Retirement of an American Flag
By Bob Kirk
United States Marine Master Sgt. Percy Webb penned the following tribute to
Old Glory about 1933. This tribute has been updated to include the states that have
been added since his original writing.
I Am Old Glory: for more than nine score years I have been
the banner of hope and freedom for generation after generation of
Americans. Born amid the first flames of Americas fight for freedom,
I am the symbol of a country that has grown from a little group of
thirteen colonies to a united nation of fifty sovereign states. Planted
firmly on the high pinnacle of American Faith, my gently fluttering
folds have proved an inspiration to untold millions. Men have followed
me into battle with unwavering courage. They have looked upon me as
a symbol of national unity. They have prayed that they and their fellow
citizens might continue to enjoy the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness
which have been granted to every American as the heritage of free men.
So long as men love liberty more than life itself; so long as they treasure
the priceless privileges bought with blood of our forefathers; so long as
the principles of truth, justice and charity for all remain deeply rooted in
human hearts, I shall continue to be the enduring banner of the United
States of America.
The Smithsonian National Museum of American History website gives excellent
background information on flag etiquette and how it came about. According to
the website, Americans today would likely be disturbed by the Armistead family’s
handling of the Star Spangled Banner (marking up the stars and stripes with
signatures, cutting off pieces to give away as souvenirs), though it was customary
at that time. The US. Flag Code contains guidelines for the handling of the flag.
Though these rules and customs date back to the late 19th century, they are still
followed today.
The first efforts of a group of Civil War veterans who wanted to uphold the
sacred character of the flag were targeted at commercial and political advertising.
No flag desecration legislation was passed until the 1960s, but by the early 1900s
most states had adopted such statutes. As early as 1907 the U.S. Supreme court
upheld a Nebraska statute in a case involving the company that manufactured Stars
and Stripes beer {Halter v. Nebraska, 1907).
f.4.
During World War I, the movement to protect the flag gained national
momentum, and on June 14,1923, the first National Flag Conference was held
in Washington to establish rules for civilian flag use. The U.S. Flag Code was
adopted by Congress in 1942, and is based on the belief that the American flag
“represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing.” Among the flag
uses considered to be disrespectful are using it for advertising and as a decoration
on clothing or other goods. Though the U.S. Supreme Court struck down flag
protection laws as a violation of free speech in 1989, the U.S. Flag code is still
considered to contain rules of etiquette, which are enforced by tradition rather than
by law.
The United States Flag Code, Title 4, Section 8k states: “The flag, when it is in
such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display, should be destroyed
in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”
The American Legion Ceremony for Disposal of Unserviceable Flags is outlined
in Resolution No. 440, passed by the 19th National Convention of the American
Legion in New York, September 20-23,1937. The ceremony has been an integral
part of American Legion ritual since that date.
American Legion Morehead City Post 46 follows the guidelines set forth in
this resolution, and we are of the opinion that the American Legions flag disposal
ceremony is a dignified tribute to the U.S. flag and to its symbolism. We, the
American Legion, veterans from all walks of life, citizen and non-citizen, whose
members have served in all conflicts from WWII to the present, will honor the
memory of those who served and sacrificed, and treat the symbol of our nation
with the respect deserved.
There are many places in our county to drop off American flags for retirement.
Post 46 collects flags from the following locations: Pine Knoll Shores Fire
Department, ACE Hardware at Atlantic Station, and the Carteret County Veterans
Service Office at 3710 John Platt Drive and NC Works at 309 Commerce Avenue,
both in Morehead City.
American Legion Post 46 conducts a flag retirement ceremony at least once
a year at the Pine Knoll Shores Fire Department, with the assistance of the staff.
The Post generally has little time to publish the date and time due to member
schedules, weather and other events beyond our control. Once we establish a date
for the ceremony we will post the date, time and location on our Facebook page
(AmericanLegionMoreheadCityPost46).
If you would like to know what American Legion Post 46 is doing in the
community, follow us on Facebook or email us at americanlegionpost46mhc@
gmail.com for more information. To learn more about what the American Legion is
doing in North Carolina, visit nclegion.org.
Boh Kirk is vice commander for American Legion Morehead City Post 46.
From left: In a 2016'’flag retirement ceremony, Shaunah Schaffer, daughter of John and Rebecca Sotirkys from Newport, presents the flag to Pine Knoll Shores fireman
Dan Sparks for retirement; the ceremonial flag burning; and the American Legion Post 46 commander rendering honors while taps is played.
—Photos by Photos by Post 46 Adjutant Rebecca Sotirkys
10 Th6,^oreiip; I June 2018