SHENANDOAH - American flags serve their lifetimes with honor and when their service time is up, organizations such as the Anthony P. Damato American Legion "Medal of Honor" Post 792 retire them with equal honor.
The local Legionnaires held their ninth annual flag retirement ceremony at 11 a.m. Sunday on the grounds of the Columbia Hose Company, retiring hundreds of flags through burning.
Incorrectly called a "flag-burning ceremony," the flag retirement ceremony provides a uniform, dignified way to dispose of unserviceable flags that are tattered, worn or torn and have been flown at veterans posts, homes and other buildings or have marked the graves of veterans of who served in times of war and peace.
The Damato post members conducting the ceremony showed utmost respect for the flags, that banners for which veterans have fought for, defended, and, for some, gave their lives in service to their country.
Legion Commander Anthony J. Wysoski Jr. opened the ceremony with the presentation of the flags that would be retired.
He said the flags were inspected and judged as unserviceable.
"They have reached their present state in a proper service of tribute, memory and love," he added.
"Let these faded flags of our country be retired and destroyed with respectful and honorable rites and their places be taken by bright new flags of the same size and kind, and let no grave of our soldier or sailor or airman dead be unhonored and unmarked," Wysoski said.
Acting Chaplain George Lesko offered a prayer, after which Wysoski called for a hand salute from all veterans present, followed by the honor guard of George Hysock, Daniel Klausen and James McGuire firing a three-round volley. Legionnaire Leo Slecton then played taps.
The official ceremony for disposal of unserviceable flags was approved through a resolution passed at The American Legion national convention in New York City in 1937. Even though the approved method of disposal had long been by burning, no ritual had been formalized to that time. The new ceremony was added to the Legion's "Manual of Ceremonies."
After taps, the veterans, along with Shenandoah Cub Scout Pack 721 members Zachary Slater, 7, and Gordon Slater III, 5, moved to a recently dug pit behind the firehouse, where Columbia Hose members assisted as needed. Hundreds of flags were in boxes and bags ready for retirement. Wysoski picked a graveside-size flag from a box and tossed it into the fire, which was started by the firefighters. After the first flag, Wysoski and Sergeant-at-Arms Daniel Pistilli began throwing handfuls of flags into the pit. Members of the public who attended also participated in throwing the flags in. At times, the blaze was so hot that it was necessary to stand back to avoid the heat and smoke.
Afterward, all who attended were invited into the firehouse for hot dogs, soup, coffee, dessert and other refreshments provided by the fire company.
Legionnaire John Alcaraz thanked Columbia Hose members for their cooperation and assistance in holding the ceremony.
Wysoski, who is also Legion District 13 vice commander, spoke after the ceremony about the importance of the proper method to retire flags.
"This is the only way flags can be properly disposed of," he said. "Flags cannot or should not be just thrown away or discarded ... We have had our flag retirement ceremony for this year now, but people can drop flags at the Legion for next year."