On Sunday December 7th, there was a special event along River Road in western Cincinnati.

Mike Gunn of CCSAR presents a Certificate of Appreciation for hosting today’s event

Cincinnati SAR Mike Gunn spoke with reporters about the importance of this event

Many gathered to retire old, tired and faded American Flags.

Flags long past their service life were collected for proper destruction

On Sunday morning December 7, 2025, members of the Cincinnati Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (CCSAR) joined the Chambers Hautman Budde American Legion Post 534 at their lodge on 4818 River Road in Cincinnati for our annual Flag Retirement Ceremony.

The Monument to the Riverside heroes

Cincinnati SAR Mike Gunn presenting Certificate of Achievement

American Legion Color Guard members joined the legion’s Safety team at the burn pit site, along with the CCSAR Nolan Carson Memorial Color Guard and its five member Musket Unit.

Bring your old, tired, worn and tattered flags to be properly disposed of. Photo by Cincinnati Enquirer

Participating members bring flags to be properly destroyed

The Post 534 Commander confirmed readiness of the Flag Retirement Burn Team and requested the verbal assurance that each of the flags to be retired had met their service requirements. A Prayer followed with homage to all those who’ve flown these banners and hope for the replacement flags to be properly honored.

Cincinnati SAR Nolan Carson Color Guard members

After the Color Guard unit led by Mike Gunn was brought to Attention and “Present Arms” declared, the musket unit fired their flintlocks as a booming send off to the actual flag burning activity.

Cincinnati SAR Color Guard fires a musket volley

Cincinnati SAR Nolan Carson Color Guard fires an honorary musket salute

A Certificate of Appreciation and a Flag Retirement Certificate were presented to the Chambers-Hautman-Budde American Legion Post 534 by the Cincinnati Chapter.

Certificate of Appreciation

A proper and honorable end for our National Colors that have served us well!

Cincinnati SAR Color Guard “at ease”

Members of the Cincinnati SAR – Nolan Carson Color Guard were:

• Clay Crandall
• Gary Duffield (Dual member)
• Scott Freeman
• Michael Gunn
• Stephen McClanahan

A special send off to the flags which have served us well and were an inspiration to us all waving in the wind

Please save your old tattered flags for proper disposal.