Tribute To The Fallen: Southern Regional Memorial Flag Display

MANAHAWKIN, N.J. — Southern Regional students assisted ROTC cadens in planting flags on the high school lawn. One flag is planted for each service member killed in Afghanistan and Iraq, which totals 6,997 people.

Southern Regional will host a Memorial Day ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Friday. The ceremony pays tribute to all military branches and recognizes past and present service members. Last year, 6,952 flags were planted.

The purpose is to teach students that Memorial Day is more than a day off from school. The Field of Flags can be easily seen from Route 9.

District employee Marilyn Doherty began the tradition many years ago. SRHS English teacher Jean Piscopo has carried it on.

Three of the flags also represent three Southern Regional graduates:

• Army Specialist Kareem Khan, class of 2005, killed in action in Iraq in 2007
• US Navy member Arthur J. Platt, class of 1978, killed in a military plane crash
• US Marine Corps member Lance Corporal Walter Horner, class of 1964, killed in action in Vietnam in 1967

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