Flag of veteran finds home in Dewey

Holding a black hat with the gold lettering of the 1st Marine Division boldly stitched across the top, Phil Winkler said any Marine in the world would recognize the Guadalcanal patch below.

What those guys did was amazing, said Winkler of the Marines who responded to Guadalcanal following the attack of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese.

One of those Marines was Winkler’s dad, Cpl. Philip Winkler, and the flag flying at the Dewey Beach Life Saving Station right now is the one given to the Winkler family when Philip died in 2001 honoring his military service.

Winkler said his dad was a field wireman, a person who ran communication lines between outposts.

“It was before wireless,” he said laughing.

The sunny and windy day the picture for this story was taken, was one day after the flag had been raised. It was the first time Winkler had seen it flying.

“Cool,” he said when asked what his first impression was.

Dewey Beach Patrol Captain Todd Fritchman said it’s a fairly common request made by families to have a special flag flown at the life saving station. He said it’s a great gesture.

“Obviously, we’re honored, because that person helped protect this country,” Fritchman said. “What better spot to have the flag flying than at a life saving station overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.”

Winkler said he noticed the life saving station needed a new flag on his way to into the building for a town meeting this winter. He said the flag had just been sitting in its case collecting dust since the funeral, and he figured donating it to the town would be a good use for it.

Winkler, who served 20 years in the Army before retiring as a sergeant first class and is a Vietnam veteran, said his dad would be proud to have the flag flying at the life saving station. He said his dad’s cremated remains were spread over the Sassafras River in the northern part of Maryland’s Eastern Shore where the family was raised.

“He loved being near the water,” he said.