Thursday, Apr 18, 2024
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Memorial Day Flag Placement

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The grave marker of Sgt. Mark E. Murphy, USAF, after being cleaned and given a flag by the volunteers. Vietnam veteran Izzy Ortiz, a graduate of Whitmer H.S. who served in the Marine Corps, organized the effort in 1989, and has continued to coordinate it since that time.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Izzy Ortiz saluting in a brief ceremony the volunteers hold after placing about 500 flags in Lot 25.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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"This isn't right. We need to take care of our sailor here," says Marty Doll, of Temperance, Michigan, as he cuts away the over growth over the memorial for Walter Pietrzak, Jr., who served in the U.S. Navy in World War ll.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Terry Doll, of Temperance [and spouse of Marty Doll], left, working with VFW Post 606 commander James Croninger, of Sylvania. Doll is putting the flag in the grave while Croninger marks off the name from a list.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Terry, left, and Marty Doll, of Temperance, and James Croninger, commander of VFW Post 606, confer as they erect flags at the markers of dead veterans.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Connie Dewalt, of Toledo, left, met Izzy Ortiz, right, when they both worked at Jeep in 1968. She has been helping erect the flags for years, coming on her lunch hour after she got a job working in an office. "I look forward to this. This is awesome," says Dewalt.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Connie Dewalt, of Toledo, left, met Izzy Ortiz, right, when they both worked at Jeep in 1968. She has been helping erect the flags for years, coming on her lunch hour after she got a job working in an office.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Connie Dewalt, of Toledo, left, met Izzy Ortiz, right, when they both worked at Jeep in 1968.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Mike Morrison, of Maumee, left, and Hector Flores, Sr., from Toledo, work together to put the flags on a grave.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Brian Cahill, of Toledo, left, Hector Flores, Sr., center and rear, and Mike Morrison of Maumee, came together to put the flags on the graves of Lot 25.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Marty Doll, of Temperance, Michigan, gently sweeps away the last of the dirt after cutting away the grass over the memorial for Walter Pietrzak, Jr., who served in the U.S. Navy in World War ll.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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The grave marker for Walter Pietrzak, Jr., who served in the U.S. Navy in World War ll, after being cleaned up and given a flag by Mary Doll.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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"This isn't right. We need to take care of our sailor here," says Marty Doll, of Temperance, Michigan, as he cuts away the growth over the memorial for Walter Pietrzak, Jr., who served in the U.S. Navy in World War ll.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
Buy This Image

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Izzy Ortiz, right, and the other volunteers salute after saying the name of a dead comrade in a brief ceremony the volunteers hold after placing about 500 flags in Lot 25.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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