Those of us who visit the cemetery on Memorial Day always see the flags on veterans’ graves. Putting out those hundreds of flags is not an easy job. Keeping track of the growing number of graves is a job in itself.
This week the American Legion, Boy Scouts and some veterans’ families are undertaking this annual, physically taxing ritual at most Hamilton County cemeteries.
The project comes in advance of Memorial Day ceremonies at the county’s major cemeteries. Those ceremonies are also conducted by the American Legion and VFW honor guards.
For the 153 years since the Civil War the graves of soldiers killed in battle as well as veterans who died later have been identified, usually with the small flags so numerous in the cemeteries this week. It’s a worthy effort for which participants get little recognition.
Ceremonies on May 28 this year will begin as early as 9 a.m. at the Hamilton Memorial Park on State Road 32. Members of the Carmel and Westfield veterans organizations will then move to Westfield Cemetery at 9:30, the Little Eagle Creek Cemetery at about 10, Farley Cemetery at 11, and Carmel Cemetery at noon.