BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Tuesday, June 14th is flag day, and for the very first time, the Military History Center in Broken Arrow decided to host their Flag Day ceremony on the actual day it is observed.

In years past, the Military History Center has held the ceremony on the weekend before the actual date. But with Rooster Days taking place, the center thought it would be better to hold it on the actual day this year.

The ceremony was scheduled to get underway in the plaza at 7 p.m..

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, FOX23 News had a chance to talk with veterans about what flag day means to them.

75-year old Vietnam Veteran Dennis Hoch helped change out the flags ahead of Tuesday night’s ceremony.

The event includes a ceremonial raising of flags including the American flag, the POW MIA flag, along with flags from all branches of service, among others.

Hoch, who served in the U.S. Navy, recently took part in an Honor Flight to Washington, DC. He explained why the ceremony matters.

“There’s a lot of guys that sacrificed everything for these flags,” he explained. “That’s what it means, it’s just respect for the guys that sacrificed and gave everything.”

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Military History Center in Broken Arrow holds Flag Day Ceremony Vietnam Veteran Dennis Hoch prepares for Flag Day Ceremony

On his trip to DC, he had a chance to visit the Vietnam Memorial for the very first time.

“I have seven friends that are on the wall,” he said, “the hard part about it is I came home and they didn’t, and that’s hard to live with.”

Hoch said he had the chance to touch their names on the wall and say goodbye.

88-year old Vietnam Veteran Jack O’Connor served in the U.S. Air Force for 24 years. He said that back in 1974, he led a C130 flight into Hanoi, the first team to go in a pick up 12 service members who died in captivity.

He shared why this ceremony is so important:

“Show your support for not only the Military History Center but also every service and every military man that ever served and everyone that’s going to serve and has served and especially those who died.”

Brigadier General Thomas Mancino, the President of the Board for the Military History Center explained why he thinks it’s important to recognize the significance of the American flag:

“Whether it was flying over Fort McHenry in 1832, or over the Trade Center in 2001, or when they raised the flag at Mount Suribachi during WWII,” he said. The American Flag symbolizes those intrinsic things that all Americans believe in patriotism, love of country, devotion to country and service.”

>>>MORE: 5 things to know about Flag Day

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