By Andy Fillmore
Correspondent Gainesville Sun
FORT McCOY — And long may they wave.
That's the sentiment of the 55 residents and all the staffers at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Retirement Village in Marion County now that 40 American flags lining the entranceway have been replaced after a three-month absence because of a controversy over flag etiquette.
The newly installed flags are the result, in part, of the efforts of VFW Post 4209 Senior Vice Commander Robert Ortiz, an employee at the 34th Street Post Office in Gainesville, who got contributions from three post office branches in Gainesville.
When the debate boiled over in August, the board of directors of the facility ordered the flags taken down. Between now and then, six flags had been displayed near the building during the day and were struck each night.
The newly installed flags are lighted by solar lights affixed to each pole, with each set costing about $50.
“It's wonderful they are back and the flags on display meet the Flag Code,” said Doris Ogburn, 94, a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps who has lived at the VFW Village twice, most recently over the past two years.
During his latest residency, Ogburn initiated a letter-writing campaign to bring attention to what he considered a display of the American flag that lacked proper respect because the flags were not illuminated while they remained flying outside at night.
“The flag should be treated as a living thing. It represents our country, and we need to set an example for our children,” said Ogburn, who said he is a great-great-great-grandfather.
The letter campaign was first carried out anonymously but Ogburn later was identified by fellow residents.
Jim Gerline, 90, a World War II veteran who spent harrowing hours in a submarine trapped beneath a Japanese ship aimed at destroying the sub, said he felt the flag flap was over a “technical point.”
“The flags belong there,” Gerline said.
Al Lugo, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and veteran of the war in Afghanistan, has supervised the retirement village for about five years. He said manpower and expenses were an issue in lighting the flags.
“The facility is funded by resident rent, the VFW, fundraisers and backed by individual VFW posts and individual Friends of the VFW Village,” Lugo said.
He said the nonprofit, established 22 years ago, gets no federal, state or county financial support.
When word about the flag removal got to the McCullough-Mixon VFW Post 4209 in Ocala in August, members and officers jumped in to try and help the home restore the beloved flag line.
Ogburn is a “Life Member” of Post 4209 and has his original membership card, dated Dec. 1, 1945. Ogburn retired from the Army as a master sergeant in 1962.
Post 4209 Commander Mike Roberts said a fundraiser was held at the post and Ortiz, who works at Gainesville's 34th Street Post Office, got post office branches in Gainesville involved in donating.
The efforts by Post 4209 netted about $1,600 toward buying new flags and solar LED lights.
Lugo said the village hosted a Family Day on Oct. 12, with proceeds supplementing the flag fund.
So far, the monies have helped replace flags on both sides of most of the entrance road and for the placement of two flags at a gazebo.
“We hope to line the rest of the distance (about 125 feet) to the front entrance,” Lugo said.
He added that it would require about 20 more flags and lights to complete the line.
Lugo said the return of the flags seemed to boost the “camaraderie” at the home.
Korean War veteran John Becker, 82, and his wife, Maxine, are pleased the disagreement has been resolved.
“It shouldn't have happened,” Maxine Becker said.
Dino DeAngelis, 88, a World War II veteran and recipient of the Purple Heart for wounds he got at the Battle of Anzio, said he is glad the flags are back.
“When I moved here about two years ago, we had trouble finding the location. When I saw the flags I knew I was home. It's that important,” DeAngelis said.
This is the link to the article from the Gainesville Sun: http://www.gainesville.com/article/2013131129516
The article from the Ocala Star Banner can be found at http://www.ocala.com
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