AMERICAN LEGIONCOLLECTS WORNOUT FLAGS TORETIRE THE COLORS--AND THIS YEARTHEY COLLECTEDMORE THAN SEVENTHOUSAND FLAGS.SO THE LEGIONCOLLABORATED WITHA VOLUNTEER FIREDEPARTMENT FOR APATRIOTICCEREMONY IN THEFOREST.IDAHO NEWS SIXREPORTER STEVEDENT TAKES USTHERE."THIS FLAG HASBECOME FADED ANDWORN IN ITS SERVICETO OUR COMMUNITY."IT IS A PRECIOUSSYMBOL TO ALL WEAND OUR COMRADESHAVE LIVED FOR,WORKED FOR ANDDIED FOR." LETTHESE FADED FLAGSOF OUR COUNTRY BEDESTROYED WITHRESPECTFUL ANDHONORABLE RIGHTSAND THEIR PLACESBE TAKEN BY BRIGHTNEW FLAGS OF THESAME SIZE AND KIND.""AND LET NO GRAVEOF OUR SOLDIERS,SAILORS, MARINESOR AIRMEN BEUNMARTYRED ORUNMARKED."THE UNITED STATESFLAG CODE STATESTHAT WHEN OLDGLORY CAN NOLONGER BEDISPLAYED IT MUSTBE DISPOSED OF IN ARESPECTFULMANNERPREFERABLY BYBURNING THE FLAG."I'M THE FLAG GUY ILOVE MY FLAG HAHATHAT'S WHY I LIKE TODO IT TO MAKE SUREIT IS DONE RIGHTBECAUSE IF THEYDON'T BURNCOMPLETELY WE CANCOME UP AND PICKTHE REMAINS ANDPUT THEM INANOTHERCEREMONY."THE AMERICANLEGION POST 113 OUTOF MERIDIANPROBABLY DOESN'THAVE TO WORRYABOUT THAT."YUP IT'S JUST GOINGTO GET BETTER TOO."NORMALLY THEYHOLD THECEREMONY AT THEIDAHO VETERANSGARDEN INCALDWELL BUT THEYHAD TOO MANYFLAGS.SO THEY USED AHUGE BRUSH PILE TOMAKE A BONFIREWITH THE HELP OFTHE CLEAR CREEKVOLUNTEER FIREDEPARTMENT."HE DIDN'T HAVE AGOOD PLACE TO DOIT AND WE HAD THEBEST PLACE YOUCOULD DO IT THE BIGBRUSH PILE HEASKED IF WE COULDHELP HIM OUT ANDDISPOSE OF THEFLAGS PROPERLY."LAST YEAR THEAMERICAN LEGIONRECOGNIZED FIRECHIEF SAM BONOVICHAS THE MOSTOUTSTANDINGFIREFIGHTER IN THESTATE OF IDAHO."IT WAS KIND OF NICETO GET THEOPPORTUNITY ANDDO SOMETHINGSINCE I'VE NEVERSERVED SO TOSERVE ALL THESEDISTINGUISHEDPEOPLE THAT AREHERE TODAY ANDHELP THEM OUT ASWELL AND DOSOMETHING FORTHEM MAKES ITPRETTY SPECIAL."MATT WROBEL THEPOST 113COMMANDER TOLDUS HE RETIRES ANAVERAGE OF 5,000FLAGS A YEAR BUTTHIS YEAR THELEGION COLLECTED7,173 AND THEYFOUND A WAY TOHOLD THISCEREMONY DESPITETHE HUGE NUMBEROF FLAGS AND THECORONAVIRUS."WE CAN SHOW OURCOUNTRY SOMEHONOR EVEN IN ABAD SITUATION LIKEWE ARE GOINGTHROUGH THESEDAYS WE GOT TOKEEP OUR DISTANCEBUT IT DOESN'T MEANWE CAN'T GETTHINGS DONE."STEVE DENT IDAHONEWS 6.THE LEGION ALSOTAKES ALL THEGROMMETS OUT OFTHE FLAGS... ANDTHEY'RECOMMISSIONED BYTHE U.S. NAVY TOMAKE TWO BRASSBELLS OUT OF THEM-- FOR THE FUTUREU-S-S IDAHO... ASUBMARINE THAT ISBEING BUILT RIGHTNOW INCONNECTICUT.
