KEESEVILLE, NY - November 2, 2015

I own a small flagpole company in upstate New York, called Adirondack Flagpoles, and I am proud to be a member of American Legion Post 1619 in West Plattsburgh, N.Y.

In early October a friend of mine brought to my attention an article she had seen in the Cape Cod Times, regarding a World War-II veteran in Yarmouth Port, Mass., who fought at the Battle of the Bulge.

His son wrote the story of his father, Vincent Abbott, whose flagpole was destroyed “by some coward” who hit the flagpole with his car and ran off in the night. Turns out this flagpole had stood for years next to Mr. Abbott’s mailbox and was his pride and joy. His son Jim attempted to find someone who could repair the 20-foot fiberglass flagpole, but it was beyond fixing.

I make handcrafted wooden flagpoles, and five years ago in South Carolina I delivered four flagpoles to a landscaper named Steve Phillips who served as a B-52 crew chief in Vietnam. As I was leaving after delivering his flagpoles he asked if I wanted his old one, a 32-foot commercial metal pole with yardarm in pretty good shape. I took it on the condition that I would not pay him for it, nor would I ever sell it. I would refurbish it to perfect condition and give it away to a deserving veteran, Veterans Park or Veterans Cemetery. He loved the idea, and before long we came up with a name for the program - Second Tour of Duty - indicating these flagpoles would get a second chance to serve.

Since that time I have donated a number of these flagpoles, including one to our local D.A.V. Post 179, and also finally found a home for Steve’s original flagpole that started the whole thing, which will be going to Lewis, N.Y. as the centerpiece of their new Veterans Park they are in the process of building. I also took in a big 40-foot fiberglass flagpole from Cape Cod this summer, just a few miles from Yarmouth Port where Mr. Abbott lives, on Amrita Island.

On October 5, I brought that 40-foot fiberglass flagpole into my shop, cut off the damaged bottom section leaving 36 feet, and spent five days sanding and painting and re-rigging the flagpole, until it was better then new. I then contacted American Legion Post 188 in Sandwich, Mass., and they agreed to bring their Honor Guard and bugler for a flag ceremony on Oct. 17 at the home of WWII veteran Vincent James Abbott.

Cape Code Fence Company installed the ground sleeve in concrete, and early on the morning of the 17th I headed to Yarmouth Port with my photographer Katie Kearney, for a 750-mile round trip. With the assistance of Vincent’s son Jim the two of us installed the flagpole and had everything all set by noon, including a beautiful bronze dedication plaque and a genuine U.S. Government 5-foot by 9.5-foot World War II 48 star flag.

With the assistance of the Honor Guard and Bugler from Post 188 we had a fine ceremony, and Mr. Abbott was very proud and extremely moved. With his family surrounding him, all the veterans, friends and neighbors, and photographers and news reporters, he described this as one of the best days of his life.

I think the photograph says it all, and the expressions on the faces of Vincent and his wife Elizabeth are priceless. As the caption of the Cape Cod Times story on the front page Sunday edition read: “Honoring the Flag… and the Soldier”.

CAPTION FOR PHOTO:

Vincent James Abbott, family & friends, and
American Legion Veterans with his new flagpole.
The plaque reads:

“THE GREATEST GENERATION”
Dedicated to the Valor of those
who served in World War II.

All gave some - some gave All.

~ ~ ~

Photo credit Katie Kearney