| I sadly remember the day we buried my father. An | | | | the feeling of sacrifice has again surfaced with my |
| American flag covered the coffin before being | | | | son, a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps |
| transported to the cemetery. There it remained during | | | | now serving in Baghdad while his wife and daughters |
| the service. At the end of the service my | | | | wait and hope here at home. |
| brother-in-law and I tried our best to remember our | | | | Before his departure my son and I traveled to |
| own military training while we folded dad's burial flag | | | | Washington DC where he and I stood together in the |
| into a neat triangle and took it home. Each day similar | | | | beautiful new World War II Veterans Memorial, we |
| scenes are repeated across America. Our country | | | | walked the Viet Nam Wall and through the Korean |
| has many veterans who have sacrificed and suffered | | | | War Veterans Memorial. |
| for their country. The number is now growing rapidly. | | | | Our national memorials in Washington DC have a |
| The burial flag represents a period of great sacrifice | | | | direct tie to each of the veterans flags in our homes. |
| during the life of one American. In the case of my | | | | Each represents the individuals who have given of |
| father who was stationed on the USS Curtiss in Pearl | | | | themselves for the freedom we enjoy in America. |
| Harbor on December 7, 1942 he was also present | | | | Your veteran's flag should not be placed in a drawer |
| aboard the USS Piedmont in Tokyo Bay on | | | | or closet and forgotten. Display or even fly your |
| September 2, 1945 the day the treaty ending the war | | | | veterans flag for all to see. Tell people about this |
| with Japan was signed. Most of what happened | | | | person who gave so much. Cherish your flag as you |
| between these events was never talked about. He | | | | did the loved one who earned it. |
| held the horror and devastation of this period of his life | | | | My father's flag is proudly displayed in a case made |
| to himself. | | | | for the display of burial flags in our home. We have an |
| I never really understood how he felt until my own | | | | engraved plate attached with a remembrance of him |
| service time during the Viet Nam war. It seems I do | | | | so our grand children can remember him with the pride |
| not like to talk about that time period either. Perhaps | | | | we all do, as a family and as Americans. |