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Dorothy Copus Brush Take your worn Three days -- Memorial Day in May, Flag Day
in June and the Fourth of July -- were set aside as a time for
Americans to pause and remember what this country means to them.
In all these special days the flag has a starring role. At our
house the flag is displayed 24 hours a day every day. My husband
installed a tall flag pole with a light illuminating it at night. Over the years it has been necessary to replace
each flag as they show wear and tear. They were stored away carefully
because I knew the flag code specified the flag should be destroyed
in a dignified manner, preferably by burning. One day I read
that the armory occasionally had a ceremony to dispose of old
flags so I gathered up all my flags and took them there. This past Flag Day I stopped there with another
retired flag and the gentleman on duty said, "A man from
the VFW was just here to pick up our flags because they are having
a ceremony at the post tonight at 6." With that news I took
back my flag so it could be part of the ceremony. I arrived at VFW 5025 shortly before 6 p.m.
and was greeted by Cmdr. Vic Lee. He said that over the past
year they had collected 125 old flags to be burned. Joining him
were Levi Cattinton, Gerald Playle, John Senko and Jay Shumway,
who survived both Pearl Harbor and D Day and served in Europe
until the end of World War II. The other men were veterans of
World War II, Korea and Vietnam. At the appointed hour, each man, carrying
a number of flags, moved as one to the three barrels where they
placed the flags carefully. They gave the Pledge of Allegiance,
saluted and stepped back. One of the vets torched each barrel
as they all stood quietly and respectfully as our nation's symbol
blazed. There were only two non-veterans there. The
wife of a member who could not be present was taking pictures
and I was there to report on the service. I kept wishing there
had been many young Americans there for the impressive event.
It would have been an introduction to the emotions that are stirred
by the flag. Whether Old Glory is raised on a battlefield won
by bitter fighting, or the Star Spangled Banner is seen waving
as one returns from a journey to another country, few Americans
remain unmoved. Although the Pledge of Allegiance is always
part of the VFW ceremony, it was especially appropriate at this
service. Many patriotic organizations are involved in a movement
to recognize Flag Day by pausing at 6 p.m. to repeat the words
honoring the flag. It took about an hour for the flags to be
reduced to ashes. Those 125 flags left only a handful of ashes.
They were carefully placed in a small grave that had been prepared
earlier and covered with earth. When you have a flag which has seen better days, do take it to the VFW, the armory or any of the veterans groups so it may be given a proper end. |