![]() When this project first started, the volunteers were mostly from the Bob Smith Detachment, Marine Corps League, Inc. ![]() The volunteers and members of the Memorial Council seek no reward save their own personal satisfaction that they were part of a program that honors the fallen service men and service women who are now at eternal rest here or at other cemeteries. This display has been faithfully maintained by a dedicated group of volunteers of the Avenue of Flags Committee of the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery Memorial Council. This patriotic display of our nation’s colors reverently honors those who have been laid to rest in the hallowed grounds of Indiantown Gap National Cemetery and in other cemeteries. The volunteer membership has grown to over 340 registered volunteers and, as it always happens, dozens more show up each year who prefer not to register but want to help with this honorable and memorable task. The May to November presentation was successfully managed that first year and the Cemetery Director granted permission to repeat the process again in 2011 and it has been executed successfully every year since to date – without fail. Then, every weekend an Inspection Team went to the National Cemetery on their assigned weekend to inspect all the flags of the display, replacing faded, worn or tattered flags with other flags that had also been donated. The 80 members of the Avenue of Flags Volunteer Staff (at that time), working as teams, set up the 525 USA interment flags, the 50 State and Commonwealth flags, the 5 Territorial flags and the District of Columbia flag on the first Saturday of May, now commonly referred to as “FLAGS UP” day. The permission was granted on condition that teams of volunteers inspect the condition of the flags every weekend – without fail – or the display would be taken down. In the late fall of 2009, permission was sought and granted to allow the display to be presented the following spring on the first Saturday in May 2010 continuously until a weekend or two after Veteran’s Day (November). Through a series of discussions with him, Director Metcalfe granted the Detachment volunteers permission to fly the flags on more holidays and to do the work on Saturdays instead of during the week so as not to disrupt any funeral services being conducted and also for the convenience of the numerous volunteers who were only available on weekends. Director Murphy agreed to some but not all the holidays requested.Īfter Director Murphy retired in 2008, the new Cemetery Director, James Metcalfe, II, was approached by the two Detachment members. They also asked to be allowed to set-up the display at a few other holidays. ![]() Two members of the Bob Smith Detachment #784, Marine Corps League, Inc., from Hummelstown, PA, in 2006 convinced then Cemetery Director Leon Murphy to allow members of the Detachment to provide a staff of volunteers to set-up and take-down the display for those two holidays during the year so as to relieve the grounds crew of that task. The display was set-up and then taken down by the grounds crew of the National Cemetery. The display was only presented over a two week span of the Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day holiday. ![]() During the tenures of the National Cemetery Directors prior to 2008 at the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, the Avenue of Flag display consisted of 175 interment flags that were placed on staffs on either side of the main driveway from the public highway to in front of the Administration Building.
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