Vets groups seek help in placing flags

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Over the decades, local military veterans have made many sacrifices to keep their fellow Americans free. Now, local veterans organizations are asking local organizations and individuals to sacrifice a day to help them put out flags for the Memorial Day holiday.

Local veterans groups and related groups have been placing flags on veterans’ graves for many years, according to Van Wert County Veterans Service Officer Barry Johns. But with the membership of such groups declining – and aging – it’s getting tougher and tougher to come up with the man (and woman) power to accomplish the task.

“I see all the (veterans) clubs struggling to find someone – Civil Air Patrol, Boy Scout troops (for example) – to come out and help them,” Johns said.

This year, the groups will place approximately 48,000 flags on veterans’ graves located in the county’s 42 cemeteries.

While the various county veterans organizations have responsibility for placing the flags, Johns said that any help that service clubs, churches, or other organizations could provide would be very much appreciated. He also suggested that individuals who typically place flowers on relatives’ graves could help out by placing flags on those graves and others nearby.

Those interested can contact the posts or association that takes care of a particular cemetery. The following is a listing of veterans groups and the cemeteries where they place flags:

American Legion Post 208 (Convoy) – McNeal, Mentzer, Convoy IOOF, Sugar Ridge, German Evangelical, Kings, McClure, Glenn, Baptist and German Wittung cemeteries, all in Tully and Harrison townships.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5803 (Van Wert) – Scott, Taylor, Mohr, Mount Pleasant, Dunkard, Dix and Ridge cemeteries.

American Legion Post 178 (Van Wert) – Woodland Cemetery in the city of Van Wert.

American Legion Post 207 (Willshire) – Mausoleum, Wren, East Wren, Fletcher, Greenbrier, Schumm, Willshire, Hileman and Pleasant Grove cemeteries.

American Legion Post 346 (Ohio City) – Olive Branch, Granger, Tomlinson, Ridge and Woodlawn cemeteries.

Amvets Post 698 (Middle Point) – King Cemetery in Washington Cemetery.

Venedocia Memorial Association – Venedocia and Goodwin cemeteries.

American Legion Post 191 (Spencerville) – Horeb, Wright, Louth-Fissel and Hance cemeteries.

Flags will be placed on military veterans’ graves Saturday, May 18, with a rain day of Saturday, May 25, Johns said. Those interested in helping out by placing flags in a particular cemetery should go to the home of the respective service group that serves that cemetery at 10 that morning.