ISHPEMING, Mich. (WZMQ) – To keep their honor alive, American flags at the headstones of fallen soldiers are often replaced with new ones.
Close to 2,000 veterans are buried at the Ishpeming Cemetery, and each year around Memorial Day, fresh flags are replaced at each one of their graves.
“We all have to take care of each other, and that’s what we’re here to do,” said Carl Hosang, the chaplan at the Ishpeming VFW and the Ishpeming American Legion. “So, when anyone comes through the cemetery, they know where these veterans are.”
Volunteer groups alongside veterans from the Ishpeming VFW and the Ishpeming American Legion, came together to reset flags at gravesites of local soldiers who have served throughout history.
“There are many groups that are represented,” said Dennis Tonge, a veteran of 32 years in the U.S. Army National Guard, and Marine Corp. “And it’s really nice to see so many people get together to do this.”
Some groups were even given time off of work to volunteer for the cause, such as some employees from the local TruNorth Credit Union.
“My grandfather was a World War II veteran, and every year we would visit his grave and see a flag,” Emily Nobles, a TruNorth volunteer for the afternoon. “It was nice to see that someone remembered him, and I’m just happy to pay it forward.”
The local support goes a long way for these veterans. With so many volunteers chipping in, all flags this year were placed in just about an hour.
“This is a small sample of what we can do to give back,” said Terry LeMere, a U.S. Navy veteran. “It’s remembering those people who sacrificed and gave it all.”
On Monday, a Memorial Day ceremony will be held at the Ishpeming Cemetery at 10 a.m., followed by a luncheon at the Ishpeming American Legion in Ely township.
