Michael Sasso, center, of Lansdale, walks through Calvary Cemetery with his sons, Julien, 8, and Michael, 10, helping to plant flags at the West Conshohocken cemetery ahead of Memorial Day in 2023. (Credit: Rachel Ravina / MediaNews Group)
Veterans and volunteers will come together this weekend to ensure the memories of fallen service members are not forgotten.
Hosted by the VFW Post 1074, the action is taken by placing an American flag on thousands of gravesites ahead of Memorial Day. They’ll start at 10 a.m. on Saturday Calvary Cemetery of West Conshohocken.
The veteran organization has been doing this for nearly 100 years. Members and area residents placed upwards of 4,000 flags on graves at St. Benedict’s and St. Matthews cemeteries last weekend, according to Commander Howard Daywalt.
The 58-year-old Conshohocken resident served in the U.S. Navy from 1984-89. Daywalt said it’s about “us (making) sure that every deceased veteran has a flag on their grave.”
While volunteers typically consist of corporate employees and Boy Scout troops, Daywalt said that all are welcome to lend a hand. Another 4,000 flags are expected to be planted on Saturday.
“The more the better. We’ll take all the help we can get,” he said.
62,000 flags distributed
The Conshocken-based group is one of nearly 60 participating organizations planting flags ahead of Memorial Day. Dennis Miller, director of the Montgomery County Office of Veterans Services, said 62,000 flags were sent to representatives called “cemetery caregivers,” and distributed to more than 200 cemeteries.
Additionally, officials will maintain tradition by planting flags Friday morning on the Montgomery County courthouse lawn in the county seat. Each flag is said to represent 1,000 veterans in the office’s registry, according to Miller, a retired U.S. Coast Guard commander who served from 1992-2016.
“Some people are cremated, their ashes are scattered and as a result for Memorial Day Weekend we’re going to place 78 flags on the courthouse lawn in Norristown,” he said, adding that “everyone gets a flag — even if it’s just symbolic on the courthouse lawn.”
Time for reflection
Memorial Day is a time for reflection, as both Daywalt and Miller observed. Daywalt underscored the importance of the flag placing, paying it forward “because someday that’s going to be me.”
“People know that their families are being thought about,” Daywalt said. “Their deceased service members are being thought about. Their family members are definitely being taken care of whether they visit them or not, we’re taking care of it and making sure it gets done.”
Miller agreed.
“I think it’s a very important civic activity. I also think that it is a connection that is maintained throughout generations,” Miller said.
He recalled the gravesite of Sarah Priest, a Civil War-era nurse who was known as the “angel of the battlefield.” She’s buried at the Christ Church Upper Merion Episcopal Cemetery, in Bridgeport.
“I don’t know her date of birth, or her date of death, or where she served … it’s just a lone tombstone for Sarah Priest, and I feel connected to her service when we put a flag marker and a flag on there because we should all be connected to each and every one of their service because all the freedoms that we have were paid for with someone else’s blood and we are a part of that,” Miller said.
Mission to support veterans
Miller added that a lot of the work being at the county’s veterans services office focuses on outreach efforts for vulnerable veterans, specifically those experiencing homelessness, housing instability, post traumatic stress, or other mental health crises.
Miller noted that these veterans won’t often be seen at a Memorial Day parade or other festivities.
“The number one complaint you’re going to hear from combat veterans is they don’t like crowds and big events,” he said. “That’s where most of our effort is placed all throughout the year. These big events, they’re good and they’re fun, but at the same time we recognize our number one purpose is to find the veterans that are most in need.”
Looking ahead to the Memorial Day weekend, the Historical Society of Montgomery County will hold a wreath laying ceremony at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the Historic Montgomery Cemetery, 1 Hartranft Ave., Norristown. Designations will be made at the monuments of Generals Winfield Scott Hancock and John Frederick Hartranft, as well as in the Memorial Rose Garden and at the G.A.R. Zook Post Np. 11 Plot, according to the historical society.
Miller added that American Legions or VFW posts are located in most towns.
“No matter where you live in Montgomery County, there’s going to be a Memorial Day service at a VFW or American Legion that anyone could catch,” Miller said.
Visit the Montgomery County Office of Veterans Services’ website at montgomerycountypa.gov/266/Veteran-Services for more information.
This article appears courtesy of a content share agreement between Wissahickon Now and The Ambler Gazette. To read more stories like this, visit the Ambler Gazette.
