HANCOCK COUNTY — Like many folks who live in the county, Dan Robertson takes pride in showing off the things that mean the most to him. For instance, take the Indiana University and Ball State University flags he flies outside of his home to show support to where his grandchildren went to college.
In addition to those flags, Robertson proudly displays the American Flag on his property. A former Navy veteran, Robertson says it feels right to fly the stars and stripes to represent the United States. However, people who pass Robertson’ property along CR West 600N can’t help but notice that the family does have more than that and just an American Flag on display. Robertson has earmarked a whole area where other United States Military Flags, and 13 smaller U.S. Flags proudly wave.
The flags, Robinson explains, represent the death of the 13 U.S. troops who were killed in an attack during the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan on Aug. 26, 2021. The dead included 11 Marines, one Navy corpsman and one Army soldier.
It was right after those deaths that Robertson picked out a special area in his yard to display 13 flags to honor the 13 military souls killed during the withdrawal just over two years ago.
“I felt that those men and women deserved to be recognized,” Robertson said. “I didn’t like how they were left there. (President) Biden pretty much left them there to die.”
Robertson noted he’s always been a pretty patriotic man, but when the 13 troops perished, their deaths just increased his love for the military troops and the country even more. Some two years later, Robertson still has the 13 U.S. Flags planted to keep the memory of those killed alive.
“When I first put the flags up, some of my neighbors asked what I was doing, but now they know,” Robertson said. “I’ve had people stop by when I’m out in the front yard mowing or something and they want to know more about what the flags are for, so I tell them.”
In addition to the 13 U.S. Flags, Robertson also displays flags from all U.S. Military. He even had a passerby stop one day and ask why he displayed the U.S. Navy and a U.S. Marine Flags, but didn’t seem to have a U.S. Army one waving.
“I told him the story about the 13 flags and he said, ‘OK’ and then at Christmas time I got a package and I didn’t know who it was from,” Robertson said. “The package had a card in it and it had a U.S. Army Flag and the card said he felt there should be a U.S. Army Flag out there too.”
Robertson, of course, obliged.
“I flew it until it was nothing but a rag,” Robertson said.
Robertson’s desire to share his love for the country has come at a hefty price. He’s paid for every one of the flags he displays including their poles, and he’s had to replace them due to wear and tear.
“The flags only last for about a year,” he said. “I’ve already replaced them, each one twice.”
Robertson noted that while each person has the right to fly a flag or not, he thinks it would be nice to see more Americans displaying the American Flag and their support for the U.S. military troops other than on the standard holidays.
“I know when we go to the cemetery on Memorial Day, they always pass out the little flags on the grave markers, and it’s really neat to go there and see the support and all the flags, but it’s important to remember those men and women who died serving their country are there every single day, not just the one day,” Robertson said.
Robertson, who made a living working for an Indianapolis water company, is now retired and said even though he didn’t know a single one of the military troop members killed on that day in August 2021, he felt compelled to show them he cared.
“It’s just something that I had to do,” Robertson said. “Those flags and what they represent are pretty much a part of my property now.”
