Field of Flags

The greenway along Railroad Street in Plains took on a more patriotic look Tuesday morning when the VFW Post 3596 Auxiliary fashioned a blanket of red, white and blue with its "Field of Flags" to honor of Independence Day.

It took just over a dozen volunteers from the Auxiliary and VFW to put up the 13 precisely measured rows of 313 American flags, including a single flag to signify the missing man, now referred to as the "missing member."

"It looks awesome. How could it not, it's our flag," said Linda Barnes, one of six Auxiliary members who spent almost an hour forming the flag field. Barnes and Auxiliary member Cindy Gray donned red, white and blue tops for the occasion. Volunteers ranged from Marilyn Carey, 86, to 18-year-old Cameron Hill, who enlisted in the Army National Guard a year and a half ago.

The Field of Flags project began eight years ago by Charlotte Slider and Karen Wilmer, both of Plains. Plains Boy Scout Troop 1946 did it for about a year until it was passed off to the Auxiliary in 2016.

This is the most flags the group has put out. They also do it for Memorial Day and Veterans Day, said Becky Powley, who is in charge of the Auxiliary's "Americanism" program, including the Field of Flags. She said they might do it for Flag Day, June 14, next year.

"We do it to show support to the people who gave it all for the flag and for those still serving," said Powley, also the Auxiliary's junior vice commander. Powley also went with the Stars and Stripes motif for the job.

The group made sure the flags were properly lined up and about 19 inches apart. They worked in teams with one person using a drill to make a hole while the other placed the flag staff. The majority of the flags were 8-by-12 inches, but they had a few 12- by 18-inch ones. Powley said they would probably retrieve the flags on Tuesday.

"This is beautiful. I love it. Anything with the vets and the flag I love," said Carey. "I think it looks great," said Ed Foste, a retired Navy veteran who is also involved with Quilts of Valor and Joint Operation Mariposa, both nonprofit veteran organizations.

Powley said was nice having a lot of people volunteer to help put together the Field of Flags. "It's a lot of work, but it's worth it."