Plans are in place for a pair of simultaneous Flag Day events Monday, offering an opportunity for the ceremonial retirement – by fire – of dozens of worn, tattered U.S. flags and marking the occasion when the Continental Congress, in 1777, laid the basics of how the United States flag would look. 

Both events take place at 6:30 p.m. One is run by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5877, at 116 Midway Circle, south of Aiken. The other is run by American Legion Post 26, at 636 Old Airport Road, near Citizens Park. 

One of the Aiken County Veterans Council's recent projects has resulted in tattered banners being brought to the Aiken County Government Center, where a brightly decorated, all-weather drop box is near the front steps, ready for use any time of any day (or night). 

Dwight Bradham, director of Aiken County Veterans Affairs, confirmed recently that the box is getting plenty of use. It was dedicated May 13 and is normally emptied on Tuesday and Friday afternoons.

The banner count is averaging "30-plus," Bradham said. "People are using it, which is wonderful," he added, noting that other boxes are also in use around the Aiken-Augusta area. 

Some local veterans, over the past several days, offered thoughts on the holiday's meaning and the idea behind today's ceremonies. "The American flag represents a living country, and when the flag is ... battered and worn down, it's time for it to retire, so rather than people taking the flag and throwing it in the trash, or a gutter, and it winding up in a landfill, the preferred method of our country is to retire our flag with respect and honor – to fold them up properly and ... put them in a ceremonial fire," said Army veteran George DeWees, with the VFW post.

North Augusta resident Mike Strauss, an Army vet, made similar comments, noting that he chooses to use the word "retire" rather than referring to "disposing of" a flag that is no longer fit for use. An individual who has completed his or her career and is stepping aside from that role "retires" but is not undergoing disposal, he said. 

"I really have a lot of respect for the flag and what it represents and who it represents in the past," said Strauss, whose background includes service as South Carolina's top American Legion official. He is currently a member of Legion Post 71. 

Referring to the flag, he added, "I believe it's the unifying symbol of our country. It's draped over the caskets of a lot of people who have come back on a plan in a coffin, and ... it shows a lot of dignity and respect. They've done their time and they've served their country and we do retire them with that same respect and dignity." 

Bradham, an Army veteran, made similar comments, noting that the flag has added meaning for people who have served in combat situations and possibly seen comrades return home in a flag-draped coffin. "It takes on a whole lot more meaning to us when it comes to understanding the flag as a living entity and a representative of the great United States."

The Department of Defense has guidelines for such events, noting, "Rules on how to properly fly the flag were established in June 1923, when the National Flag Conference met in Washington. Its members created the Flag Code, which states that 'the flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing.'"

The article also notes, "The U.S. flag is considered such a sacred symbol that burning it in an undignified manner constitutes desecration. That's why the ceremonies are held in a specific manner."

The holiday's origins are largely up for debate, aside from agreement that the Continental Congress, on June 14, 1777, passed a resolution that "the flag of the United States shall be of 13 stripes of alternate red and white, with a union of 13 stars of white in a blue field, representing the new constellation," as noted in a history from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Several communities claim to have been the holiday's site of origin, including towns in Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

President Harry Truman, in 1949, put the calendar firmly on the national calendar, designating June 14 as Flag Day. A report from The History Channel notes, "Though Flag Day is not a federal holiday, the U.S. government encourages its citizens to display Old Glory outside of their homes and businesses. The tradition is not widely observed, however."

June 14 is also considered the Army's birthday. The U.S. military's biggest branch dates back to 1775, which makes the Army one year older than the country itself. 


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Aiken Standard reporter

Bill Bengtson is a reporter for the Aiken Standard. He has focused most recently on eastern Aiken County, agriculture, churches, veterans and older people. He previously covered schools/youth, North Augusta and Fort Gordon. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia and Whitman College, and also studied at Oregon State University and the University of Guadalajara.

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