Mercer County to conduct American flag decommissioning ceremony

Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes and the Mercer County Office of Veteran Services invite citizens, civic groups and local Scout organizations to participate in an official flag decommissioning ceremony on Wednesday, June 14, 2017, at 6 p.m. in Veterans Park (Klockner Road entrance) in Hamilton Township. In case of rain, the ceremony will be Thursday, June 15, at 6 p.m.

Each year, the Mercer County Office of Veteran Services partners with local veterans from the American Legion Post 31 and the Hamilton Township Patriotic Committee to hold the time-honored decommissioning, also known as “flag retirement.”

American flags that have become tattered, soiled or are otherwise no longer fit for display will be burned in a dignified manner in a pit in the ground during the ceremony and the flames will be doused by firefighters from the Nottingham Fire Company of Hamilton. Veteran Services has collected thousands of flags eligible for retirement from American Legion Post 31, private homes, the veterans section of Greenwood Cemetery in Hamilton, and government offices including the Mercer County Clerk’s Office and Sheriff’s Office.

Organizations that wish to have an American flag properly disposed of should bring the flag to any Mercer County office, including County Connection on Route 33, Hamilton; the Mercer County Park Commission Offices or Ranger Headquarters; the Mercer County Veterans Home on Hamilton Avenue, Hamilton; or the McDade Administration Building at 640 South Broad St., Trenton.