| Flag display honors heroes in Greenfield |
By: Sara Rachels, Staff Writer
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Posted: Wednesday, June 8, 2011 12:02 pm
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Citizens of Greenfield will never forget their heroes who fought and lost their lives in battles over the course of several generations.
They now have a tradition that will serve to help them remember.
One needs only to glance across Highway 45 from El Vallarta to see how the city is paying tribute to its veterans. Twenty-nine American flags are prominently displayed, one for every fallen soldier. They will be flown every military observance holiday from now on.
Three Greenfield board members “took the lead” in giving the concept wings.
“This has been a long time coming,” Greenfield city alderman Cindy McAdams admitted.
“We should have done this a long time before now, but we’re getting the ball rolling.”
“It was brought to our attention that we should do something for our veterans and we wanted to do something and we will continue doing it,” Mayor Eddie Joe McKelvy remarked.
A team effort got the project off the ground. McAdams contacted the local chapter of Woodmen of the World to obtain the 29 flags, alderman John Liggett had signs made that were donated by Keith Tucker of The Marble Shop. Alderman Danny Nanney had poles built for the flags. They were looking for an open area in town in which to display the flags and decided on the patch of grass just across the highway from the Mexican restaurant.
The flags were placed just before Memorial Day by Public Works Director Tony Stout and his crew and will remain up through Flag Day on June 14. Then they will come down and be put back out on July 4.
“We wanted to get them up before Memorial Day and before the alumni banquet that Saturday night, so people coming into town would have the chance to see them,” McAdams explained. Several names from several wars make up the list of those being honored with flags, including Huly Cantrell, Homer Sullivan, Claude Poston, Lee Cochran and Willie Jones from WWI; Russell Haskins, Leland Yeargin, Russell Sullivan, Aubrey Cooper, John T. Drewry, Richard Maiden, Dan Fernstrom, Jewel Marcus, James Hollis Tharp, Richard W. Grooms, Alton Godwin and Joe Clyde Grooms from WWII, Charles Godwin and Newt Floyd from the Korean War and Cpl. Kenneth Bills and Pfc.Danny Carlton from the Vietnam War in addition to eight other names from more recent wars and conflicts.
“It really makes a statement. We are very proud of all our veterans and those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice,” McKelvy stressed.
“Nothing draws more attention about what our veterans mean to us than having the flag display on the highway. I have talked to veterans and their families of WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam – all wars and conflicts and this seems to be something everyone is pleased with. We’re so glad we’ve done it and we welcome anyone’s participation in the future,” he continued.
“This is Greenfield’s way of saying ‘thank you,’ to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
WCP 6.07.11
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