Flag ceremony held on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

Horse Plains Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3596 held a solemn ceremony on Dec. 7 to retire the American flag, the enduring symbol of national freedom.

The date was chosen with purpose: Dec. 7 marks the anniversary of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, where 2,403 Americans lost their lives — 2,008 Navy personnel, 109 Marines, 218 Army personnel and 68 civilians. Nearly 1,200 more were wounded. More than half of the casualties occurred aboard the USS Arizona. 

Charlie Dowd of Anaconda was the last Pearl Harbor survivor from Montana. He was 17 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and passed away March 21, 2023.

Flag retirement ceremonies honor the American flag by ensuring worn or damaged flags are disposed of in a dignified and respectful manner. They also serve as an opportunity to educate the public on proper flag etiquette.

Thirteen veterans from various branches assembled behind the Plains VFW building to carry out the ceremony, a tradition that has taken place there for more than 30 years.

The ceremony began with Post Commander Ron Kilbury reading a prepared statement. 

“Tonight, we honor the symbol of our American freedom, the American flag, as we retire her from duty,” he said. 

Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Kilbury continued, “The American flag, otherwise known as ‘Old Glory,’ the ‘Stars and Stripes,’ or the ‘Star-Spangled Banner,’ represents the land, the people, the government, and the ideals of the citizens of the United States of America.” 

Veteran Greg Davis performed a rendition of Taps during the ceremony.

Congress passed the first U.S. Flag Code in 1942, establishing the basic standards for displaying and respecting the flag.

A total of 120 worn flags were then retired individually by the assembled veterans.

    VFW State Sr. Commander Heather Allen, Air Force veteran, takes part in the flag retirement event at the Plains VFW building. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)