Museum in Punta Gorda shows the honorable process of retiring the flag

The flag of the United States is our token of freedom. But the steady swaying of the stars and stripes forces some to retire the symbol of sacrifice.

“A lot of blood has been spilled to protect that flag,” said Chuck Vullo, a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

“The flag means an awful lot to us and of course we never destroy a flag,” said Jeff Sherwin, a U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force veteran. “We retire flags.”

The Military Heritage Museum in Punta Gorda wants locals with torn or tattered flags to follow the United States flag codes: “When its in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display, should be destroyed in a dignified way.”

The museum accepts flags from Monday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Charlotte Memorial Funeral Home also collects flags at its office near Jones Loop Rd.

Gary Butler, the executive director of the Military Heritage Museum, showed us how the museum retires the flag.

“When folks come to the museum,” Butler said, “they take their flag and this thing opens up and they just put the flag right inside it and then they close it and it disposes down below.”

Then the Charlotte Memorial Funeral Home burns them. The ash gets burned with the remains of honorably discharged veterans.

“Those who fought under the flag,” Sherwin said, “I think it’s an honor for them to be buried with the flag.”

Retiring old glory with America’s heroes.

“That’s certainly what they fight for and sacrificed for,” Butler said. “Was for the American flag.”