Local Government TV

▼

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Over 10,000 American Flags Retired in Bethlehem


On Flag Day, in the middle of a baseball game, an announcer suddenly began playing the Star Spangled Banner at Lehigh Little League. It was no mistake. This musical interruption occurred because, a few hundreds yard to the south, at the Bethlehem Steeler athletic fields, American Legion Harry F. W. Johnson Post 379 was saying good-bye to Old Glory. With the help of Bethlehem firefighters Lou Jimenez and Jessie Sterner, over 10,000 American Flags were retired as the sun set.

Boy scouts had previously collected tattered flags from local cemeteries and turned them over to the American Legion, and residents like Joanne Van Billiard added to the pile.

The honor guard, which consisted of Charles Perna, John McCulloch, John Watson, Dick Fasching, Joe Herkalo, Walter Markotic and Steve Mitala, presented a 21-gun salute. When they finished, WWII Vet LeRohn "Dan" Dreysher played "taps". Then Commander Ken Nichol lit the flame.

Joanne Van Billiard is also with "Moms in Military" 

Honor Guard provides 21-gun salute.
at

1 comment:

  1. AnonymousJune 16, 2014 at 1:16 PM

    I have always found it kind of funny that people think that we should ban flag burning, but that is how these were retired.

    So the difference between something that should be illegal and something that is proper is the mood you are in while you do it?

    ReplyDelete

You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.