American Legion Post 135 Hosts Flag Retirement Events

HOWARD COUNTY - With its thirteen horizontal stripes and fifty stars, the American flag represents our nation, making it a symbol of deep importance to many individuals. On June 13th of 2026, the day before Flag Day, the Cresco American Legion Post 135 held their Flag Day ceremonies at Brown Park in Lime Springs and Evans Park in Cresco. Leading with a ceremony, followed with the burning of the retired flags. The Legion provided hotdogs, pulled pork sandwiches, chips, cookies, and water to the community members and veterans that came to watch the flags be retired.

   Jim Perry, the 4th District Commander, has been in the Legion and has been a part of Post 135 of Cresco for 49 years. As he says, “The proper way to take care of a bad flag is to burn it, not burn it in the street in protest, but burning it like we did with this ceremony is the proper way to dispose of a flag that is no longer usable, whether its tattered or stained, sunbleached or whatever, it should be bright and clear when flying. So this is the proper way to do it.” He also says "It's also important to gather people here so they can see the right way (to retire a flag).”