Allenstown Alt. - POW/MIA Flag Raising Rolls Across Allenstown

Flag Raising at a Dozen Local Sites

Dateline: June 1, 2021

Starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday May 22, Rich and Trish Caruso and other members of Rolling Thunder® NH Chapter 1 conducted a series of POW/MIA flag raisings around Allenstown and Pembroke. The goal was to educate the public and raise awareness around POW/MIA issues.

This initiative has been supported at the federal level with the passing of a law in 2019 mandating the flag be flown at prominent federal buildings and national war memorials throughout the year.

At each location, participants gathered around the flag pole while two Rolling Thunder members attached the POW/MIA flag below the American flag.

Fire Station – Rich Caruso and Bob McGuigan attach the POW/MIA flag to the halyard (rope).

Fire Station – flags hoisted to full staff.

Community Center – Rich Caruso and Bob McGuigan attach the POW/MIA flag to the halyard.

Community Center – Bob McGuigan raises the flag to full staff.

Community Center – group photo.

After the ceremony at each site, members of Rolling Thunder fired up their motorbikes, formed a procession, and cruised to the next site. In this video, they are arriving at Town Hall.

VIDEO Rolling Thunder cruising to Town Hall

At Town Hall, after assembling around the flag pole, the POW/MIA flag was attached and raised to full staff.

VIDEO POW/MIA flag raising at Town Hall

Town Hall – Attendees salute the flag while Michael Kenyon, Allenstown Music Teacher, sings the National Anthem.

And it was a beautiful "a capella" rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner."

After a moment of silent prayer, he played a heart-rending solo of "Taps" on his polished, shining bugle.

VIDEO Michael Kenyon plays a poignant rendition of "Taps" to conclude the ceremony.

Town Hall – group photo

The following sites participated in the day's events.

Allenstown, NH

9:00am Allenstown Police Station, 40 Allenstown Road
9:15am *Allenstown Elementary School, 30 Main Street
9:30am *Armand R. Dupont School, 10 1/2 School Street
9:45am Allenstown Library, 59 Main Street
10:00am Allenstown Fire Station, 1 Ferry Street
10:15am Allenstown Community Center, 8 Whitten Street
10:30am Allenstown Town Hall, 16 School Street
10:45am Volunteer Park, 5 Wall Street (off River Road)
11:00am Caruso, Rutherford, Palys and Harper residences, at 5, 7 & 8 Albin Avenue and 20 Pine Acres Road
*Students at each school led the singing at the ceremony

Pembroke, NH

11:45am Pembroke Pines Country Club, 42 Whittemore Rd.

What You Can Do

Whenever possible, let friends and family know about the POW/MIA issue. You can also write to your senators asking that they bring about legislative decisions that will increase actions to bring home all service personnel who have been left behind.

Let us not forget those who sacrificed so much to defend our country both at home and around the world.