New Patriotic Mural in Marlinton Celebrated on 9/11

At 2 pm on 9-11-24. There was a celebration of a brand-new Mural on the side of the American Legion Post 50’s building in Marlinton. The mural depicts the handing over of a folded American flag to the family of a fallen service member at the end of a military funeral.

We spoke to Peggy Owens, the President of the Pocahontas County Arts Council, who sponsored the mural. Owens explained that it is not a coincidence that this celebration of the opening of the patriotic mural was occurring on the 23^rd anniversary of the devastating terror attacks by hijacked commercial airplanes. Those attacks, which occurred on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 took down the twin tower buildings in New York City, badly damaged the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, and also resulted in a plane crash that occurred in rural Pennsylvania following a heroic passenger revolt against the hijackers of that plane. It is believed that plane was headed to be crashed into the U.S. Capital Building. Altogether, 2,977 people were killed that day by those attacks, and many more have died since then from illnesses incurred by volunteers who worked to recover bodies in the contaminated wreckage of the twin towers.

Owens explained that the mural was funded by a grant from the West Virginia Department Arts, Culture and History, and one of the conditions attached to that grant was that it be dedicated on 9-11-24 to honor Veterans.

She said that they contacted the artist, Kelson Thorne, to paint the mural. Thorne, who is from Petersburg, WV, had previously painted other murals in Marlinton.

The speakers during the dedication included Owens, who mentioned that 11% of Pocahontas County residents are Veterans, which is the 3^rd highest percentage of any county in the state, and those veterans here include the Sharp family who had 8 members serve in the military. She also talked about how her 5^th grade students were not born when the twin towers fell to terrorists. To demonstrate that, she introduced Braden Dillon, one of the students in her 5^th grade class at Marlinton elementary School. Dillon talked reverently about how proud he is of his grandfather who served in the Vietnam War.

Chief Master Sergeant Kim McFarland who served 39 years in the U.S. Air Force also spoke, saying he signed up at age 18 to honor and protect his family and for the training he would receive.

Other speakers included the artist, Kelson Thorne who expressed his gratitude for being selected to paint the mural and Barry Sharp, of American Legion Post 50.

Sharp talked about the meaning of the American Flag and what the family members are told when presented with the folded flag during a military funeral. He said that during the presentation, the officer kneels in front of the next of kin. As they present the flag they say As a representative of the United States Military, it is my high privilege to present to you this flag. Let it be a symbol of the appreciation this nation feels for the distinguished service rendered to our country, and to our flag by your loved one

It is that presentation that this mural is meant to portray.