June 14 marked with Flag Retirement ceremony in Carrollton
By Don Rutledge
FPS Staff Writer
Flag Day, June 14, 2025, was marked with an impressive Flag Retirement ceremony held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Fighting McCook Post 3301 on state Route 39, just east of Carrollton.
Taking part in the ceremony were several officers and veterans of the VFW Post and Carroll Post 428 of the American Legion, along with several members and leaders of Carrollton’s Boy Scout Troop 141 and Cub Scout Troop 141.
Prior to the lighting and burning of approximately 1,000 flags — which had been dropped off at the VFW Post for retirement — VFW Quartermaster Jim Newbold gave remarks explaining the purpose of Flag Day.
Newbold explained June 14 is Flag Day — a day set aside to honor this vibrant symbol of our nation’s history, ideals and the sacrifices made to protect them.
“For veterans, for the men and women of the VFW, Flag Day is not merely a holiday; it is a deeply personal and enduring reminder of our commitment, our losses and the true meaning of America,” he noted.
Newbold went on to explain the story of Flag Day, beginning with a resolution passed by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777, declaring that “the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white, that the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”
“More than 170 years later, President Harry S. Truman signed an Act of Congress in 1949 designating June 14 as National Flag Day,” Newbold said.
“This simple declaration marked the birth of our Stars and Stripes, a representation of a promising nation daring to dream of liberty and real freedom.
“Over the centuries, that flag has evolved, with a star added for each new state, growing into the 50-star banner we proudly fly today,” Newbold told those in attendance.
“For more than two centuries we have been a free country and a free people, and the reason why we have stayed free for so long is that millions of American men and women have fought … and died … to keep us free.
In war after war, they have held the line against those who would take our freedom from us, the speaker noted.
“On this Flag Day, as members of the VFW, we urge all Americans to take a moment to truly appreciate this powerful symbol. To understand its history, respect its meaning and be reminded of the immense sacrifices made to secure our freedoms.
Let us ensure that future generations understand that this flag is not just a piece of cloth, but a living testament to the ongoing struggle for freedom and the unwavering spirit of those who defend it,” Newbold concluded.
