Left to right: David Solim Sr., Allen Brooke, Jack Marino, Joe Dion, Fire Chief Dan Sullivan, Ken Vanhorn, Ken Oswald. (Jack Marino)
Lynn — Corporal Scott J. Shoemaker American Legion Post 210 will hold a Stars and Stripes decommissioning ceremony at Pine Grove Cemetery Saturday at 10am. Post 210 member Jack Marino said this follows the success of the Post’s first ceremony over Flag Day weekend last year.
In this post, “Flag to Ashes – Ashes to Earth” will be sent to anyone who wears, defaces, or tatters the American flag for proper disposal under the supervision of the American Legion and the Fire Department. I am asking you to bring it to the ceremony.
A speaker reads “Old Glory”, Lynn English High School Marine Corps JROTC cadets perform a traditional decommissioning ceremony, and concludes with a ground container of flag ashes. The container is then covered until next year’s ceremony.
The department has been collecting and burning veteran flags for years, but the ashes are usually only disposed of by the Department of Public Works. They are now buried in a memorial in a cemetery near the Lynn Veterans Memorial, at the suggestion of Post 210 member David Solimin.
The idea to hold this kind of ceremony started in February 2022 when Marino read a magazine article. American Legion magazine The Alabama Post Office has erected a monument to bury the ashes of a veteran’s flag.
“Why didn’t you?” Marino asked himself after reading the article. “So when I read it, it really got my attention. [Oswald], the commander took it and said: “You know, this is a great idea.” We should. “
Marino said Solimin was so enthusiastic about the idea that he provided a container to bury the remains.
Marino said the rest of the event went smoothly. All of this monument was donated, including the “Everyone gave some, some gave all” engraving on his memorial, Woodlawn in Everett.
This event last year went so well that nothing has changed except for the fact that Lynn’s post was merged with Saugus’ post.
“We didn’t want to mess with it,” Marino said. “The new fire chief is doing everything in his power to get the fire department out there to fight the fire.”
The cadets who attended the ceremony included Ian Delarosa, Francesca Carrera, Gaffour Diallo, Maria Varela, Bezazia Folchap, Maria Rojume, Keirin Garcia, Yasaris Amparo, Peter Acande, James Murroy, Tasawara Layan, Eduardo Rodas, Tanvir Haque, Adam Elquanon and Rachel. Villanueva, Kyle Furlong, Alexa Sanchez, Amalie Fresco.
