Old Glory gently waving in the breeze against a backdrop of fluffy, white clouds and bright, blue sky is certainly an iconic image.

To help preserve that patriotic picture, proper etiquette demands the American flag must be destroyed in a dignified and respectful manner whenever it becomes worn, tattered or faded.

Nobody knows this better than a scout.

That’s why Boy Scout Troop 108 conducted a flag retirement ceremony at Oxford American Legion Post 108 on Saturday.

It was organized by Life Scout Julian Messina, a senior at Oxford High School. He’s pursuing the rank of Eagle Scout and this ceremony was his service project.

Four tables full of neatly-folded flags, large and small, were disposed of that day.

One by one, each scout picked up a flag, walked over to the fire, unfolded it and committed it to the flames in an atmosphere filled with reverence.

Four types of wood were used to create the ceremonial fire – redwood, oak, cedar and walnut.

Each represented something meaningful, from the blood shed for this country and its flag to the “fruitful brotherhood” founded by the American people’s ancestors.