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American Legion puts flags to rest
From right, Troop 707 Boy Scouts Sebastien Fraser, Hunter Erbentraut and Eli Shuff hold worn American flags that are to be retired as the American Legion Post #16 holds a flag retirement ceremony Sunday, June 13, 2010, in Huntington.
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HUNTINGTON -- With the thermometer pushing past 90 on Sunday afternoon, the last thing anyone would want to do is to stand beside a fire.
But with sweat dripping, Vietnam veteran Terry Skaggs was honored to do so for his country, his comrades and the American flag.
Sunday afternoon, Skaggs respectfully put 225 tri-folded old American flags into a burning barrel outside American Legion Post No. 16, 1221 6th Ave., as part of the Legion's annual flag retirement ceremony that drew dozens of people.
"The flag means a lot to me, and it means even more to me given the conflicts that we're in now," said Skaggs, who has been on the Post 16 honor guard for 15 years.
Hosted by post commander Shannon Harshbarger, the ceremony started with Skaggs raising a new flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol last July 4 (a gift from U.S. Congressman Nick Rahall) to the top of the Legion flagpole.
The flag ceremony was part of a yearly observance of Flag Day, which has been celebrated nationwide since 1949 when President Harry Truman signed an act of Congress designating June 14 of each year as National Flag Day.
There are several Flag Day ceremonies set for Monday.
Pullman Square will host a Flag Day event at 6:30 p.m. that will last about an hour. At 6 p.m. Monday at the Summit Branch of Boyd County Public Library, 1016 Summit Road, Ashland, Piece-ing It Together Craft Club will teach folks how to make mosaic flag plaques.
At VFW Post 1064 on 7th Avenue in Huntington, the VA Medical Center along with the Volunteers of America and Old West BBQ will partner to sponsor the Stand Down from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., providing food, clothing, shelter and other assistance to area homeless veterans.
On Sunday, Harshbarger read the criteria for the unserviceable flags which had become "faded and worn in a tribute of service and love" to the country.
Harshbarger read that it didn't matter if the flags were of the cheapest gauze or the finest silk that the real value of the flag is beyond priceless "because of all of our comrades who lived and died for justice and democracy."
Following a prayer, a 21-gun salute and the playing of "Taps," Boy Scouts from Troop 707 of Lesage (under the leadership of Scoutmaster Rob Kimball) handed over the neatly folded flags.
"This is a ceremony to honor those who have given service to the country, those who are doing it now and or in the future," Harshbarger said.
