Flag pole tradition

by Willy Aug 27, 2015 9:36AM PDT

I just found this out recently and got to me. The tradition is to place a bullet and match in a flag pole "truck" or top decoration, maybe a ball.

Tradition: The last defender is to retrieve the truck and remove contents. Using the match, burn the flag and the last bullet, kill themselves.

Now, I checked it and most offer a razor rather than a bullet -OR- all three. But, I would think the whole affair is gruesome, but anyone may rethink doing themselves with a razor IMHO. I found repetitive answers but not a definite one, like why the tradition got started in the 1st place. It appears more as a rumor, but if it is, then under military traditions it serves a practical or patriotic one. -----Willy

http://www.snopes.com/military/flagball.asp

Discussion is locked

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I wondered about the "little black pill" story as well

by Steven Haninger Aug 27, 2015 10:28AM PDT

I'm fairly certain I heard that our first astronauts were given these and perhaps some early fighter pilots. There was also a scene in MASH that alluded to this but it didn't have anything to do with reasons for the other two to have them.

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Nazis leaders all had cyanide pills for use

by James Denison Aug 27, 2015 2:25PM PDT

So if captured they could keep from having valuable information extracted from them.

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Ouch! That would be quick but agonizing

by Steven Haninger Aug 27, 2015 2:51PM PDT

Potassium or sodium cyanide are hemoytic which means they rupture red blood cells and free the hemoglobin within them. Thus, a person cannot absorb oxygen and would essentially suffocate while gasping for air. How quickly they'd die would also depend on how much acid was in their stomach. Stomach acid is largely hydrochloric. I'm fairly certain that some gas chamber executions were carried out by dropping the pill in a bucket of hydrochloric acid.

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agonizing death

by James Denison Aug 27, 2015 3:38PM PDT

Might not work if you just ate a few hotdogs.

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Sort of like what happens with hemolytic anemia

by Steven Haninger Aug 28, 2015 3:22AM PDT

where red blood cells are destroyed prematurely and free hemoglobin released. One thing cyanide products do is cause the red blood cells to absorb water and burst. This releases the hemoglobin which is iron rich and has a strong oxygen affinity. It becomes cherry red but the oxygen contained is of no use to the human body. Centrifuged blood from persons with hemolytic anemia will show pink or red plasma rather than the usual hues of yellow. I could imagine that the skin reddening with cyanide poisoning is the result of the free hemoglobin. In any event, don't mess with cyanide salts or gasses.

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Makes sense...kinda

by Willy Aug 28, 2015 9:28AM PDT

Well, the early NASA program, I'm sure the "pill" was provided because there was the very likelihood someone may have been left "up there". Also, any accident deemed after overview may offer the option as well. I do know for a fact that U2 pilots had such pills. The famous Gary Powers U2 pilot would have taken his had he not passed-out from his ejection or wrecked plane unable to reach it.

Another military option was for "Kill Before Capture/KBC" personnel having knowledge of some "data, info or technical skill" deemed so vital they had to be eliminated before falling into enemy hands. I guess generals didn't feel that way, in view of many captured during WWII on both sides. -----Willy

Flag pole tradition

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