MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Richard Snow was the son of a World War II veteran.
His father was buried at Southwood Memorial Park Cemetery in a section designated for those who served our country.
He came on Memorial Day to pay his respects, but was met with something he found incredibly disrespectful.
“When I looked up on top of the hill, I find that the American flag is flying at full staff,” Snow said.
Flag etiquette dictates American flags be lowered at sunrise in honor of the fallen and raised at noon to honor those still living.
“It is for all that they gave and all that our boys are giving now,” Billie Gregory, the wife of a deceased WWII veteran added.
Snow said the cemetery made the same mistake last year.
He was also upset over the condition of the flag flying over his father’s grave.
“It is extremely tattered,” he said. “I know flags get tattered, but when you know this holiday is coming, you would think a facility like this would take the time and spend the money to put a new one up.”
WREG spoke to a woman who worked for the cemetery.
She said having the flag at full staff was simply an oversight, but even if they had remembered they didn’t have enough employees to come out and change it at sunrise.
For some, including Gregory, that was not a good enough excuse.
“It shouldn’t have been an oversight,” she said, shaking her head. “It should have been circled on their calendar.”
Cemetery staff said they do plan to replace the tattered flag as soon as possible.
