Austintown American Legion, VFW ceremoniously retire Old Glories on Flag Day
AUSTINTOWN
Members of the American Legion and VFW posts in Austintown dutifully lowered flags into burning pits near the veterans memorials at Wickliffe Circle as smoke billowed out over Mahoning Avenue today.
The organizations have an annual ceremony on Flag Day to retire unserviceable flags that they collect throughout the year.
Samuel Swoger, commander of American Legion Post 301, estimated that more than 1,000 flags would be burned today.
“It’s just our way of taking care of the flag that represents this country,” Swoger said. “It’s out of respect for our country and what our flag stands for.”
After a short ceremony, 14-year-old Andrew Kommel of Boy Scout Troop 184 in Austintown placed a tattered flag at the end of a metal pole and lowered it into a burning pit.
Then volunteers began the work of lowering flags, one after another, into four temporary burning pits that were set up for Wednesday’s activities.
“We’ll be here all day,” Swoger said.
Read more about the ceremony in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.