ALAMO — It had been two years since the veterans at Bibleville had held their annual flag retirement ceremony after being canceled in 2020 due to inclement weather, and again in 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year was different, finally, and on Wednesday the circumstances were just right to properly dispose of an American flag.
Despite some overcast and high winds, the fire in the pit was ignited Wednesday morning and residents began congregating at the Bibleville Conference Grounds. Many arrived in golf carts, forming a line of spectators a few yards from the fire pit.
Before long, the wind section of the community’s Glory Band arrived and began preparing for the ceremony. Members used clothespins to keep their sheet music on their music stands, preventing the music from being carried away by the wind.
At 10 a.m. promptly, the band began to play “The Star-Spangled Banner,” signaling the commencement of the ceremony. Those in attendance stood with their hands over their hearts, but a large percentage stood at attention and saluted Old Glory, waving in the wind just next to a table filled with hundreds of the now retired American Flags — some still in a triangular fold.
Nearly 400 flags had accumulated over the years since the last ceremony. Many of the flags were from Bibleville residents. Others were collected by the city of Alamo.
Rollin Whittaker, a U.S. Army veteran and American Legion member, was reminded of one particularly fond memory while attending Wednesday’s event.
“When I was in Germany, we had a famous guy there — Elvis Presley,” Whittaker recalled before the ceremony.
“I didn’t get to meet him, but he got all the credit and we didn’t get nothing,” he said with a laugh.
A Rush City, Minnesota native, Whittaker oversaw the ceremony. He said that it was his third time participating in the ceremony.
“It’s the American flag,” Whittaker said. “It’s ours. Honoring that flag is what it amounts to.”
Following the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Eric Rhyner of Owatonna, Minnesota began reading a poem titled “Old Glory.” His voice shook as he read, emotion overcoming him, but he remained poised and continued.
“I hope it might renew respect for our country, for our flag, and for those men and women who gave their lives for our freedoms,” Rhyner said about the ceremony, clad in green Army Class A uniform. “A lot of people who’ve never served in the military or never had anyone in their family serve, I really don’t think they have an appreciation for the freedoms that we enjoy here in America.”
Following Rhyner’s reading, trumpeters from the Glory Band began to play “TAPS.” Soon after, the first flag was carried to the fire pit and gently placed in the fire. The man who carried the flag paused and saluted the flag before going back for another. The process was continued by a handful of veterans. With each flag added to the fire, the plume of black smoke grew.
“We burn the flags with respect,” Richard Maatta, an Army veteran from Wausau, Wisconsin said. “We’ll salute them as we take them to the fire, dispose of them, and they’ll burn in the fire rather than throw them in a garbage can somewhere. It’s done respectfully for the flag.”
According to www.defense.gov, the American Legion in New York passed a resolution in 1937, demonstrating the method of disposing of unserviceable flags.
“The purpose of The American Legion in adopting this ceremony was to encourage proper respect for the Flag of the United States and to provide for disposal of unserviceable flags in a dignified manner,” the resolution stated.
The ceremonies are generally held on Flag Day, June 14, however such ceremonies may be held when necessary. The website also stated that flags do not necessarily need to be placed in a ceremonial fire. Flags may also be buried in a dignified box, or recycled — so long as they are disposed of in a dignified, respectful manner.
“Usually military organizations such as the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) or the American Legion do these types of ceremonies, but (anybody) can,” Maatta said. “Do it with respect and honor it. Don’t just throw it in a garbage can or dumpster. It’s a formal thing, but to the veteran, it’s important.”
Dan Hunt of Springfield, Missouri has been a resident of Bibleville for two years. He served in the Air Force and completed three tours of Vietnam. He said that Wednesday’s event was the first time he’d witnessed a flag retirement ceremony.
“It brings back memories of my dad. He served in the Navy in World War II,” an emotional Hunt recalled. “I normally would donate my flags to the American Legion or something like that, and they’d have (a ceremony) later, but I’ve never been to one like this.”
“I thought of all the people that that flag has flown over,” he continued. “Do they understand the freedom that they really have? What a blessing.”
Roger Langley, another resident of Bibleville, was born and raised in Nottingham in England, and moved to Ontario, Canada after college. Since retiring, he and his wife, Diane, have been traveling to the Rio Grande Valley every winter.
He said that this was the second time he’d been able to witness one of Bibleville’s flag retirement ceremonies.
“It’s absolutely super,” Langley said. “I’ve never seen one in Canada or the (United Kingdom). After I saw the first one here four or five years ago, I went on the internet and saw that there is a ceremony in Canada, but I’ve never seen one — not for the Canadian flag or the Union Jack.”
“I think it’s great,” he continued. “You honor the flag and you honor the veterans. My father fought in the second World War in North Africa and Italy, and most of his allies were U.S. allies.”
The ceremony was over in less than 30 minutes. As many of the residents left the area, a few veterans stood around the fire with shovels in hand, ready to bury the black smoldering remains of the old flags and marking the end of the journey for Old Glory.
