Mercer County Flag Decommissioning Ceremony Set For June 18

Mercer County will hold its annual flag decommissioning ceremony for tattered, soiled or otherwise unserviceable flags on June 18 at Veterans Park in Hamilton, 6 p.m., officials announced.

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 are no longer fit for display will be burned in a dignified way in a large pit during the ceremony and the flames will be doused by firefighters from the Nottingham Fire Company of Hamilton.

“One way we celebrate Flag Day is by demonstrating the proper way to retire an American flag,” Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes said. “The flag of the United States symbolizes the values we hold dear and seek to defend, such as liberty, equality, opportunity, democracy and inclusion. It deserves a special sendoff.”

Individuals and organizations that wish to have an American flag properly disposed of should bring the flag to any Mercer County office, including County Connection, Route 33 at Paxson Avenue, Hamilton; Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence; McDade Administration Building, 640 South Broad St., Trenton; and Mercer County Veterans Home, 2280 Hamilton Ave., Hamilton.

The flag decommissioning ceremony will take place at the Klockner Road entrance for Veterans Park. Rain date is Wednesday, June 19. For more information, contact Mercer County Veteran Services at 609-989-6120.