Washington Co., WI – On Nov. 5, 2015 the ceremony at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School focused on flag folding and there was more meaning to the presentation than met the eye. An article previously posted on WashingtonCountyInsider.com is below.
Following patriotic songs and speeches a pair of military soldiers from the Navy presented a flag-folding ceremony that occurs at a military funeral.
The flag used was presented in 1970 to the family of SPC 5 Stanley Hansen, U.S. Army 815th Engineer Battalion. He was killed in action 45 years ago on May 21 while serving in Vietnam.
“That was my brother,” said Jody :Hansen, business manager at KML. “I was one year old at the time.”
Hansen said his brother was in a convoy and they were ambushed. “He was finishing his third tour and he was 23 years old,” he said.
The flag had been at Hansen’s house, above the fireplace. He brought it in to be used at the ceremony.
“This wasn’t really about my brother but it is about all the veterans and for us to respect and honor them,” said Hansen.
The flag folding made an impact on quite a few people at the ceremony especially Lois Dornacker. “They did that for me when my husband died and they gave that to me at his grave site.” she said.
Ray Dornacker of Kohlsville served in the Army during the Vietnam War. He died May 19, 2012.
Stanley Hansen is buried at Washington County Memorial Park, kiddie corner from the mausoleum, fourth row in from the road and tree.
Stanley Hansen’s name was one of 14 names of soldiers from Washington County that appeared on The Moving Wall
when it was Germantown in 2016.
Flag-folding photo courtesy KML
