Remembering the Red, White & Blue

LITTLETON — Though the crowd may have been small, the emotions on

display at Saturday’s Flag Retirement Ceremony filled the town’s

Veteran Memorial Park, as a handful of patriotic citizens came out in

observance of Flag Day to honor the national symbol of freedom.

Ken Wilson, vice-president of the Halifax Resolves Chapter of the North

Carolina Society Sons of the American Revolution, led off the ceremony

with a reading of “Remember Me,” a short essay written in the words of

an American Flag decrying the lack of patriotism in modern day America.

“I remember years ago that people used to honor me, fly me with pride

outside their homes and at work,” Wilson read. “Now, the young boys and

girls make fun of those who carry me, and call them names,” he

continued.

After the recitation, Wilson addressed those gathered. “We’re here

today to honor our American symbol of freedom. These flags have flown

from businesses, from homes and restaurants all across this area. They

are a reminder to us all that our freedom has been purchased with

blood, sweat, tears and the ultimate sacrifice.”

As Wilson spoke, a metal barrel was filled with wood in preparation for

the burning of the retired flags, which were spread out on a wooden

table. More than 150 flags were brought in this year, including a

30-by-40-foot flag which once hung in front of Burger King in Roanoke

Rapids and a flag from the Roanoke Rapids Fire Department.

As the fire was being prepared Boy Scout representative Richard Kohl

described the meaning of the different types of wood being used. “Oak,

for the rugged strength that carried the flag across the nation; red

wood, for the red blooded Americans who fought and died for the flag;

cedar, to protect us from corruption; and walnut, for the rich soil of

this nation.”

Holding aloft a 1959 flag with 48 stars, Horace Palmer Jr., commander

of American Legion Post 308, related a war story from his days as a

Marine in Vietnam.

In 1967, while stationed at Khe Sanh, a strategic military outpost, the

company realized they had no flag to fly. After a few of the men wrote

back home, a widow who had lost her husband in World War II sent them

the 48 star flag, which the company promptly flew every morning at 8

o’clock. In January of 1968, said Palmer, their position came under

attack from the North Vietnamese. “I want you to know that every

morning at 8 o’clock, a Marine would jump out of his foxhole to run

that flag up. The whole time you could hear the sounds of mortars going

off. The enemy was trying to stop them.” According to Palmer, during

the attack, which lasted from January to April of 1968, they continued

to raise the flag without losing a single Marine.

As Palmer finished his story, the flag was handed to Burn Master David

Hoaglan, and committed to the flames at the center of the barrel. As

flames engulfed the faded stars and stripes, Hoaglan took other flags

from the table and placed them gently, one by one, into the fire.

“I’m glad I came out today,” said Linda Griffin, who watched from the

edge of the crowd with her 8-year-old daughter, Kelly. “The heat almost

kept us indoors, but this is important. I think more people need to

remember how this country got to where we are.”

“This is the epitome of patriotism,” said Staff Sgt. Darrick McGee,

station commander of the Roanoke Rapids Army Recruiting Station, as he

scanned the park prior to the ceremony. “Every seat out here should be

filled.”