Cub Scouts once again honor veterans by placing flags on graves at Bel Air cemetery

With Veterans Day just days two local Cub Scout packs came out Sunday to the Bel Air Memorial Gardens to do their part to help remember those who died for our freedom.

The scouts placed American flags on the graves of the 500 veterans who are buried in the cemetery, an annual tradition in Bel Air the weekend before the Nov. 11 observance.

"On behalf of all the veterans in our community, I would like to thank you for the important task that you are about to undertake," Bel Air American Legion Harford Post 39 past commander Dick Gebhard told the scouts. "It's a very important deal, placing flags on veterans graves."

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Veteran Wally Mueller, past commander of American Legion Post 39, speaks to the group of scouts gathered to place new American flags on the gravesites of veterans at the Bel Air Memorial Gardens Sunday afternoon. (MATT BUTTON | AEGIS STAFF / Baltimore Sun)

"It's honoring and remembering veterans and I'm sure any of the veterans you speak to would really be thankful for what you are doing today," Gephard said as he stood in front of the approximately 30 scouts and their family and friends from Packs 238 and 807 Sunday afternoon.

Wally Mueller, also from American Legion Harford Post 39, gave a brief history lesson about some of the veterans buried at the cemetery before turning the boys over to their scout leaders to begin fanning out across the cemetery.

With a quick stop at the rear of the pickup truck of Pack 238 leader Jeff Clark for their flags, the scouts were ready.

"Make sure we look at the markers" Clark said. "They will tell you whether these people were service members or not, if they were, put a flag on their stone and remove any old American Flags."

With those final instructions Clark handed out the boxes and bundles of new American Flags, along with a map of the cemetery.

Like a flash, the scouts scattered out across the cemetery and soon rows of new American Flags were blowing in the fall breeze across the fields.

David Ford, scoutmaster for Pack 807, walked with his son, Evan, a Junior Webelo, talking about what Veterans Day is and how it came to be while brushing leaves from the many grave markers.

"It's important to pass along to them, the scouts, to let them know and show them we should be paying our respect to those who have served in the various wars," Ford said as he handed a flag to his son to place on the grave of a World War II veteran.