'Flags Over Murrysville' Tradition Receiving Special Recognition

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Today is the day we commemorate the adoption of the American flag.  It's not an official federal holiday, but Pennsylvania was the first state to celebrate Flag Day as a holiday.

If you drive through Murrysville today, you are in for a very special, patriotic treat.

"It's a 10-15 minute drive to go through and you see nothing but flags, come by," said Bob McKenna, with American Legion Post 711.

It's called "Flags Over Murrysville."  McKenna started the tradition more than 25 years ago.

"We put up about 340 flags along a 2 1/2 mile stretch on 22. And we do that 10 times a year on the holidays," said McKenna.

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It takes 16 people and eight vehicles to put the flags up in the morning and take them down at night.  The veterans do this on 10 different holidays throughout the year with some help from community volunteers.

"I like helping people out. I like helping out the veterans. I've been helping them for a year now. It's always a satisfying feeling to help them out," said Jennifer Seawright, of the Boy Scouts of America.

For McKenna, it was especially satisfying to hear about a serviceman who was recently moved by the display.

"He took pictures and was going to send them to his team overseas.  He said you can't imagine how that inspires us to know that people care about us and what we're doing enough to honor us by doing projects like this," said McKenna.

Honoring all those who serve and have served is just one of the reasons they keep up the tradition.

"It's a lot of work to do this. And we keep on doing it and doing it. And when you get recognized like this it means a lot to you," said McKenna.

The National American Legion and its magazine are recognizing McKenna and the Murrysville American Legion for their "Flags Over Murrysville" project and, more importantly, their patriotism.  There is no better time to do it than on the day Americans pay tribute to the stars and stripes.