History

AVENUE OF FLAGS COMMITTEE’S

PAST AND PRESENT HISTORY

The Avenue of Flags Committee, Inc. was founded by Donald E. Ellis, Manuel Gomez, and Ray Ohrel in 1977 for the main purpose of establishing an “Avenue of Flags” at the Golden Gate National Cemetery and to also beautify the cemetery’s appearance through the committee’s volunteer work.

The Avenue of Flags Committee, Inc was incorporated as a nonprofit on Dec. 21, 1977 and dues were established at $1 a year. In November 1980, the corporation status was suspended and it was succeeded by The Avenue of Flags Committee - Golden Gate National Cemetery which is the current organization. It is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt organization with tax identification number 30-0442852.

On May 29, 1978, the Avenue of Flags Committee, Inc and the United Veterans Memorial Day Committee held the first Memorial Day observance and dedicated the first “Avenue of Flags.” Ellis was master of ceremonies.

At the dedication, the committee acknowledged the fine cooperation given by the Armed Forces, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, San Bruno City Council, Golden Gate National Cemetery Superintendent Henry Hartwig and his staff, and all others who contributed to the event’s program.

The officers and chairmen of the Avenue of Flags Committee, Inc were: Donald E. Ellis (Veterans of Foreign Wars), executive chairman; Margery Carlson (Gold Star Mother and WWII Navy Veteran), assistant executive chairman; Betty Wright (American Legion Auxiliary), executive secretary; Angela Dunbar (American Legion Post 409), finance chairman; Richard “Dick” Dunbar (American Legion Post 409), recording chairman; Eugene Byers, Memorial Day and Dedicating Program chairman; Wanda Paul (VFW), flag chairman; Virgil Roberts, installation and storage chairman; Gordon Yule (American Legion), construction chairman; John Shannon (American Legion), publicity chairman; Cecelia Ellis (VFW Auxiliary), historian; and Mitchell Paige (American Legion Post 105), Medal of Honor recipient, Finance Committee.

The general chairmen also on the Committee were: Manuel Gomez (District 12 Commander VFW) San Jose Area; Robert Page (District 26 Commander American Legion), Central Peninsula; F. Michael Moreau (American Legion Post 409), Northern Peninsula; Robert Paul (VFW), San Francisco, Oakland, and Marin counties; and George Saunders, Contra Costa County.

The various veterans organizations represented were: American Legion and its Auxiliary, Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Disabled American Veterans and its Auxiliary, Gold Star Mothers, Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, and Veterans of Foreign Wars and its Ladies Auxiliary.

The United Veterans Memorial Day Committee, an Avenue of Flags Committee, Inc subcommittee that later disbanded, was composed of the veterans’ organizations and auxiliaries, which united to construct an “Avenue of Flags” at the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno. They raised over $21,000 for the construction and documentation of the first phase of the project, which included 536 flags on display.

Besides the flags and monies collected, certificates were mailed to thank those who contributed flags or money. Construction materials were purchased, and construction work was completed before the dedication. A Book of Records is displayed in the Administrative Office of the Golden Gate National Cemetery as part of the permanent documentation for all to see.

The original members dug holes, inserted sockets, purchased aluminum poles, and collected full-size, donated casket flags for the initial 536 flags flown throughout the cemetery.

The Committee sought at least 24 volunteers to put up and take down the flags, arrange the chairs, etc., for the May 29, 1978 event. Also needed were: flags and chairs; four or more trucks for transporting poles for the flags; and six sets of channel locks.

The committee members originally installed the flags and poles on Memorial and Veterans days, and then removed them at day’s end. The flags were folded, and stored along with their poles in the cemetery’s facilities. A few years ago and with great appreciation, the then aging committee turned over the tedious task to the cemetery’s personnel.

After the first Memorial Day and dedication ceremonies, the first luncheon was held at the Elks Lodge No. 2091, located at 920 Stonegate Drive, in South San Francisco. A buffet, serving two hot dishes, cost $5. According to notes found, this was not considered a moneymaking project but rather an opportunity to visit and relax after the “glorious spectacle” of the “Avenue of Flags.”

In 1979, the Avenue of Flags Committee, Inc received permission from the VA Subcommittee on Memorial Affairs to construct a speakers’ platform at the base of the hill overlooking the north end of the cemetery to conduct its patriotic ceremonies. The platform was built by the Committee with voluntary contributions in the amount of $4,000 and dedicated Memorial Day 1979 with the unveiling of medallions from all the service organizations that contributed to the effort, together with a plaque recognizing the public for its continued support. The medallions and the plaque are imbedded in the concrete platform.

In 1980, the Avenue of Flags Committee displayed 50 State flags as an addition to their original display of the 536 flags. In 1983, the Committee dedicated an additional 125 flags that were placed at the north end of the cemetery.

Over the years, through the Avenue of Flags Committee’s efforts, myriad interment flags from the caskets of service man and women have been donated for the purpose of their display at Golden Gate National Cemetery. The flags are flown on four federal holidays: Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day to honor all U.S. veterans, both living and deceased, as well as active military.

The “Avenue” currently consists of about 200 flags flown on 15-foot high poles. All of the flags were originally used to drape the caskets of deceased veterans,

For many years, two of the original committee members, Richard “Dick” Dunbar and his wife, Angela “Angie” Dunbar, became synonymous with the Avenue of Flags Committee until their tragic death in a fire at their San Bruno home in July 2006.

At that time, two committee members, Frank Deering, of San Bruno, and Art Tognazzini, of South San Francisco, became president and secretary/treasurer, respectively, and pulled the committee together to continue the Dunbars’ legacy.

In 2007, Tognazzini’s daughter, Anita Maxwell, of South San Francisco, became president, and in 2008, Carolyn Livengood, of San Bruno, took over the helm. The other officers are: Eileen Garcia, of San Bruno, vice president/secretary, and Alfred “Al” Romine, of South San Francisco, treasurer.

There are about 20 Avenue of Flags Committee members who continue to support Golden Gate National Cemetery by organizing and presenting the annual Memorial Day and Veterans Day programs at the cemetery.