Legion sets flag-burning ceremony

The Manchester American Legion will retire unserviceable flags in a respectful ceremony on November 12. (Mirror file photo)

by Marsha Chartrand

“A Flag may be a flimsy bit of printed gauze, or a beautiful banner of finest silk. Its intrinsic value may be trifling or great; but its real value is beyond price, for it is a precious symbol of all that we and our comrades have worked for and lived for, and died for a free Nation of free men, true to the faith of the past, devoted to the ideals and practice of Justice, Freedom, and Democracy.

“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 dead be unhonored and unmarked.“ (From the American Legion’s official flag-retirement ceremony)

A set of rules of civilian flag courtesy, popularly known as the Flag Code, was first formulated by the National Flag Conference in 1923. This was an attempt by prominent patriotic organizations to collect together in one instrument statutes, executive orders, and rules of established custom and usage relating to the U.S. flag. It was not until 1942, however, that the 77th Congress approved Public Law 829, giving official sanction to most of the provisions of the Flag Code. This public law established the Flag Code, including the code on disposal of unserviceable flags.

Used flags that have been inspected and deemed worn and unserviceable are to be condemned and properly destroyed; and the approved method of disposal of unserviceable Flags has long been that they be destroyed by burning.

In keeping with that tradition, Commander Lester Koch of The Manchester American Legion has announced there will be a flag-burning ceremony on Saturday, November 12, at 1pm at the Legion Post, 203 S Adrian St. The ceremony will be held down near the tank by the riverbank, and the Boy Scouts will help the legionnaires with the task.

“We have close to 1,000 flags that need to be retired,“ Koch said.

If you have a flag you would like to have properly retired, please bring them to the Legion and leave them on the porch or drop them off at the Kochs’ house on Washington Street.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.