Flag retirement ceremony planned for Flag Day
VFW member Doug Cummings releases the wreath into the Clark Fork River from the Veterans Bridge in Superior for the closing of the Memorial Day service. Jim DeBree stands with Cummings as the Honor Guard completed the 21-gun salute and taps had been played.
Hawkins Frye is a 3rd grade home schooled student and a member of 4-H. Where the American flag is planted is important in cemeteries (upper righthand corner) and explaining the protocol are VFW Post 6238 members Jim Palmgren and Ken Quitt. Around 200 veterans are buried in the Superior Cemetery, and each had a flag at their grave in honor of Memorial Day.
American Legion Post 13 in St. Regis and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6238 are disposing of worn American flags on Flag Day, Friday, June 14 at 6 p.m.
This is a revered ceremony for proper disposal and happens once a year in Mineral County. The location will be at 55 Mill Creek Road in St. Regis, which is the headquarters for Post 13.
Post 6238 has placed flag disposal boxes in Superior at NAPA Auto Parts, Darlows Quality Foods and TrailWest Bank.
No matter the size of the flag, all are treated with dignity at the ceremony and the public is encouraged to attend and witness how the formality takes place.
On Saturday, May 25, Post 6238 were handing out poppies and American flags at Darlows and placed around 200 flags on veterans graves in the Superior Cemetery the afternoon before in preparation of the Memorial Day observance.
On Monday at 11 a.m., VFW dignitaries and the color guard walked to the center of the Veterans Bridge in Superior for a short ceremony and then dropped a wreath into the Clark Fork River. All then went to the cemetery for further observance of the holiday.
Post 13 had a front-and-center booth at the Memorial Day Flea Market in St. Regis selling raffle tickets for a $100 gift certificate to Superior Meats. They also sold their allotment of the state raffle tickets for either a Remington Woodmaster 30-06 with a scope, sling and soft case, or a commemorative 1893 Winchester 30-30. On Memorial Day,
Post 13 had their Honor Guard muster at Mullan Square in St. Regis at 11am. by lowering the American flag to half-staff, volleys from M-1 Carbines, the playing of Taps and a wreath laid at the base of the flagpole. They paraded through St. Regis with a full-dressed Scottish bagpiper and dropped another wreath into the St. Regis River from the bridge and then to the cemetery with a repeat of the Mullan Square ceremony.
Memorial Day is to honor those who were killed during battle. Veterans Day is to thank all veterans for their service. Armed Forces Day is to thank those that currently wear the uniform.
Both organizations are looking for new members to assist with their civic duties and carry on the mission of each post. Many volunteer organizations are in the same situation with fewer people offering to step up and carry the torch. For information on the VFW, call Jim DeBree at 406-822-3034. Call Scott Burrows for American Legion information at 406-280-0249.
Hawkins Frye is a 3rd grade home schooled student and a member of 4-H. Where the American flag is planted is important in cemeteries (upper righthand corner) and explaining the protocol are VFW Post 6238 members Jim Palmgren and Ken Quitt. Around 200 veterans are buried in the Superior Cemetery, and each had a flag at their grave in honor of Memorial Day.