JULY 4th. REMEMBERANCE

I attended an American Flag Burning Ceremony by the American Legion at Prince of Peace Catholic church the day before Flag Day. We pledged allegiance and Star Spangled Banner was sung softly while the flag was being lowered from the pole. It was tattered and torn having gone through some treacherous weather during the past 2 years. The flag was folded into the traditional triangle while Taps was being played on the bugle. There was a

reading of "I Am Old Glory" which describes life, liberty and pursuit of happiness and all the bloodshed to achieve it. The color guard unfolds the flag and in this ceremony, and 6 men carried it fully outstretched to a place near the smoldering fire. The men proceeded to cut the blue field from the flag. Then the stripes are individually cut with scissors and folded in half, but held in the guard's hands. The stripes are placed on the fire one by one. There is complete silence in the group and then the bugler somberly plays Taps again. In this instance the colors on the flag meant red for human sacrifice, blue for true blue loyalty of it's defenders, and white to symbolize liberty, our land of the free. After all the stripes have been burned, the blue field with white stars is kissed by the guard and then placed on the fire.

Additional flags were retired that day and the guards remained to burn them. The remaining flags were each placed on the fire fully folded and in tact, then burned. The grummets from the flags can be given away as good luck souvenirs. The ashes were in a bucket in a hole that the men dug before the flag burning. They remove the ashes and brought them to the Volusia burial site on Nova Road for interment.

Our new chapter member, Ann Fifer and her friend Ralph, also witnessed this ceremony that day. It's something everyone should see, it gives you so much pride in our country.

Cece Dougherty

In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.