Camp Cullom Approves Honor Pit Construction To Burn Retired Flags

September 21, 2020 Russ Kaspar Local News Comments Off on Camp Cullom Approves Honor Pit Construction To Burn Retired Flags

Each year at Camp Cullom, about 3,500 American Flags from Clinton County are respectfully retired with fire by some 30 Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts from Troops 311, 336 and 338 in Frankfort, Mulberry and Rossville.

Monday evening the Camp Cullom board of directors approved an Eagle Scout project by Colton Edwards of Frankfort Troop 338 to construct an Honor Pit made of Granite Lancaster. The Honor Pit will be 110 inches by 120 inches with an open end for access to the pit for cleaning.

The Honor Pit will replace the current site which is just a dedicated pit area with no structure or signage to commemorate the flag burnings that take place there.

Throughout the year retired flags are given to the VFW, American Legion or Camp Cullom. Marine Corp League oversees the entire process in Clinton County when once a year two or three dozen Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts from Clinton County gather at Camp Cullom to retire the flags.  POW flags are included in the ceremony and retirement.

Some rare flags are not ready for retirement and are saved before burning if they are collectable or rare in some way.

Current unimproved honor pit at Camp Cullom that will be transformed into a Granite/Masonry Pit with signage by Eagle Scout Candidate Colton Edwards in a project to be completed under his direction and leadership.

Colton Edwards (left) and Camp Cullom President Andrew Schilling during the Honor Pit presentation to Camp Cullom board Monday Night. Colton’s Honor Pit project was approved unanimously by the board.