FRAMINGHAM – On Sunday afternoon, a flag retirement ceremony was held at the Massachusetts National Lancers site on Merchant Road in Framingham.
The Ceremony was led by Judge Michael Fabbri, who served in the United States Air Force in the 1970s.
One of the organizers of the event was Ed Carr, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam.
The event was hosted by the MetroWest Vietnam Veterans Committee, in collaboration with Framingham Veterans Council; National Lancers; Framingham Elks; Framingham Fire Department; Framingham Police Department; Middlesex County Veterans Treatment Court; and the Natick Veterans Council.
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There were hundreds and hundreds of flags to be retired, including recently removed flags from Edgell Grove Cemetery in Framingham.
Given the volume of flags that have accrued in Framingham, a large fire pit was created on one of the National Lancer’s fields, overseen by Framingham Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Sullivan.
Mayor Yvonne Spicer and Framingham Superintendent of Schools Bob Tremblay participated in the ceremony and placed a flag in the fire pit to be retired.
State Rep. Jack Patrick Lewis, Framingham veterans Council Chair Eric Finn, Framingham Veterans Council member Nick Paganella, Framingham Veterans Council member Bill Blumsack, At-Large Framingham City Councilor Janet Leombruno, District 4 City Councilor Michael Cannon, Framingham School Committee Chair Adam Freudberg, and Framingham Youth Council Chair Isabella Petroni all participated by retiring a flag into the fire pit.
The National Lancers, a ceremonial Calvary troop, participated in the ceremony. National Lancers were established on October 31, 1836 at the request of Gov. Edward Everett. Learn more about the history of the National Lancers, based in Framingham, by clicking here.
A flag retirement ceremony traditionally involves two color guards. The Framingham Fire Department’s color guard participated in Sunday’s ceremony.
[broadstreet zone=”58610″] According to the United States Flag Code, an American flag should be retired when it is in such condition that is “no longer a fitting emblem for display” and should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning it. |
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Petroni Media Company took more than 100 photos in Sunday. About 40 are posted below. For the full slideshow visit Petroni Media Company’s Facebook page.
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