Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 June 1918 — SERVICE FLAG IS DEDICATED [ARTICLE]

SERVICE FLAG IS DEDICATED

By Loyal and Patriotic Citizens of Union Township. Sunday was a great day for Parr and Union township, it being the occasion of the dedication of their township Service Flag in honor of more than forty young men from that community who have offered up their lives in their country’s effort to free lhe world from oppressive autocracy. Aside from being an extremely hot day the weather was ideal for the occasion, and a large crowd was present. The program of the day opened shortly after 2 o'clock with a parade from the public school to the town park, where the exercises were held. In the line of march were the speakers of the day, Healy's band from this city, the Union township Red Cross workers and six squads of the 19 th and 88 th companies, Indiana Liberty Guards, three squads from 1 Parr and three from tljis city, who later in the day added interest to the occasion and gavp it a militaristic touch by executing the manual of arms and numerous drills, under the direction of Drillmaster

J. M. Sauser and Lieut. A. E. Wallace. George H. Hammerton presided as chairman and opened the meeting by Healy’s band playing “America,’’ the Words of which were sung by a choir on the platform. L. H. Hamilton'was then introduced and gave his vidws of the war in a stirrin fc and patriotic speech, calling upon each and every person to take the war to their own home's and there do all within their power to make victory possible and soon. Mr. Hamilton was followed by Hoh. W. L. Wood, who is at his best when arraigning the kaiser, and on this occasion he did not mince words in telling his views and what he felt must be done in order to win the war. At the same time he paid a tribute of honor and respect to the forty young men from that community whom they had assembled that day to honor. John Alter also spoke briefly and fittingly, his words being consoling to the mothers and sisters to a large degree. Mrs. Harvey Mess-j man also delighted the audience with a reading, extolling their Ser-] vice Flag and the youigg men whom it commemorated. Next came the unveiling of the Service Flag, in charge of the Rev. I G. E. Downey, pastor of the M. E. ■ church of Fair Oaks, who spoke fitting phrases as the mothers oi | other near and dear ones of the soldier boys came forward and pinned “their boy’s’’ star to the flag.' Floating from a high yole in the center of the park was Old plory, and when the stars had all been affixed the Service Flag was raised to a point just beneath the Stars] and Stripes by two of the war] mothers, Mrs. Myers and Mrs. j Gundy, who, with tears streaming down- their cheeks proclaimed to' the world that they and the other mothers proudly gave their all for humanity’s sake. Much credit for the success of the occasion is due S. A. Brusna-' han, who worked early and late that no detail might be left unprovided for. The people of Union township asked us to express u word of thanks to the Rensselaer Liberty Guards for their part in the affair, and the Guards also wish to publicly express their appreciation to Sam Karnowsky for ths gratis use of his large truck to convey’ men and equipment to and from Parr, Following is a list of the names of the young men from Union township for whom the Service Flag was dedicated: Leslie Zellers, Solomon Yodbr, Earl Wiseman, Herbert Bozelle, James Hill, Harvey Myers, Jacob Davis, Stanlius S. Brusnahan, Allen Bowser, Orville Bowser, M. H. Myers, William Gundy, William F. Reed, Willie A. Potts, Paul Karr, Frank McCurtain, -Daniel Leiehty, Max Schultz, Leo Zellers, Alfred Longstreth, Charles Porter, S. E. Randolph, E. C. Henry, William Teske, Lonnie Davisson, Leo Kruger, Firnot Schultz, Roscoe Reeder, Ernest Garriott, James Brouhard, Jesse Brouhard, Grover E. Wood, Ross Wood, Wallace Miller, John Roorda, Dudley Myers, John Kauffman, John E. Kimble, Edgar Kruger, Don Sutton, Jasper Williams.