“Let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor” – May 5, 1868

This year, military service members buried at Summit Lawn Cemetery in Westfield have flags placed at their graves for Memorial Day.

For as many years as the Scout leaders can remember, BSA Scouts Boys Troop 107 and Girls Troop 1070 have been participating in the annual Memorial Day ceremony at Summit Lawn Cemetery. This year, in addition to conducting the ceremony on Saturday, May 25, the Scouts placed flags on the graves of those who served in the military.

David Weiss, secretary-treasurer of the Summit Lawn Cemetery Board, said that in the past there had been a limited number of graves that had been marked with flags. For years, cemetery board member Danny Haskett has been placing flags to mark the graves of around 55 Civil War veterans. In addition, the former American Legion Post 318 placed flags on some graves.

This year, Bob Whitmoyer, of the former Westfield American Legion, turned approximately 50 flags over to the cemetery board.

The board was able to purchase additional flags in preparation for the flag laying.

“We want to be more prepared to recognize as many of the veterans as we can through this process,” Weiss said.

For the past several years, the board has been working to transfer all the cemetery records into a database. With the cemetery dating back to the 1880s and some even older graves having been moved when the railroad was built, that meant that most of the cemetery records had been written in a book. The process of going through the records has allowed the board to increase the number of known veterans.

Out of around 1,500 graves, Weiss said they have identified around 280 veteran graves, six of which were just discovered last week in preparation for Saturday’s event.

“We’re just looking to try to build upon what’s happened in the past and continue to build it for the future,” Weiss said.

The BSA Scouts Troops say they are glad to take on the responsibility of leading the annual time of remembrance for the second year.

“It’s right and fitting that we come out and honor those who have served our country,” said Barry Simpson, committee chair for BSA Scouts Girls Troop 1070.

Life Scout Jackson Eyler opened and closed the commemoration in prayer. Eagle Scout Johnny Miles, Star Scout Lucy Miles, and First Class Scout Joey Miles performed the flag ceremony, and Second Class Scout Ben Wilken played Taps on the trombone. Fourth-grade Webelos from Cub Scout Pack 107, Colin Blair, Liam Lynch, and Preston Vega laid flowers at the base of the flag pole.

BSA Scouts Boys Troop 107 Assistant Scoutmaster Roy Adams, also a retired Army lieutenant colonel, spoke about duty, honor, and country as the reasons veterans serve in the military. He encouraged those present to ask themselves how they can better serve their community and improve the human condition.

As they do every year, an honor guard of members from VFW Post 10003 and American Legion Post 155, both of Carmel, fired three volleys, commonly referred to as a “21-gun salute.” The combined honor guard serves at five to 10 ceremonies each Memorial Day weekend.

Despite the City of Westfield having held a Memorial Day ceremony Thursday evening, May 23, at the Fallen Hoosier Heroes Memorial on Union Street, Mayor Scott Willis attended the ceremony on Saturday in a non-official capacity, thanking the Scouts for all they do.

As part of the ceremony, Simpson read from the original “Memorial Day Order” issued May 5, 1868: “Let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor.”

Following the ceremony, that’s precisely what the Scouts did, placing flags at the graves of veterans and offering a salute. Scouts will return Tuesday to remove the flags for safekeeping by the cemetery board and place coins on the markers.