Memorial bracelet

US Marine wearing a memorial bracelet

A memorial bracelet is a cuff style bracelet worn around the wrist which is made of either aluminum, stainless steel or leather and engraved with the name of a person who died or an event. These bracelets are worn as a way to show support, remember a victim or hero of terrorism, to make people aware of a person that has died and the reason for the death or to commemorate an event such as the September 11 attacks on the United States.

Remembering fallen comrades

Also known as KIA bracelets, they are commonly worn by combat veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars to honor comrades who have been killed in action.[1] A common three line format is as follows: Line 1 - deceased service member's rank and name. Line 2 - unit, date of death, and branch of service. Line 3 - Location of death, usually Village/City/Province and Country. Other engravings on the bracelet can include unit patches, religious and patriotic symbols, and flags.

In Flanders Field Museum

A memorial bracelet with embedded RFID chip was created for an interactive exhibit at In Flanders Fields Museum in Belgium.[2][3]

2014 viral media

In 2014, a story about a memorial bracelet found on a beach in Florida went viral with c. 100,000 Facebook "shares" and coverage in traditional media in multiple states.[4][5][6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Spc. Jessica Haney (May 14, 2010), Soldiers remember fallen comrades with bracelets, 135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment – via United States Department of Defense: Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System
  2. ↑ Melissa Burdick Harmon (January 18, 2014), "A solemn commemoration of war in Flanders fields", Miami Herald
  3. ↑ Andrea Shockling (March 1, 2013), "When Jewelry Meets Interactivity: Bracelets As Next-Gen Museum Passes", Museum Design News blog (Entertainment Designer)
  4. ↑ Eric Yutzy (March 2, 2014), Couple finds memorial bracelet with names of 4 soldiers killed, Miami, Florida: WPLG television
  5. ↑ Kate Santich (March 4, 2014), "Facebook posts spur return of memorial bracelet lost at Daytona Beach", Orlando Sentinel
  6. ↑ Missouri man's bracelet honoring brother found on Fla. beach, Kansas City: KMBC television, March 4, 2014