FORT GIBSON, Okla. — It’s that time of year when the stars and stripes line the Fort Gibson streets, for thousands of drivers to admire.
“I want it to hit ‘em in the gut and remind them that our country is free,” Ret. SFC Tim Smith said, “We have liberty, and a lot of people don’t have that.”
WATCH: Fort Gibson maintains tradition amid storm cleanup
One after another, one flag after another, lines the streets from the grocery store to the Fort Gibson National Cemetery; 652 of them to be exact.
“This is a way we show respect for those soldiers laid to rest at the National Cemetery,” Smith said.
Smith works at the American Legion and heads up the flag tradition, which started in 2011.
Last time Smith spoke with 2 News Oklahoma, it was about storm recovery.
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS >>> The Legion hosted a spaghetti dinner benefiting Granny’s Porch
Smith and his team didn’t let mother nature stop them from honoring the fallen. Memorial Day is a big deal around here.
“That’s the way I can give one day of my life, I just sit back and think about the soldiers I served with and those that died,” Smith said.
“There’s just something about the American flag, they better not change it or they’ll have grandma on their hands,” Carol Corley, owner of Granny’s Porch said.
Carol Corley also recently spoke with 2 News at the spaghetti dinner benefiting her shop. Amidst the cleanup, Corley is keeping her eye on the flag.
“I drive down the road just to see the flags, especially if the wind’s blowing them,” Corley said.
Corley says she gave the tradition its name. As she tells it, Tim Smith walked into the store one day, seeking input.
The two landed on a name: The Trail of Honor.
Memorial Day marks one week since a likely tornado passed through town. All six hundred fifty-two Star Spangled banners are still waving along the Trail of Honor, honoring the men and women who give the flags their true meaning.
“When you stop talking about them, that’s when they really die. If you keep talking about ‘em – they’re still alive,” Smith said.
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