For several years, Liuzzo has created numerous ice sculptures for Andriaccio’s Restaurant. Most of his creations have focused on the Buffalo Bills football team, especially quarterback Josh Allen.

This year, Liuzzo has taken his ice creations in a more patriotic direction by adorning the fronts of two establishments for military service veterans

“This was an honor to create these sculptures for the VFWs,” said Liuzzo.

Liuzzo’s inaugural creation is showcased at VFW Post 577, 4498 Dutch Hollow Road. The artwork features a blackened silhouette of a soldier atop a snow mound, rendered in a hand salute position. It is accompanied by the inscription “Thank You Vets” and a waving, icy rendition of the American flag, adorned in red, white, and blue, with “VFW Post #577” etched in the ice.

Vince Liuzzo, a local artist, arborist, and ice sculptor, created an iconic Battlefield Cross ice sculpture to honor all American Veterans at the Mayville VFW Post 8647, 10 Memorial Drive, Mayville, on Friday.

By all accounts, his artwork has become a big hit with some of the VFW members, including some of the club’s management.

“It’s absolutely stunning, and I’m proud to be a member of Post #577,” said Judy Kraft.

Echoing Kraft’s statement, Harold Norton said, “hands down fantastic, Vince deserves a lot of credit.”

Post 577 Manager Kellie Warner added, “Vince is super talented and what a tremendous way to honor our veterans.”

Liuzzo’s second creation was unveiled on Friday afternoon at Mayville VFW Post 8647, 10 Memorial Drive, Mayville. The sculpture features a soldier kneeling, head bowed, in front of a pair of military boots. An M-16A2 rifle is placed vertically inside the boots, with a helmet resting on its buttstock. The backdrop includes a vertical American flag and the words “Home of the Brave” and “VFW Post #8647,” positioned to the right of the sculpture.

The sculpture is known among the military community as a Battlefield Cross and has strong, somber historical ties to the American Armed Forces specifically.

“Starting with the Gulf War in 1991, the battlefield cross evolved. The latest version includes a rifle, helmet, boots, and dog tags. The meanings of each component seem to vary, with consensus that the downward-facing rifle signifies the servicemember was killed in action; the boots signify the servicemember’s final march to battle; and the dog tags symbolize “never to be forgotten,” according to marineparents.com/battlefield-cross-history. “During the Afghanistan and Iraq wars from 2001 to 2021, the battlecross was used widely throughout the battlefields for fallen heroes. It was used in ceremonies by Marine Corps units -and other military branches- upon homecoming from combat zones to honor the fallen heroes in unit ceremonies. Family members of fallen heroes were often invited to attend the ceremonies.”

However, some believe the first use of the Battlefield Cross dates back to the United States Civil War

“The very first use of the Battlefield Cross is unknown; its purpose and imagery have varied throughout history, making its origins difficult to date. However, many believe its use began during the American Civil War. During the conflict’s bloody battles, soldiers fell in droves, littering battlefields with bodies.

Fallen soldiers were removed en masse and buried in temporary graves. Simple wooden plaques marked these burial sites and featured the soldier’s name, unit, and date of death. These are typically referred to as the first configuration of the Battlefield Cross, according to warhistoryonline.com

“I was moved to tears,” said a Vietnam War veteran who wished to remain anonymous after seeing Liuzzo’s creation. “What a touching tribute to our fallen brothers and sisters.”