COLUMBIA, S.C. — Wednesday is National Flag Day, a day recognizing the significance of the American Flag. A local organization called the Knights of Columbus held a flag retirement ceremony as a way to properly dispose of the U.S. flag in accordance with the U.S. Flag code at the Thompson Funeral Home in Columbia.
“The flag is a representation of our nation. So where you can just throw it away, by it being a representation of our nation, you have to properly dispose of it," said Knights of Columbus deputy director Eric Cannon.
Cannon says for U.S. Military veterans, the American flag in a way that honors its significance during a ceremony in Columbia on Wednesday. A flag that has become old and worn can be cremated alongside the ashes of a fallen veteran. This becomes the flag's final resting place.
“Everything we do, we try to honor the flag so I wanted to come out and support the ceremony this morning," said veteran Michael Vaught.
Vaught served in the U.S. Navy for six years.
“It’s a symbol of all the men and women who have given their lives throughout the years, in defense of this country, in defense of the freedoms we all enjoy," he said.
This Veteran's Day, the Knights of Columbus plans to place 3,500 flags on the graves of deceased veterans at Greenlawn Memorial Park.