2,000 flags burned at American Legion ceremony

SPRINGVILLE — Ron Tyne said goodbye to a good friend on Saturday during an event he described as 'close to a funeral.'

Tyne, the adjutant for American Legion Post 298 in Marion, was among a handful of veterans taking part in an annual flag burning ceremony at the Springville Fire Department. About 2,000 tattered and torn flags were properly retired during a 30-minute service before being set ablaze by firefighters according to flag disposal etiquette.

'You're saying goodbye to a friend, so it must be very respectful and very dignified,' said Tyne.

About 60 people attended this year's ceremony. The event takes place each year around Flag Day, which this year is celebrated on June 14.

The flags — mostly the stars and stripes, along with a few POW/MIA and military branch flags — were collected over the past year by the American Legion posts in Springville and Marion. Some came from area residents and many came from local businesses. A couple had once draped the coffins of veterans, said Lyle Andersen, commander of American Legion Post 331 in Springville.

'The purpose of this ceremony today is the respect of the flag,' he said.

During the ceremony, a single flag was presented to American Legion officials and inspected three times — once by the second vice commander, then the first vice commander and finally by the commander of the post.

One by one, the 13 stripes of the flag were cut away. As each stripe was removed, it's meaning and significance was noted:

— First stripe represents the 13 colonies.

— Second stripe stands for purity.

— Third stripe stands for courage.

— Fourth stripe honors Patrick Henry's quote 'Give me liberty or give me death.'

— Fifth stripe notes the phrase 'One if by land, two if by sea,' referencing Paul Revere's midnight ride in 1775.

— Sixth stripe honors the U.S. Constitution.

— Seventh stripe pays tribute to the Declaration of Independence.

— Eighth and ninth stripes honor the First Amendment.

— 10th stripe notes the first line of the Gettysburg Address.

— 11th stripe signifies the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

— 12th stripe remembers John F. Kennedy's 'Ask not what your country can do for you ...' speech.

— 13th stripe notes Neil Armstrong's 'One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind' quote upon stepping foot on the moon.

Once all 13 stripes were removed, the strips of fabric, along with the blue field with white stars was carefully placed on the flames of two large firepits that firefighters had started behind the fire department.

Pat Hoyt Sr., a Springville firefighter, said he was proud to help with the flag retirement ceremony.

'I'm thrilled,' he said. 'All three of my children were in the military. My sons were in the Army and my daughter joined the Navy.'

Following the ceremony, all 2,000 flags were handed off to firefighters for burning, which was expected to take upward of four hours, Hoyt said.

Once burned, the ashes and any remaining pieces of flags were to be buried in nearby Springville Cemetery.

Andersen, who has been a member of the American Legion for 46 years, said the flag burning ceremony has been happening since before he first joined the Springville post.

He said flags should be retired for a number of reasons. The first indication a flag has become unserviceable is faded colors, but Andersen also said a flag should be retired if it has touched the ground.

'It's just been a principle of the flag etiquette for years in the country, which is to keep all flags from touching the ground,' he said.

While it is considered highly disrespectful to do so, it is not against U.S. law to desecrate or burn and American flag outside a proper ceremony. In the Texas vs. Johnson federal case of 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that burning a flag constitutes a form of 'symbolic speech' protected under the First Amendment. The ruling was later reaffirmed by the Supreme Court in 1990. Both of these rulings struck down the Flag Protection Act of 1968.

Tyne said American Legion officials have been working to petition for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

'It would be a Constitutional Amendment banning any desecration of the flag as freedom of speech,' he said.

When it comes to proper disposal, Andersen it's best to leave it to the experts. He discourages anyone from burning their own flag and invites area residents to turn their worn out flags over to the American Legion or any other veterans organization.

How to properly retire a U.S. flag

Once a U.S. flag becomes worn, frayed or dirty, the flag is considered unserviceable and unable to properly fly. In order to suitably retire a U.S. or other American national flag, several procedures are to be followed in order to avoid any disrespect or desecration. According to the Veterans Department of Affairs and U.S. Flag Code, here are the steps to burn a flag:

1. Prepare a fire large enough to sufficiently burn the entire flag.

2. Fold the flag in a customary triangle manner.

3. Place the flag on the fire carefully and respectfully.

4. Individuals should salute or recite the Pledge of Allegiance, as well as observe a moment of silence.

5. Allow the flag to be completely consumed.

6. Once the fire is cool, collect the ashes and any pieces of the flag.

7. Bury the ashes.

Lyle Andersen, commander of American Legion post 331 in Springville, said in order to ensure the flag is disposed properly, the flag must be given to a veteran's organization. Andersen encourages anyone with an unserviceable flag to donate it to any local American Legion post.