MIDDLETOWN: FIELD OF FLAGS DEDICATED
WPC Field of Flags (WPC Photo Library)
Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPC) of Middletown officially dedicated its 2019 Field of Flags during a special ceremony on Saturday, November 2nd, 2019. The event took place on the WPC Great Lawn where the Field of Flags is located.
The Field of Flags was created in 2012 to honor United States military men and women who have died in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each flag in the field represents a serviceman or woman who has given their life in those conflicts. This year’s striking memorial contains 6,972 flags. The Field of Flags will remain standing until November 16th. The public is welcome and encouraged to visit the field, and invited to be part of the flag take-down event on November 16th.
Speakers Group at Field of Flags Ceremony
The Field of Flags was created in 2012 to honor United States military men and women who have died in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each flag in the field represents a serviceman or woman who has given their life in those conflicts. This year’s striking memorial contains 6,972 flags. The Field of Flags will remain standing until November 16th. The public is welcome and encouraged to visit the field, and invited to be part of the flag take-down event on November 16th.
The dedication ceremony included welcomes from Middletown Township Mayor Anthony S. Perry and Monmouth County Freeholder Gerard P. Scharfenberger. Keynote remarks were offered by Marine mothers, Patricia Malloy and Debbie Dailey, whose sons served in Iraq but who suffered from PTSD upon their return and died shortly after their return. From the two family’s tragedies the group Angel Warriors was born the organization raises money to provide trained service dogs to returning veterans.
The Dedication ceremony also featured the posting and retiring of the colors by the 25 member U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps from across the state; the Pledge of Allegiance from local Boy and Girl Scouts of America and special bagpipe music by Bob Phelan.
