Morrison High School American Government Teacher Brian Bartoz submitted the photos.
On Saturday, May 17, 2025, American Legion Post 328 and many volunteers installed American flags at the graves of veterans who lie at rest in Grove Hill Cemetery, Morrison, IL. They assembled at 7:45; the farthest-out team completed their mission about two hours later. Brian Bartoz stated, “We finished the flag placement even sooner than expected.” He assists the Legion Post by encouraging student participation: Sauk Valley College “Impact Program” members earn college tuition credit. Morrison High School Key Club and local Scouts accumulate service hours.
Legion member Jerry Brearton estimated 36-40 volunteers gathered on the cold morning. They divided into teams, with a leader who called out names of the veterans in a specified cemetery section. As someone found that tombstone, they called out, “I have [Veteran’s last name.]” The leader marked his chart. Care is taken to not miss a veteran.
Before this day, Brearton had given Hillary Blevins a list of nine veterans whose locations were unidentified. She researched cemetery records and coordinated them with maps of graves, to infer the missing locations. Some veterans had a stone, but people hadn’t seen it. One was very eroded and initials were unreadable; another flat stone was totally unreadable. The map indicated neighboring veterans, and inferences were made in order to place a flag holder and marker, where it should be. Blevins and son Isaac located seven of the nine graves and marked them.
Over 1000 American flags were installed to honor veterans, including seven newly recovered.
Well-prepared, orderly lists and a map of veteran graves were useful. It helped, also, to scan the grounds for empty flag holders. The assignment included straightening poles, replacing damaged ones, or inserting new ones. Team members carried “spearhead’ flag poles and “U S Veteran” medallions. Those discs are planted beside a veteran’s grave stone. Seven graves were newly rediscovered and needed both items installed. Newly deceased names were noted on the master list.
