Today in the United States we honor U.S. men and women who perished while in military service to their country. In many areas, all those who served in the military have their graves decorated with a flag. I have chosen to feature the grave of my friend Tom Wells. I recently wrote about Tom and his wife Lay in a recent post. For those readers who live here, you will know the significance of the engraving on the stone. I would like to thank Howard Balensiefen and the Boy Scout troop in Keyes, Oklahoma, who I know will make sure there is a flag on my dad’s grave today. It used to be my daddy’s job to make sure every veteran’s grave was decorated with a flag in the Willowbar Cemetary. I am so very grateful there is someone carrying on this tradition.
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very touching post
Norma,
I once worked as a volunteer at the Robert E. Lee home (Arlington House) which is in the midddle of Arlington National Cemetery. (Look up to see how the cemetery came into being.) I recall on Memorial Days seeing the soldiers from FT Meyer finishing putting the flags on the all grave sites–they are up before daylight and move through the cemetery and place one boot at the stone and place a flag. They spend the entire day replacing flags that fall over, etc. I used to come in early and just wander through the quiet, beautiful place, before the tourist took over the place.
My mother’s side of my family is Wells and there is a flag flying on my uncle’s grave in a very small cemetery in Michigan.
Yes, I am sure there is a flag flying today on dad’s grave. Early this morning Claude and other members of the American Legion placed flags at the Stratford, TX cemetery.
Great post. Glad to hear that the traditition is still going strong.
Thanks for this post. It chockes me up to know that Howard is carrying on the tradition … I remember many Meorial Day cermonies at Willowbar Cemetary … In fact I think I remember Debbie playing taps more than once.