Kevin Britton, 9, of Villa Ridge, tosses American flags into a fire Saturday during a flag retirement ceremony at American Legion Post 178 in Villa Ridge. Ronald Roberts, 25th district commander for the Illinois American Legion, said one of the only ways to properly retire a flag is to burn it and bury the ashes. “The flag is one of the main symbols of the United States military,” Roberts said. “Burying the ashes returns the flag to the earth with respect.” Tiffany Blanchette-Daily Egyptian

Photo taken by Tiffany Blanchette of the Daily Egyptian