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s!$mm(T'iTW~' eM***'/ jf ■‘•' i’Y« • n .*,lt;••■ Ti? J»~%z$4iim•i ^Vlt; c«? -£. » .ri-.-:T» SMi®Story and Photos By }oe GarzaTribune-StarFrom his vantage point, Sonner Faught could see almost every volunteer in the cemetery.Standing outside his pickup truck on Saturday, Faught, the 87-year-old World War II veteran and Sullivan American Legion Post member, watched from the highest point in Center Ridge Cemetery. He could see small groups of American Legion members, Boy Scout leaders and local citizens working together to identify the graves of veterans buried in the Sullivan County cemetery. Their purpose was to find each grave and honor it with a small American flag.The process was simple and r the purpose was nothing less than patriotic. With dozens of Ijflltesmall flags bundled together in #9t®hand, a “reader” would shout felM®;out the name of a veteran from SSsa list. Then, maybe one, two or Sfei®three others in the group would H||§*search for the tombstone, Rfl®ancient grave marker or tower- 8||fi®ing family obelisk. The group would walk along three rows from south to north and north to south in an assigned section of the cemetery.When the tombstone was found, a volunteer would use a power drill to make a hole in front of the marker in the hardened and dry earth for the small American ||nMflag. Faught could hear the names of the county’s veter- R|m|h ans as the volunteers called them out amongst each i|SH|other. Names like Hull, Scott, Exline and Jewell were M|Kshouted out, as responses like “found it” and “right here” bounced off the concrete and marble markers, rifflBi some almost too weathered and worn to read.Faught knows that it would be easier to give up the effort or ust leave the flags in the earth for years on end, where they would ade, tear and become soiled. But, that’s not Sonner.Recognition: A grave marker flag stands In the ground near the grave of a veteran after it was placed there by volunteers Saturday in Center Ridge Cemetery in Sullivan.InsideH More photos of the work done by Sonner Faught and otherAmerican Legionmembers over the weekend in Sullivan County, A6-7‘mim,VSpring cleaning: Sonner Faught uses a hose to wash off the sticks of grave marker flags May 18 at his home in Sullivan. Faught recycles the flags by washing the stick off while his wife Joann (in background), makes them even more presentable by► Turn to SONNER, A7 ll0nmg them'
Newspaper Details
Terre Haute Tribune Star
Terre Haute, Indiana, US
Mon, May 28, 2012
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
Larry G.
USA 12 Feb 2019
Other Publications Near Terre Haute, Indiana
Western Register and Terre Haute Advertiser
Terre Haute Wabash Courier
Terre Haute Tribune Star
Terre Haute Tribune
Terre Haute Star
