Vets teach Scouts to honor the past

Boy Scout Troop 54 and the American Legion Star Post 127 marked veterans’ graves with American flags Wednesday.

By:Stephanie Brown
   JAMESBURG — Boy Scouts Ryan Rosati and Mike Hye of Troop 54 stepped carefully among the gravestones in St. James Cemetery early Wednesday evening.
   To the top of the hill they marched diligently, stopping every few feet to stand a crisp American flag in a marker next to a veteran’s grave.
   Below them a few members of the American Legion Star Post 127 stood proudly taking in the view of the cemetery, now awash with red, white, and blue.
   "I think it’s very important that these boys are a part of this," said Stan Hoffman, member of the American Legion Star Post 127 and commander of VFW 262 in Monroe. "And it makes me feel good that they’re really interested."
   It is a tradition for Boy Scout Troop 54 to help the American Legion place American flags beside each veteran’s grave in honor of Memorial Day. And like those who came before them, the Scouts who participated this year made the veterans proud.
   "We appreciate this very much," said World War II veteran Ted Stewart. "These youngsters, they’re good boys."
   Scoutmaster Pat Hye said younger generations can benefit from their participation with the veterans.
   "It teaches them to have respect for the veterans," he said. "As we move away from World War II, we’re losing grandparents that served in the military. New generations of kids don’t know much about it."
   Mr. Hye said the event was a sort of history lesson for the boys.
   "I always say that when you talk to the older people who served, you’re talking history," he said. "And it’s always good to learn history from the people that made that history — it puts a face to it."
   The group went to Fernwood, St. James, and Holy Trinity cemeteries with a stock of more than 400 flags, which were provided by the Middlesex County Department of Veterans, said Legion Commander Allan Brown.
   Both the veterans and Scouts worked together to cover the ground. Their movements were disciplined — in the distance, they almost resembled a regiment. Seventeen-year-old Tom Soden, who comes from a long line of Boy Scouts, said being a Scout and being in the military is similar.
   "Things you learn in both stick with you for the rest of your life," he said. "My grandfather still talks about the things he learned from being in the Scouts, so does my dad, and my brother, and so will I."
   Before the sun had set completely, not only was each veteran’s memory honored with a flag, but they also were recognized for making the ultimate sacrifice.
   "They were willing to put their lives on the line for our country," said Mike. "And it’s important that we respect them for that."