New Haven Independent

A total of 5,283 flags will be on view until Friday at the Christ and the Epiphany Episcopal Church near the town Green in East Haven. The display, which originated in Somers, Conn., in 2005, commemorates the military service of American men and women who lost their lives since the two wars began.

Ron Swanson of Branford’s Short Beach, who is a member of the East Haven church, checks on the flags each morning, making sure they are all in place.

“It gets me every time I go there,” he said. “Just to see those flags and think about the people who gave their lives.”

The Field of Flags had a humble beginning four years ago at the Somers Congregational Church. Two women thought it would be a meaningful way to honor the fallen soldiers and their families. Since then, the display has traveled to more than 30 churches, including locations in Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina and even a small island off the coast of Maine.

“This is not a protest. This is a prayer chain that is going from one church to the next,” said Anne Kirkpatrick, one of the founders.

The East Haven church asked to host the display more than a year ago, and had to wait until an opening was available.

Swanson said it has been particularly meaningful to have the flags this month over Thanksgiving. He hopes those who haven’t seen the display will take the opportunity to do so before it is taken down Friday.

“It’s a reminder to people here of what has happened,” Swanson said, adding that parishioners and friends helped set up all the flags.

A non-denominational memorial service was held earlier this month at the church. Swanson’s son, a retired Marine who served in Desert Storm, was one of those reading the names of the deceased Connecticut troops at the opening ceremony.

“It’s very touching,” Swanson said in regard to the number of names. “That’s a lot of people. “It would be nice if all around the world we could stop the mayhem.”

Patricia Walters, a Stony Creek resident who is also a member of the East Haven church, was one of those instrumental in acquiring the display for local viewing. She has close ties to the parish since it is the church where she grew up and was married.

“I just thought it would be a way to honor the service men and women who have lost their lives so that we may live the way we are living now,” Walters said. “I was lucky that the vestry of the church was very supportive of the idea.”

Walters said the display helps remind people of the lost soldiers, and also keeps the issues of war in the public eye. She said the memorial service was a special gathering of area residents of all faiths, local and state officials, service men and women, and members of the American Legion. “It was really sad and very touching,” she said.

In addition to the flags, the display includes a name board that lists all the deceased troops, according to state. “It really hits you when you see it,” said Walters, whose duty it was to add the additional flags when more deaths occurred.

The idea for the Field of Flags originated in 2005 with Kirkpatrick and Jo-Ann Hornyak, both members of the Memorial Garden Committee of the Somers Congregational Church. That first display commemorated the deaths of about 2,200 troops. Click here to read a brief history.

“We thought it would be comforting to the families,” Kirkpatrick said during a recent interview. “We had no idea what it would become. People came every day to see the Field of Flags.”

She recalled that a New Hampshire woman arrived one day at the Somers church to view the display and to see her son’s name on the sign. “Do you have any idea what this means to me, that my son is being remembered,” the woman said.

The Field of Flags attracted media attention, and the church was soon contacted by others who wanted to host the display. Kirkpatrick said they will only set up the display at churches.

“We’re just amazed,” Kirkpatrick said of the reaction to the display. “It has become an outreach ministry of our church. We just go where the flags take us.”

Kirkpatrick and Hornyak personally take the flags and sign to each location and supervise the set-up. They don’t charge for the display, but they do ask each church for a donation to help replenish the flags. The two women pay their own travel expenses. The flags are typically at a location for about three weeks.

“Our wish is that at some point there is no longer a need to do the Field of Flags because all our troops are home,” Kirkpatrick said.

Churches may contact the Somers Congregational Church for additional information at 860-763-4021.

Marcia Chambers contributed reporting