Flags Coming Down

I promised myself that I wasn’t going to do another North County Park flag picture, even if it was the Fourth of July.

Then, on my way back from Perry County at the tailend of the afternoon, I saw the flags were coming down. I knew, of course, that somebody had to put them up at dawn and taken them down before dusk, but knowing something isn’t the same as seeing it.

Controlled chaos: no conking

Volunteer Jerry Hampton said most of the work was being done by VFW Post 3838, members of Boy Scout Troop 5 and folks from the Delta 1st Baptist Church. If I missed anyone, I apologize.

The workers acted in controlled chaos. Despite flag poles whirling and spinning all around, I didn’t see anyone conked or speared. They teamed up to handle the flags respectfully and to make sure they never touched the ground.

These flags are special

Those of us who visit the parks and appreciate the beauty of the flags flowing in the wind need to keep some things in mindL

  • Volunteers work hard when it’s cold and when it’s hot to put the flags up and to take them down.
  • Families donate the flags to honor their relatives who were in the service.
  • Each flag once covered the casket of someone who served to protect our freedoms.

Other stories about the display

Flag display gallery

Click on any photo to see a larger photo of these hard-working volunteers, then click on the left or right side of the image to move through the gallery.

16 Replies to “Flags Coming Down”

  1. Wow Troop 5 is still in business…they we the TOP troop in Cape in the 60’s (Except for Troop 13) and they still are doing good work…Kudos to them! and you to Ken for braving the heat!

      1. I agree with Ken. While I was in Troop 8, the question at Camporee was not which Troop would take first place, but which patrol in Troop 8 would take first place. Bill Dunham was a great Scoutmaster as was Joe Russell. For the two of them, everything was done by the book.

  2. Troop ten (10) Joe Russell troop Leader.
    was one of Troops that put up and taken down the Flags around town. and I see that they are still getting up but I think they are less then, they use to be.

    Eagle Scout Dad
    Mitchell Givens ( a Veteran.)

  3. I remember Terry Hampton and Joe Russell from my days as a Scout Master. My congratulations to them for keeping their programs going. My Troop was 76 in Malden.

  4. Ken, thanks for making us aware that the displayed flags are those that once draped the casket of veterans.

  5. I spent three years with troop 5 at Camp Lewallen in the late 1990’s. At the time they had about 50 boys in the troop and I believe all went to camp. They also turned out a lot of Eagle scouts. My guess more then any other troop in the area. They had a great bunch of leaders being Jerry Hampton and his Ast. Leaders.

  6. I’m not sure this is the Bill Dunham that I knew as I never knew he was a scout master, but He did have two sons I beleieve, so it may be the very some one. All I know of the one I knew was he could really cut the cheese and I mean in a big way.Will never for get him and Wards Big Star.

  7. I have spent 7 years putting up and taking down the flags. If you look closley at the flaags you will see 7 48 star flags. Those are from WWII. Also all of the names for the flags are posted on a board on top of the hill close to the Big Flag. The flag holes along the road were put there by a Boy Scout as an Eagle Scout service project. The board with all the names was designed and placed by an EagleScout service project. I am proud to say that I am a Eagle Scout Dad and a Scoutmaster with Troop 5. Also a Veteran of Desert storm and Sr. Vice Commander of Post 3838.

    1. Thank you for your service. I had noticed some of the 48-star flags. The first time I shot there, I noticed that one of the flags was a bit tattered. That’s when I also saw that it was 48-star and deserved to show some age.

      You all do a great service. It’s a moving display and most folks – me included until I saw it done – have no idea how much work it is.

      A tip of the hat to all you volunteers.

  8. Thanks for the info about the flags. It is quite an impressive display. I was fortunate to see the flags several years ago.

    In reference to Scout troops of the 60s, there were Troops 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 & 21 that I can recall. We scouts should all be grateful to our ScoutMasters and Assistant ScoutMasters for the time and effort they put into our Scouting. I was fortunate to join Centenary Methodist Church Troop 3 with Steve Limbaugh as the ScoutMaster and Doc Eugas as the Assistant ScoutMaster. Both had been scouts in Troop 3 years before with my uncle. When we were all of Explorer age we became charter members of Post 5 and met at the VFW.

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