This year marked the 75th year of the Gravois Trail Memorial Day Good Turn Boy Scout flag-placing at every gravesite at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
Started in 1949, the council chairman, Ollie Tilghman, said at the beginning it was 20,000 graves and 150 scouts. Now 4,000 scouts and parents place flags at 181,000 graves.
The flag placing event instills a sense of gratitude for the nation’s Veterans. “That’s one of the biggest things we can say the Scouts take away from this is to have a big piece of history that they can go back and say, ‘This person sacrificed everything just so we could go to the movies or walk the streets free,’” Tilghman said.
This year’s event came with an extra challenge. The night after all the flags were placed, a storm knocked downhalf of them. That night on Facebook at 9 p.m., a “chain started” of texts and phone calls, so that about 55 people were back at the cemetery early the next morning. They replaced the flags in time for a 10 a.m. Veterans group event.
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery Caretaker Supervisor Chad Blissett said the young volunteers are a key part of the Memorial Day preparations. “We couldn’t do it without them. They had their ceremony at noon and, by no later than 2 o’clock, every grave site had a flag on it. It’s a big deal,” Blissett added, noting that there are usually 10,000 cars that come through the cemetery over the weekend to see the flags and pay their respects.
Tilghman said the hard work is worth it and encourages others to volunteer on what is usually a sunny day doing a “good turn.” “I feel like I’m giving back to the community as well as those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice,” Tilghman said.
For information about VA burial benefits, visit one of VA’s National Cemetery Locations in-person, visit online at VA burial benefits and memorial items, or call toll free at 800-827-1000. To plan for you and your family, visit NCA’s pre-need eligibility website.
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My Dad – TSGT Harry Eugene Saville is interned at Jefferson Barracks. I live in Idaho where dad enlisted in 1951 and retired in 1971. He was stationed at the Turkey Hill Radar sight above Scott AFB to assist the Nike military sites around St Louis. I joined him at 9 years old. I graduated from Balboa HS in the Panama Canal Zone, Dad was at Albrook and enlisted in the Air Force 1962 – 1968. Beautiful Cemetery and Thank you Scouts for making Memorial Day special for my Dsd.
Are we calling the BOY SCOUTS, “BOY” Scouts? I thought because of political correctness it was just “The Scouts”.
I do not think they are called Boy Scouts anymore.