LIHU‘E — Monday was a perfect day to dispose of American flags that have served so long they are unsuitable for further service.
The day was also a state holiday in observance of King Kamehameha’s birth, resulting in the closure of state and county offices and many other businesses.
The American Legion Post 54 took advantage of the holiday to dispose of retired American flags with the help of Girl Scouts from five different troops, and a solitary Scout of America member from Troop 334. The holiday was selected because fewer people would be affected by smoke from the burning flags.
Flag Day, which is June 14, is the date the American Legion Post 54 typically uses to retire flags collected over the year.
“We don’t have that many flags this year,” said Johnette Chun of the Kaua‘i Veterans Council. “Normally, the Scouts of America would be here helping, but there’s only about 200 flags to retire, so we asked the Girl Scouts to help. A normal collection would be between 500 to 700 flags.”
The American Legion Post 54 used the occasion to offer the Girl Scouts a lesson in patriotism and citizenship through talking about the primary colors of the flag and what the colors represent, the number of stars on the flag, and much more, including the story of the Star-Spangled Banner, the national anthem and the Baltimore Battle.
The U.S. Department of Defense has guidelines for retiring flags that have become “old and ratty.” Don’t just throw it in the trash like any other old item, the DOD said. That’s considered disrespectful.
Instead, fold the flag, and bring it to a flag-disposal box like the one at the Kaua‘i Veterans Center that was created by American Legion Post 54 Chaplain Jim Jung for the very purpose of collecting old flags for retirement on Flag Day.
Girl Scout Scoutmaster Amy Kahn wondered if collecting old flags from the community would qualify as a service project, with the Scouts collecting the flags from those who are unable to access the Kaua‘i Veterans Center drop box.
The American Legion passed a resolution about flag retirement ceremonies in 1937, and the retirement of American flags has been an important ritual since then.
“The approved method of disposing of unserviceable flags has long been that they be destroyed by burning,” the American Legion resolution states.
Flag Day is considered the most appropriate day to host flag retirement ceremonies, the DOD said.
American Legion Post 54 Commander Robin Sanchez said Flag Day is America’s day because the flag is representative of the hard work, blood and purity of people toward making America the best in the world.
President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed June 14th as Flag Day in 1916. Congress established National Flag Day in August 1949. Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States of America by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
