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UNITED STATES ARMY - The history of the United States Army began in 1775.  From its formation, the U.S. Army has been the primary land based portion of the United States Armed Forces. The Army's primary responsibility has been the fighting of land battles and military occupation. The Corps of Engineers has a major role in controlling rivers inside the United States. The Continental Army was founded in response to a need for professional soldiery in the American Revolutionary War in order to fight the invading British Army.

UNITED STATES COAST GUARD -   The history of the United States Coast Guard goes back to the United States Revenue Cutter Service, which was founded on August 4, 1790 as part of the Department of the Treasury.   The Revenue Cutter Service and the United States Life-Saving Service were merged to become the Coast Guard per 14 U.S.C. § 1 which states: "The Coast Guard as established January 28, 1915, shall be a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times."  In 1939, the United States Lighthouse Service was merged into the Coast Guard.

VACANT CHAIR -  The vacant chair represents great loss in a family.  Here is a piece of household furniture that is beheld everywhere.  Wherever we go we notice the empty seat. The chair is left, but a face and form is gone that once being beheld there gives a meaning, interest and value to the piece of furniture that could never be expressed in dollars and cents.

UNITED STATES ARMY PARACHUTIST -   The majority of the services earn their Basic Parachutist Badge through the U.S. Army Airborne School. The Parachutist Badge, also commonly referred to as "Jump Wings" is a military badge of the United States Armed Forces awarded to members of the United States Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy.  The United States Coast Guard is the only branch that does not issue its own Parachutist Badge, but its members are authorized to receive the Parachutist Badges of other services in accordance with their prescribed requirements.

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST -  The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination, with historical confessional roots in the Reformed, Congregational and Lutheran traditions, and "with over 5,000 churches and nearly one million members". The United Church of Christ is in historical continuation of the General Council of Congregational Christian churches founded under the influence of New England Puritanism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST (UU) - (FLAMING CHALICE) -  A flame within a chalice (a cup with a stem and foot) is a primary symbol of the Unitarian Universalist faith tradition. Many of our congregations kindle a flaming chalice in gatherings and worships and feature the chalice symbol prominently. Hans Deutsch, an Austrian artist, first brought together the chalice and the flame as a Unitarian symbol during his work with the Unitarian Service Committee during World War II. To Deutsch, the image had connotations of sacrifice and love.

TULIP FLOWER -  The meaning of tulips is generally perfect love, devotion and thorn-less vulnerability.  A tulip bouquet represents elegance and grace. This flower is a rare bloom indeed because it continues to grow after it is cut.

TREE STUMP OR TRUNK -  Symbolizes a life cut short.  Tree stones were popular from the 1880’s to 1920’s.  They are called tree stump stones, tree trunk stones and tree stones.  Joseph Cullen Root was the founder of Modern Woodmen of America (1883) and also of Woodmen of the World (1890,) both fraternal insurance benefit societies.  Both became well known for using tree gravestones for their members. Root decided on the woodmen name after hearing a minister describe his congregation as ‘trees in God’s forest.”

THISTLE FLOWER -  Is a symbol for protection because of its prickly-edged leaves.  The Greeks believed that a thistle would protect against demons and the Germanic people made a connection between the thistle and their god Donar who was supposed to protect everyone who carries a thistle with them.  But the symbol of protection only came in full effect centuries later when the Scotts started to use this plant as their national symbol around 1200 after Christ.

TENT -  In the Holy Bible a tent was the original tabernacle of God a place of worship, a sacred place.  That to dwell in tents signifies what is Holy of love, is evident from the signification of tents in the Holy Bible.