In observance of Patriot Day on Friday, Sept. 11, the City of Manchester will proudly feature its Flags of Valor display at the Veterans Memorial in Stoecker Park, 224 Henry Ave. The memorial display offers community members a quiet, solemn space to honor American heroes, reflect on local and national history, and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The City of Manchester serves as the proud caretaker of a special collection of flags that originated from the massive Flags of Valor installations on Art Hill in St. Louis’ Forest Park, recognizing the 15th and 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Each flag in the city’s collection carries profound personal history:
Honoring fallen service members: The display features 26 American flags—originally flown during the 2016 and 2021 "America's Heartland Remembers" event—each bearing the photo and official dog tags of an American military hero lost in the line of duty.
Recognizing untold sacrifices: The collection also includes a center-circle flag dedicated specifically to honoring military heroes who lost their lives to PTSD, recognizing that the casualties of war extend beyond the battlefield.
Observed annually on September 11, Patriot Day is a National Day of Service and Remembrance established by Congress following the 2001 terrorist attacks. The day honors the 2,977 civilian and first-responder lives lost at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It also serves to recognize the courage of the military service members who stepped forward to defend the nation in the years that followed.
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