The football field at East Hampton High School has a new flagpole, installed in time for the nation’s 250th anniversary, thanks to the generosity of Everit Albert Herter Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 550. The larger pole for the American flag was dedicated during a ceremony on Friday. Smokey Anderson and John Geehreng, past V.F.W. commanders, came up with the idea.
“Every time I’d come up here, I’d see this little flagpole and say, ‘This just doesn’t do it.’ I brought it up at the post -- let’s put up an appropriately sized pole,” Mr. Anderson said.
The original flagpole was donated in 1979 by Ralph George, also a member of the V.F.W. Post. Rather than take it down, it now boasts a brand-new Bonacker flag reading “One Tuff Bub.”
“I had a custom flag made with the Bonacker with the waders and the football,” Mr. Anderson said. “I wanted something that Ralph could be remembered by.”
The flagpole project started more than a year and a half ago, but was delayed by this past winter’s weather. Long Island Crane and Rigging pitched in to help complete it, securing the new pole in a crushed-stone base.
“It was a major event to put it up, and we’re very thankful that they did,” said J.P. Foster, the school board president. “It’s wonderful. It’s our country’s 250th anniversary, so it’s perfect.”
The high school band serenaded the crowd as Sgt. Patrick Royal of the town police, the current commander of Post 550, cut the red ribbon, dedicating the flagpole to the veterans of foreign wars who have died so that we could live free. A plaque beneath the flagpole bears that inscription, along with the words “This flag flies proud for our freedom.”
“Some members of the post and their family members have dedicated a serious amount of time, money, and resources to help with the masonry, the crane, everything like that,” Sergeant Royal said. “It really came together in a nice way, and we were honored that the post was able to dedicate this to the school and the greater community.”