FREDERIC – Individuals gathered at the Coon Lake pavilions to retire old flags on Wednesday, April 26. Organized by the Frederic American Legion Post 249, Post Commander Jerry Tischer and his group led a ceremony to dispose of the flags in an honorable way. The event included short speeches to remind those attending of the importance of the service of the flags and then a safe area to burn the worn or no longer needed flags was set up and those attending took turns to place the flags that were present into the fire.
From the speeches shared were two following monologues:
“I am the inspiration for which American patriots gave their lives and fortunes. I am the emblem of America. I have led your sons into battle from Valley Forge to Vietnam. I have been there through the Civil War, two World Wars, and Gettysburg. Flanders, Korea, the Gulf Wars, Afghanistan, all of them. I was there with George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and I'm here with you now. I have flown through peace and war, through strife and prosperity, and amidst it all, I have always been respected. My red stripe symbolizes the blood spilled in defense of this glorious nation. My white stripes the burning tears shed by Americans who lost their sons in battle. My blue field represents God’s heaven under which I fly, and my stars clustered together unify the 50 states as one for God and country. I am Old Glory and I proudly wave on high. Honor me, respect me and defend me with your lives. Never let our enemies tear me down, lest I never return. People who are in the fires of patriotism strive earnestly for the spirit of democracy and keep me always as a symbol of freedom, liberty, and peace in our country. When comes a time when I am old and faded, do not let me fly in disrepair. Rather retire me from my duties only to replace me with a new flag so that I may continue to symbolize our country. Thank you.”
“Hello, remember me? Some people call me Old Glory. Others call me The Star-Spangled Banner; but whatever they call me, I am your flag, the flag of the United States of America. Something has been bothering me. I thought I might talk it over with you because it is about you and me. I remember some time ago people lined up on both sides of the street to watch a parade. And naturally, I was leading every parade proudly waving in the breeze. When your daddy saw me coming, he immediately removed his hat, placed it against his left shoulder so that his hand was directly over his heart. Remember? And you, I remember you, standing there straight as a soldier. You didn't have a hat, but you were giving the right salute. And little sister, not to be outdone, she was saluting same as you with her hand over her heart. Remember? What happened? I’m still the same old flag. Oh, I have a few more stars now, and a lot more blood has been shed since those days long ago, but now I don’t feel as proud as I used to. When I come down the street, you just stand there with your hands in your pockets. I may get a small glance but then you look away. Then I see children running around and shouting. They don’t seem to know who I am. I saw one man take off his hat. And then he looked around and saw no one else with their hat off. So, he quickly put his hat back on. Is it a sin to be patriotic now? Have you forgotten what I stand for? Where I’ve been? Anzio, Normandy, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf. Take a look at the Memorial Honor Roll some time. Note the names of those who never came back. They died to keep this republic free, one nation under God. When you salute me, you are saluting them. Well, it won’t be long now until I’ll be coming down your street again. So, when you see me, stand straight, place your right hand over your heart, and I’ll salute you waving back and I’ll know that you remember.”
After the ceremony, a group meal was provided by the Legion to those attending. Both veterans and the general public are welcome to attend the events. Tischer said that it had been a while since the Frederic Legion had hosted such an event, which resulted in quite a few flags for the retirement ceremony. They hope to host them more regularly in the future.
If you have any questions about the Legion, please call Jerry Tischer at 715-566-2632 or Dave Chell at 715-566-0604. They are currently looking for veterans to be a part of the Post 249 rifle squad as they honor veterans at Memorial Day and funerals.
