World Trade Center flag flies over Fort Devens

How cool is this? Never forget, disc golfers.

Please take a minute today to remember all military personnel who have passed through Fort Devens over the years. God bless America.

World Trade Center flag flies over Fort Devens
By Gayle Simone
Staff Writer
Nashoba Publishing
Posted: 12/05/2008 08:35:00 AM EST

DEVENS -- As the sun went down, the American flag outside United States Army Garrison Fort Devens Headquarters was lowered in a brief ceremony with Department of Defense police and two Marines.

The flag was not one of everyday issuance and it was not removed because it was old and tattered.

The flag was actually one of the three Twin Towers flags flying on Sept. 11, 2001.

Though the flag is visibly damaged, with smoke stains throughout the colors and the bottom red stripe has been torn and repaired, it's considered a traveling memorial and has seen over 12,000 miles since it was first presented to veteran Bob Dunsmore of the Lakota Nation when he created an honor guard to travel to different pow-wows.

Law Enforcement Station Commander Lt. Kevin Cooney, police officer Rusty Simoneau and Marine Lance Cpl. Tyjuan Newsome presented arms as Marine Cpl. Brian Warren lowered the flag while "To the Colors" played over the Devens' sound system.

Newsome began folding the flag, bringing it closer to the waiting hands of Warren, as Department of Defense Police Sgt. Andrew Seropian held the glass box the flag travels in. Warren then presented the cased flag to Lorena Novak of the United Native American Cultural Center on Devens.

"On behalf of the Unites States government, it was an honor for us to fly this flag today," Cooney said. "We now return the flag to your possession."

Before flying at Fort Devens, the memorial flag was presented to Marine Sgt. Troy Schielein, who brought the flag to the Marines' Military Ball, where the flag was used as the center piece for photographs of the couples.

The flag flew on Fort Devens for the Marines' birthday on Nov. 10 and Veterans Day. The flag was given to fire Chief Thomas Garrity after being lowered from Fort Devens Headquarters, where it then flew over Rogers Field.

"We flew the flag for all of our fellow firefighter brothers who had fallen that day," Deputy Chief Joseph LeBlanc said. "We honored them, as well as any member of any department."

The flag had one more stop on Devens, the State Police barracks, before being shipped to Dunsmore who will continue presenting the flag at pow-wows in South Dakota and around the United States.