Flying the flag
This columnist is not and has not been a negative person during the almost 50 years of writing a weekly bit of personal viewpoint; however, there are times which call for taking a stand against something he doesn't agree with. This week, we will deal with what can be a touchy subject for some.
Gov. Brian Schweitzer last Friday commanded flags in Montana to be flown at half-staff on Tuesday, June 8, in memory of a 22-year-old marine corporal from Missoula who was killed May 26. The veteran of nine months service in Afghanistan was hit by a car in New York City.
On my closet shelf is a large American flag, carefully folded in military style. It was draped over the casket of a 19-year-old man who was killed wiping out a Chinese machine gun nest with his BAR, Browning Automatic Rifle. The U.S. Army sent his metals for bravery "above and beyond the call of duty" to my parents. My brother Alva was just one of thousands of Montana boys who died or were severely disabled in combat action against our enemies during the last 100 years of our too many foreign wars.
Almost every day of my life, I socialize with men who in their youth went through 10 kinds of hell under fire, but lived through it. It is impractical and impossible for the State of Montana to individually honor every such veteran upon their deaths here in the United States. In Kalispell, the names of many of those same kind of men are etched in a beautiful stone monument at Conrad Memorial Cemetery, those who did not come home alive. The state flags never flew at half-mast for them.
So what do I see wrong with the governor's command of last Friday and similar orders in the past few years? It is arbitrarily selective, and while not intentional, ignores so many others. It does not dishonor those others, but sets a precedent I find questionable.
World War II, Korea and Vietnam are history and Afghanistan is now. They can't be statistically or politically compared in several ways, but recognition for valor of the highest order should be kept sacrosanct at a meaningful level.
Just a few years ago in the Flathead, one of the most gallant soldiers of World War II died at his home. His name was Fred Salter. He survived years as a recon-scout in Europe. That is a job that had one of the shortest survival times of any combat assignments. Many only lasted a few days. Fred was given numerous medals, including the Silver Star. It would have been nice but not quite right for the governor to order "half-mast" for Fred. There are many others.
What do I suggest? I propose a more selective and discretionary approach. We don't have those terrible daily fatality lists as in other wars, so it seems fitting to lower the flags for those killed in this different kind of combat. It also seems fitting to me to use that recognition for the few most highly decorated veterans who didn't die in actual combat. Again, discretion is the word.
Every man or woman who raises their right hand and volunteers to defend this nation with their service and their lives are to be honored, and the finest tribute any of us can give them is to go about our chosen life in a productive and positive manner, loving our country and all the good things it stands for.
I'm writing this week's column on June 6, D-day. In 1944, many divisions of young Americans stormed the beaches at Normandy, France. The costs were shockingly high. That is what got me thinking about this flag business.
End of sermon. Thank you
G. George Ostrom is a national award-winning Hungry Horse News columnist. He lives in Kalispell.