Stephanie Vavra wrote this article.
Sunday, September 29, 2019, overcast gray skies turned oily black above Kiwanis Park, on N. Genesee Street, in Morrison, IL, just after noon. It was due to burning large numbers of vinyl flags. Synthetic banners are made of petroleum, and they discharged ebony smoke. Cotton flags burn “fast and clean,” stated Ed Murney, of Morrison. He has participated in flag burning rituals for 15 years. Murney is a veteran of the United States Navy and has a landscaping business.
During the American Legion Post 328 annual Flag Burning Ceremony, a Legion Honor Guard performed a short commencement ceremony, to pay respect for our retired flags. Burning first required a shallow pit to be dug; it was covered with wire mesh. This allowed flags to be spread across the fire. The procedure allowed flames to quickly decimate the fabric.
There were copious items to extract from big garbage bags and shake loose: star-spangled banners; Black Prisoner of War/Missing in Action reminders; State of Illinois flags. Murney stated they once burned 700+ flags at one ceremony.
The heat was extreme for men putting flags into flames. Scraps of fiber were raked back into the pit, leaving no debris. A small tank of water on a trailer was used to tamp down flames and grass near the pit.
It took a smooth running team to complete the glowing conclusion of each flag’s service.
