The event is sponsored by Vietnam Veterans Chapter 1148

TOP PHOTO: Honor Guard members, Scouts and Cub Scouts spent Friday afternoon placing flags on the graves of veterans at Powell Valley Cemetery and Bakers Forge Cemetery.

Flags were placed on Veterans graves at Powell Valley Cemetery and Bakers Forge Cemetery on Friday afternoon by Honor Guard members and Scouts.

By Charlotte Underwood

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – Honor Guard members and BSA Scouts with Troop 310, along with Cub Scouts spent Friday afternoon placing flags on the graves of veterans at Powell Valley Cemetery and Bakers Forge Cemetery. 

According to event organizers, flags are placed each year at Powell Valley to honor Four-Star General Carl W. Stiner and his brother Colonel Tommy C. Stiner where they are buried side-by-side.

Jellico Honor Guard Commander Danny McCulley and BSA Scout Tommy Miller prepare to place flags on Four-Star General Carl W. Stiner’s grave and Colonel Tommy C. Stiner’s grave at Powell Valley Cemetery in honor of Memorial Day.

The event was sponsored by Vietnam Veterans Chapter 1148 and coordinated by Jellico Honor Guard Commander Danny McCulley and Eddie Housley President of the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 1148.

“We had over 1,000 flags to put out,” said McCulley, who takes up donations for the flags each year.

Housley said Memorial Day is about paying respects to veterans who are gone.

Left to right are Chris Thacker, Scoutmaster of Troop 310, Jellico Honor Guard Commander Danny McCulley and BSA Scout Tommy Miller

Honor Guard members, Scouts and Cub Scouts spent Friday afternoon placing flags on the graves of veterans at Powell Valley Cemetery and Bakers Forge Cemetery.

“We do this at Memorial Day each year to honor our departed comrades. We will always remember them,” Housley said as he placed a flag on U.S. Marine Corps CPL. Edward Bostic’s grave. Bostic was a member of the Honor Guard as well.

The Scouts learned how to recognize a veteran’s grave by the marker and learned what a Purple Heart designation meant.

“Many of the veterans’ graves were easy to recognize because of the marker itself. Several of the scouts have helped with this before, and they knew what to look for,” said Chris Thacker, Scoutmaster of Troop 310.

Thacker also said that it was something the Scouts were “proud” to be a part of.

“This is so good for the kids; it gives them the perspective of what Memorial Day is really about – honoring and remembering the veterans who served this country and have passed on; we’re proud to be a part of this each year.” (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 05/27/2024-6AM)

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