Troops Remembered in a Field of Flags

The 5,516 American flags flutter silently in the late spring breeze; 52 of them are for Connecticut's fallen soldiers.

Wilton residents helped plant a Field of Flags at the Saugatuck Congregational Church in Westport on Friday. The flags are a poignant reminder of the cost of war, for each flag symbolizes not just one casualty, but all those affected by that loss.

"I'm hoping people will be able to understand what families of the deceased have gone through," said Don Hazzard of Wilton's American Legion Post 86. "They just need to have the respect they deserve and the honor."

While not many area families have active service members, the number of volunteers made their support clear.  In Westport members of Saugatuck's Flag Team, police, fire and veteran's groups placed American flags on the church's great lawn. Wilton's American Legion Post 86 served as one of several Honor Guards.

Anne Kirkpatrick and Jo-Ann Hornyak started Field of Flags in October 2005 at the Somers Congregational Church in Somers, Connecticut. At the time 2,231 flags honored Americans killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. That number has nearly tripled since.

"When people see the field of flags they have a better sense of the wars' impact," said Kirkpatrick whose nephew, a Navy pilot, recently returned from Iraq. "It's not just 5,500 flags, it's the thousands of mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends and co-workers who have been impacted. It's exponential."

The church bell tolled after each Connecticut name was read. A complete list of American casualties, by date, name and rank will be displayed in the church vestibule through July 4.

Also present were Blue Star Families, those who have members serving in the military; Silver Star Families, those with injured service personnel;  and Gold Star Families, those who have a family member killed in action.

Since 2005, the display has visited churches in North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Florida. The organization has bookings through 2011, but said Westport volunteer Lisa Tantillo, "they are praying not to have to do it."

The church learned they would host the event in September and received an incredible amount of positive feedback, said Mary Ann West who helped plan the ceremony.

"It's so altruistic," said West. "It's mainly to keep everyone in our hearts and prayers. We were given a charge; it had to be more than a photo-op, which it could easily have been."

For the next three weeks, the Field of Flags will remain on the green lawn. During that time the church will ask for donations, all of which will support either Homes for the Brave, or Female Soldier, Forgotten Hero.

In addition, there will be a letter writing campaign to troop members overseas, a collection of soccer balls for Kick for Nick, and a collection of worn or tattered flags for proper disposal. People can also send care packages to troops overseas. 

"It seems American people are more thoughtful and more aware about what's going on than in the past," Hazzard said.

An Interfaith Service in the Church Sanctuary followed the reading of the names. Several Honor Guards stood along the church's driveway, including the Patriot Guard, the Westport Police and Fire Departments, and Wilton's American Legion. TAPS and a Gun Volley Salute concluded the ceremony.

"It was a beautiful event and not just because of the placing of the flags," West said. "But because the whole community gathered together."

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