<P> Some twenty years later , a folk legend about the ace of spades being used by American Soldiers during the Vietnam War was popularized . Supposedly , US troops believed that Vietnamese traditions held the symbolism of the spade to mean death and ill - fortune and in a bid to frighten and demoralize Viet Cong soldiers , it was common practice to mockingly leave an ace of spades on the bodies of killed Vietnamese and even to litter the forested grounds and fields with the card . This custom was said to be so effective that the United States Playing Card Company was asked by Charlie Company , 2nd Battalion , 35th Infantry Regiment to supply crates of that single card in bulk . The crates were often marked with `` Bicycle Secret Weapon '' . The ace of spades , while not a symbol of superstitious fear to the Viet Cong forces , did help the morale of American soldiers . It was not unheard of for US Soldiers and Marines to stick this card in their helmet band as a sort of anti-peace sign . </P>
<P> Some twenty years later , a folk legend about the ace of spades being used by American Soldiers during the Vietnam War was popularized . Supposedly , US troops believed that Vietnamese traditions held the symbolism of the spade to mean death and ill - fortune and in a bid to frighten and demoralize Viet Cong soldiers , it was common practice to mockingly leave an ace of spades on the bodies of killed Vietnamese and even to litter the forested grounds and fields with the card . This custom was said to be so effective that the United States Playing Card Company was asked by Charlie Company , 2nd Battalion , 35th Infantry Regiment to supply crates of that single card in bulk . The crates were often marked with `` Bicycle Secret Weapon '' . The ace of spades , while not a symbol of superstitious fear to the Viet Cong forces , did help the morale of American soldiers . It was not unheard of for US Soldiers and Marines to stick this card in their helmet band as a sort of anti-peace sign . </P>
why did soldiers put cards in their helmets
why did soldiers put cards in their helmets
as a sort of anti-peace sign
as a sort of anti-peace sign