Flag Retirement Program

Meet Our U.S. Flag

On June 14, 1777, the United States Congress resolved “that the Flag of the United States be 13 stripes alternate red and white, that the Union be 13 stars, white in a blue field representing a new Constellation.” After this was passed, our Flag looked different each time a new State joined the Union because a new stripe was added. The Flag soon required very tall flag poles, so on April 4, 1818, Congress enacted: “that from the fourth day of July next, the Flag of the United States be 13 horizontal stripes, alternate red and white, that the Union be 20 stars, white in a blue field, that on the admission of every new State into the Union, one star be added to the Union of the Flag…”

As states were admitted the position of the Stars were changed so that today we have stars in nine rows: five rows with six stars and four rows with five stars.

At the time of a veteran’s death and the family chooses cremation, permission will be sought for an unusable flag to drape that veteran for disposal in the most dignified manner.

Upon receipt of the cremated remains of their veteran, the family will receive a certificate stating the last deed of service for that flag which was to drape their veteran in the cremation process. Unusable flags may be donated to the funeral home any day of the week.

A Presidential Memorial Certificate commemorating their service to our country with the Presidential Seal and Commander in Chief’s signature will be also be provided to the family.

Please View Our Brochure

Flag Retirement Brochure

Click on the graphic on the left to download the file.

Preview

Flag Etiquette

The flag...
...should never be in the dark
...should not be used for any decoration in general
...should never be used for any advertising purpose
...should not be used as part of a costume, except
...as part of military, fireman, policeman uniforms
...should never have any mark, insignia, letter,
...word, number, etc. placed or attached onto it
...should never touch the ground when lowered
...and received into waiting hands and arms
...should be folded appropriately when stored
...when a flag is no longer fit to serve, it should be
...destroyed by burning in a dignified manner

“The Gift Outright”

The land was ours before we were the land’s

She was our land more than a hundred years

Before we were her people. She was ours, in

Massachusetts, in Virginia.

But we were England’s, still colonials,

Possessing what we still were unpossessed by,

Possessed by what we now no more possessed.

Something we were withholding made us weak.

Until we found that it was ourselves

We were withholding from our land of living,

And forthwith found salvation in surrender.

Such as we were we gave ourselves outright

(The deed of gift was many deeds of war)

To the land vaguely realizing westward,

But still unstoried, artless, unenhanced,

Such as she was, such as she would become.

Robert Frost; 1874-1963