Honoring Our Fallen Veterans

5/26/2012 (Updated 11:18:27 PM)

When asked most people will say our flag represents our country. However, on Saturday each of these flags embodies the men and women who served to protect it.  The Vestal American Legion decorated their largest cemetery project, the Vestal Hills Cemetery.

"We placed today in a little over an hour roughly 3,000 flags, with the help of many volunteers  approximately 40 of them, scout troops, all walks of life gave their day to help me come do this, and I really appreciate it," said Thomas Smallcomb Jr. from the Vestal American Legion Post 89.

Before the increase in volunteers the project would take the Vestal American Legion three days, and they're not the only ones who appreciate it the hard work.
     
"It makes you feel good that they just haven't forgotten," said William Scull Singer a World War Two veteran.
   
"That's very hard to believe because they're all so perfectly placed and it looks really nice," said Endwell resident Barbara Gorr.
       
And for those visiting the Vestal Hills Cemetery this weekend, they're encouraged to remove the flags from the roadside and place them next to their loved ones who've served.
     
"I just want the people to realize that these people who are lying here in these graves are the people that gave them a good life and this country," said Singer.
         
Giving one's life for their country is a debt that can never be repaid, but the Vestal American Legion and their group of volunteers will continue to honor fallen veterans, and with good reason.
     
"A little lady was working on a grave site, and I walked over to her and I said ma'am were any of these gentlemen in the war? And A tear came to her eye she said my son is here, and I said could I have the honor of placing a flag on his grave, and that's why I do it, and that's why the 40 people who came here today did what they did, to pay homage to that," said Smallcomb.

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