American Legion Post holds flag retirement ceremony

Jul. 24—Her left leg was in a cast from a surgery two days before — and she maneuvered through the morning with crutches.

But Kate Wardlaw was determined to be a part of the Stillwater American Legion Flag Retirement Ceremony on Saturday at the Hamilton Field Parking Lot in Couch Park.

In the blazing sun, several dozen Stillwater residents and members of the Hanner-Sharp American Legion Post No. 129 met to inspect and retire worn and used flags.

The flags once marked the graves of departed comrades, covered the caskets of American veterans, were flown in Memorial Day and Veteran's Day ceremonies or were in use in local homes and businesses.

"My dad is in the military," Wardlaw said, who is a 4H secretary. "I love coming and helping out with the military things anytime I can, because it's always so meaningful to me ... regardless of what condition I'm in or what I'm doing."

Jim Rutledge, current Commander of the Hanner-Sharp American Legion Post No. 129 directed the ceremony, which followed the guidelines given by the United States Flag Code initially developed by the American Legion at the National Flag Conference in June 1923 in Washington, D.C.

Oklahoma American Legion Commander Brett Martin was in attendance.

Kate Wardlaw, her sister Kara Wardlaw and their friend Nataley Stejskal are 4H Club Members who assisted with the flag retirement ceremony. It was their job to take the flags up to Vice Commander Ernie Tye, who inspected the flags.

"We're going to be taking the flags up to the table," Kate Wardlaw said. "Then they'll be inspected and we're going to take them back."

Flags that are no longer serviceable will be burned, Stejskal said.

"If they're too torn up, they will retire them," Stejskal said. "If they're not, they'll probably keep them for the future."

Nataley Stejskal and Kara Wardlaw held up the flag for the pledge of allegiance and then folded it up afterward.

The ceremony followed a modified version of the American Legion Resolution 440 which was adopted at the National Convention in September 1944.

"This ritual ceremony is conducted by the Hanner-Sharp American Legion Post 129 as a symbol of our respect and love for this emblem of the country which we have pledged to defend, and for which some of our comrades have made the ultimate sacrifice," Rutledge said during the ceremony.

The Flag Code states that "the flag, when it is in such a condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning."

The Wardlaw sisters and Stejskal help with many community projects, including Wreaths Across America, Memorial Day celebrations and other ceremonies.

"When they had this event, they reached out to us and asked if we would come out and help," Kelly Wardlaw, Kate and Kara's mother said. "They volunteered at Our Daily Bread ... the Humane Society ... picking up trash at Boomer Lake ... anything they can do to help out in the community ... they're always ready to go."

Kelly said the idea of service, reverence and serving someone bigger than you is the impetus behind why her daughters help. Her husband serves in the International Guard Services and her brother-in-law serves in the U.S. Air Force.

"That history is important," Kelly said.

Rutledge said the Hanner-Sharp post held another private flag retirement ceremony at his farm in December, but this one they decided to invite the public to attend. He said they had hoped more people might have a flag in their closet that they could bring.

"Respect for our flag is very important to us," Rutledge said. "A flag covers the casket of a departed soldier, and so we consider the flag sacred. And the code requires that it is disposed of by fire, so we're trying to be respectful and follow not only the Flag Code that we helped create, but the law."

Congress enacted the Federal Flag Code and it was signed into law by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on June 22, 1942. More than 60 organizations came together to create the code, Rutledge said.

"A flag may be a flimsy bit of printed gauze, or a beautiful banner of finest silk. Its intrinsic value may be trifling or great; but its real value is beyond price, for it is a precious symbol of all that we and our comrades have worked for and lived for and died for — a nation of free men, true to the faith of the past, devoted to the ideals and practice of justice, freedom and democracy," Rutledge said during the ceremony.

As the smoke from the fire blew across the parking lot, Kate Wardlaw stopped to chat once more — emphasizing that without recognizing important days like this, the significance of the flag can be lost.

"I think it's always important, regardless of what you're doing, even if you can't show up ... just take a minute to think about it ... to remember," she said.