The red poppy is an international symbol of sacrifice.  It honors those who served and died for our country in all wars and reminds Americans of the sacrifices made by our veterans while protecting our freedoms.

 

In the spring of 1915, after losing a friend in Ypres, a Canadian doctor, Lt. Colonel John McCrae, was inspired by poppies growing in war-torn fields to write a now famous poem called 'In Flanders Fields'. After the First World War, the poppy was adopted as a symbol of Remembrance.

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In Vietnam, the tortoise is considered to be one of the four sacred animals.  The Tortoise is often shown with a Crane standing on its back.

 

Since the Tortoise is said to live for 10,000 years and the Crane for 1,000, this image is shorthand for: ‘May you be remembered for 1,000 years and honored for 10,000’.