what is the ball called at the top of a flag pole and what does it represent?

According to www.military-net.com, the ball on top is called a TRUK it represents the shot fired 19th April 1775 fired at Lexington Mass.

There are some myths about ornaments used at the head of a flag pole. Some crazies started a myth in the 1950s that the round ball commonly found on the head of outdoor flag poles in the United States contained a razor, lighter, or flare to be used in the event of a Soviet takeover to destroy the flag. This is of course sheer fantasy. The balls were in use long before there was a Cold War. Besides that, getting at the ball would have required considerable effort. Another myth is that the flat headed finials were designed to provide landing guidance for Alien space vehicles. The fact that those caps had been used long before Alien vehicles were contemplated is explained by saying that individual aliens were commonly sent ahead of the main wave by several generations so that humans wouldn't think any thing unusual about flat headed flag poles.

Phil Abbey, 7 October 1998

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One myth, apparently created during the Cold War, is that the ball at the top of a U.S. flagpole contains three items, all intended to keep the communists from capturing the flag. These are most commonly said to be a razor blade (to cut the flag from the halyards), a match (to light it), and a bullet (to shoot the attackers).

Although this is absurd on the face of it, there seems to be no end to the line of morons who believe it. I'm not calling anyone else who questions this myth a moron -- they're to be applauded for having the good sense to question it. It's those who believe it without questioning it that need to be put away. So the following points are intended for use by those who are confronted with this idiocy in answering the true believers:

There have been balls on flagpoles for centuries, long before there were communists or, for that matter, self-contained bullets or friction matches. They're there because someone discovered that flagpoles look better with a ball on top. (No, not to keep birds from perching--birds have no trouble at all perching on the ball on a flagpole.)

If you want to destroy the flag, why not just lower it by the halyards the normal way and use materials readily available on the ground to destroy it, or better yet take it with you? As opposed to trying to cut it apart and burn it while hanging from the top of the pole like a monkey.

OK, so you don't want to lower the flag because that would signify surrender. How on earth would you retrieve what's in the ball in the face of an enemy assault? Assuming you don't have a ladder(if you do, why can't you find some matches?), there are only two ways up -- climb the pole or have oneself hoisted up on the halyard. Maybe a professional acrobat could do the former, given time; we're talking about shinnying up a smooth metal pole or pulling yourself up a narrow rope 50 feet (15 meters) or higher, all with enemy troops shooting at you.

Let's suppose you're going up by being hoisted on the halyard. As you do that, the flag comes down--whoops, you've just surrendered. Anyway, the flag is now at ground level, so your friends can detach it using the clips and escape with it or destroy it as described above. You don't have any friends on the ground? Then how did you get to the top of the pole? Just try pulling yourself up a flagpole some time and see how easy that is.

Why the bullet? Are your friends on the ground just standing around watching, or are they fighting back? Oh, right, you're all alone and you're a world-class gymnast who can just climb up the pole or halyard 50 feet or more under fire. OK, well then, if you have a gun with you (that coincidentally is of the right caliber for the bullet), why didn't you load it before you started up? And a single bullet to deal with the Red hordes, fired accurately while clutching for dear life to the top of a pole with no obvious handholds, all while trying to hang on to a burning flag so that it can't fall and be captured?

Also said is on top of a flag pole the gold ball is called a "truck", and there is 6 .38 cal bullets and a Penny in the "Truck". There is a .38 revolver, buried at the base of the flagpole. The reasons for these things, they claim, is that

1. The .38 is so america will never be without arms.

2. The bullet is so the pistol will never be out of ammo.

3. The penny is so america will not be broke.

This Site Might Help You.

RE:

what is the ball called at the top of a flag pole and what does it represent?

Bonus, what items should it contain and why?

military trivia

Semper Fi ... everyone, LEGEND has it that the TRUK (or the ball at the top of a flag pole) is to contain 3 items, (1) Razor, (1) Match, and (1) Round (bullet). These items where to be used by the last surviving soldier in an invasion to prevent our national standard and him/her self from falling into enemy control.

Legend only, but still passed down from generation to generation as a symbol of heroism.

Hope this helps.

Former SGT.

USMC

It's a postal deal the ball represents recruitment or a recruitment center for the military, the eagle wings up represents and is only for the United States President the wings down of the Phoenix "eagle" is for the bank of Europe and last but not least the point or spear is for the military, all represent what jurisdiction your in. The post office runs the military.

A flag pole is called a halyard and at the base is a halyard pin that allows military flag poles to be dropped quikly and the flag to be retrieved quikly, In the TRUK has been changed over the yrs as the type of ammunition in common use and the type of TRUK, the latist mil. Version carry a 9mm or a 45 acp rnd depending on base C.G.'s choice of sidearm. It may only symbolize the officers who let themselves fight to the last bullet in the civil war,while under suggestion to save the last rnd for yourself(never an order just a suggestion) it is ment to symbolize the fighting spirit of american fighting men, also most marine corps. Halyard TRUK's are actually bronzed spun sugar not in an orb, in the shape of an eagle olso a symbol of this nation,sybolism is a tool used by the military to motivate its troops in the face of poor odds and hard times, believe it or not our mil. Has had plenty of hard wone battles both home and abrod,we would do well to remember they are the men and wemon who took the oath to defend and protect us and the constitution from all enemies forigne and DOMESTIC,It is not good that a soldier feels he needs to berate his wards as that will never be his job, his is to deffend only, he should of being educating as I have tried to do(I am referring to the man who commented earlier who berated and mistreated a citizen whom had no reason to know our symbolism or our tradition) and I say to him plz do not forget your oath and remember our mil. Culture is our own and we cant expect non mil. People to know or understand...It is what sets us apart

SEMPER FI

Ball On Top Of Flagpole

To stop the flag from being raised right off the top of the pole? Or maybe for birds to sit and poop on?

Flagpole Truck

^I dont care if youve served 1 or 100 years in the military.. to jump into a thread by someone interested in this subject and completely downgrade them for doing so is 100% inappropriate. Im not sure what your issue is, but unless you have some actual useful insight on this topic, dont comment. Thank you and have an excellent day.

I have served in the United States Army for almost 30 years now and I am saddened to see so much ignorance floating around the internet about a long-standing military tradition. If your only source is to "research" questions like this on the internet, then you have a very limited and flawed view of what is real and what is "myth". If you are really interested in learning vice passing judgement based on what you see on the internet I suggest you see a recruiter and stand a post.