have that were never fulfilled? What family did you leave that still grieve over your loss? Did you leave a wife or a lover alone in the world, never again to feel the gentle touch of your hand? Did you have children that will never have the pleasure of knowing you as Dad and also a friend? 307 of these markers stand in that cemetery, each one a life taken in battle and unidentified. Some gave all...

The Battle Field 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 a 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

Semper Fidelis to all those that have served, no matter what branch of the military, to our nation's soldiers who have given the ultimate sacrifice and to those that they never came home to.

We are not a big company turning out viable profits, but, portions of every sale will be donated to the Semper Fi Fund.

 (Will be available in Early May)

Illustrated by the Incredible Joey Hetzel