Pendleton Memorial Cross Under Fire

A large cross put up by Marines at Camp Pendleton, Calif. to honor fallen comrades is under fire by an atheist group who says the sanctioning of the religious symbol reinforces the idea that Christianity has a privileged place in the American military.

Pendleton officials are investigating the legality of the 13-foot cross raised on Veterans Day, and issued a statement pointing out that the cross was put up by "private individuals acting solely in their personal capacities."

"As such, they were not acting in any official position or capacity that may be construed as an endorsement of a specific religious denomination by the Department of Defense or the U.S. Marine Corps," a Pendleton spokesman said in a press statement.

Staff Sgt. Justin Rettenberger, one of four Marines who carried and put up the cross, told the Los Angeles Times the memorial was in honor of Maj. Douglas Zembiec, Maj. Ray Mendoza, Lance Cpl. Aaron Austin and Lance Cpl. Robert Zurheide  -- fellow Marines who died in Iraq.

"We wanted them all to know that they'll always be in our hearts, that they'll never be forgotten," he told the paper.  All were with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines in 2004 in Fallujah, Iraq.

Jason Torpy, a West Point graduate, Iraq veteran and now head of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, said he understands why the Pendleton Marines want to honor their fellow Marines, but that a cross on the base is not appropriate.

"In a lot of ways this is commendable – they're honoring friends who were probably Christian," he told Military.com. "I think the memorial is appropriate for the individuals who put it up and the friends they're honoring, but you just can't walk onto federal land and do it."

Torpy said MAAF does not usually get involved in these kinds of issues, but that he has several members who are Marines serving at Pendleton and has been contacted by them to respond. He also said the Pendleton cross is just the latest in a string of such memorials placed on federal lands.

""My response, my ‘dirty duty' here is to say I appreciate you want to honor your friends in the manner of your religion … but this is a Christian monument and it's on federal land. And that privileges one religion over another," he said.

Torpy said the problem is that Pendleton officials did not prohibit the cross being put up.

"I hate to be a bad guy on this, but I should not have to be the one standing up," he said. "[Camp Pendleton} should have known better."