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 todd wetherington | daily herald A retired American Flag burns after being committed to the flames during SaturdayÂ's Flag Retirement Ceremony at VeteranÂ's Memorial Park in Littleton. |
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.”
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