VFW retires old flags

All was quiet as a procession of military veterans said goodbye and farewell to an old comrade as part of a solemn ceremony to properly retire a batch of American flags last Thursday in the back parking lot of VFW Post 3596.

Beginning the post's ceremony was the large canton of blue field and stars carefully placed in the fire by Heather Allen, the post quartermaster and a veteran of the Air Force, followed by Army veterans Jim Gillibrand and Don Kunzer with additional portions of the 19- by 36-foot Sanders County Fairgrounds flag, which after a year showed signs of wear and was dropped off at the VFW for retirement.

Allen, Gillibrand and Ron Kilbury, the post commander, dissected the fair flag earlier that day. In addition to the canton, each white stripe and each red stripe was individually placed in one of two barrels of fire during the ceremony. Helping the threesome fold the remaining flags were retired soldier Greg Davis and Marine Corps veteran Noah Hathorne at the VFW hall. It took Kilbury and Allen 24 minutes to prepare the fair flag and another 26 minutes for the entire group to fold all the flags that people dropped off at the VFW for disposal.

Some of the ensigns were more difficult to fold in the traditional triangle than others. "You need to have tiny fingers for this one," said Allen, referring to two 6- by 9-inch flags that, when folded to the traditional triangle, measured a mere two inches on one side and one and a half inches on the other two. In addition, one flag was so torn up that Gillibrand could only roll it up. "That was one well used flag," said Gillibrand, who served in the Army from 1958 to 1961 and has participated in each of the VFW's flag retirement ceremonies for the last 22 years.

Post 3596 has been conducting the flag retirement ceremony on Dec. 7 - Pearl Harbor Day - since 2001. American Legion Post 52 in Thompson Falls holds its flag retirement on June 14 - Flag Day. There is no law that requires that an American flag be disposed of in a specific manner, but according to the U.S. Flag Code, it is recommended that a flag that is no longer usable "should be destroyed in a dignified and ceremonious fashion, preferably by burning."

"The American flag, otherwise known as Old Glory, the Stars and Stripes, or the Star-Spangled Banner, represents the land, the people, the government, and the ideals of the citizens of the United States of America," said Kilbury at the start of the ceremony. Kilbury, who served in the Army and Navy for a total of 26 years, said a flag retirement is in some respects the same as a funeral of an old military friend.

"It is a funeral for a living entity, requiring the burial of the ashes as well, typically when they are cold the next day," said Kilbury, who led the ceremony with the Pledge of Allegiance, a brief history of the American flag, and why it's important to retire the colors with dignity. "Tonight we honor the symbol of our American freedom, the American flag, as we retire her from duty," added Kilbury, as nearly a dozen veterans, along with Plains resident Charee Fielders, placed the unserviceable flags into the fire. Fielders' father, the late Harry L. Scott Jr., was a crewman aboard the battleship USS Oklahoma when the Japanese attacked on Dec. 7, 1941. Four hundred and twenty-nine crewmen aboard the Oklahoma died in the attack. Fielders kissed each flag before sending it into the flames.

The VFW post holds the ceremony on Dec. 7 each year to commemorate those who fought and died when the Japanese Empire sent 353 aircraft from four carriers on a surprise attack that day. The attack resulted in the deaths of just over 2,400 U.S. military men and almost 70 civilians, according to the National World War II Museum, and prompted the American government to enter World War II by declaring war.

The retirement, which lasted about 20 minutes, included two Prisoner of War/Missing In Action flags, one Air Force, one Navy, one Coast Guard, one Confederate flag, and 103 American flags, including a 13-star Betsy Ross flag, like the one the VFW flies on its building each day. Kilbury said they started flying the 13-star flag at the VFW building immediately after the government said it couldn't be flown on federal buildings because it was a flag of slavery.

Only three members of the community attended the ceremony, which was something that bothered Plains resident Scott Johnson, a retired teacher who watched the ceremony with his wife, Dede, also a retired teacher. "I feel it is part of every American's patriotic duty to attend a flag retirement ceremony. The American flag represents freedom not just here in the United States, but all over the world," said Johnson. "The Plains VFW retires these flags with respect and in an atmosphere of reverence. Each flag is respectfully folded, saluted, and placed in a bonfire until every flag has turned to ashes," he said, adding that the ceremony gives him a chance to show his patriotism and be reminded of how blessed Americans are to live in "the greatest country on earth."

The VFW also hosted a spaghetti dinner that evening. A dozen veterans and nine community members attended, said Angela Muse, who coordinated the dinner. The VFW Auxiliary also has a Veterans Appreciation Day free lunch every third Thursday from noon to 2 p.m.