American flags will burn in tribute, not protest, Wednesday in Rock Hill

Lloyd Comer at age 67, wounded in Vietnam, a patch over what was once his eye, sees plenty. What he sees, he said, is a country that no longer teaches what the American flag means.

“This flag is America,” Comer said. “Lotta men died for it. Lot more got hurt for it.”

So Wednesday he is gonna burn Old Glory.

Old flags not fit to be flown anymore will be disposed of on Flag Day by members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2889 and American Legion Post 34 in Rock Hill. Flags deemed “unserviceable” are burned in ceremonies each year on Flag Day, June 14.

“If any American flag is torn, wornor tattered, it should not be flown, “ said Tommy Ayers, commander of American Legion Post 34. “We properly dispose of those flags with the respect and honor those flags deserve.”

Anyone with a tattered flag can bring it to either Rock Hill post Wednesday for disposal. The legion event is at 5 p.m.; the VFW is at 6:30 p.m.

Flag Day has been celebrated for more than 100 years, and has been an official federal day since 1949.

A troop from Frontier Girls civic club will assist the VFW event.

“We are proud to share the importance of the flag with young people, so they can carry the tradition of country and patriotism to the next generation,” said Ken Dennings, 68, a Marine and wounded Vietnam War combat veteran.

At the Wednesday events, veteran leaders will speak these words used all across America at similar events: “This flag has served its nation well and long.”

Then honor guards atthe American Legion and VFW will stand at attention and the flag will go up in smoke.

Nobody will protest.

Lloyd Comer, 67, captain of that VFW Honor Guard, will salute the flag he sees with one eye.

“I love this country,” Comer said. “That flag is all of us.”

This story was originally published June 13, 2017 at 9:46 PM with the headline "American flags will burn in tribute, not protest, Wednesday in Rock Hill."