By Whitney Barnes
Staff Writer
A Marshall veteran will be honored tomorrow during the August 2024 Missouri State Flag Retreat Ceremony. This ceremony recognizes veterans and active-duty service members from across Missouri and will take place all 11 days of the Missouri State Fair, honoring one individual each evening.
Charlie Guthrie, a Marshall resident and a Saline County native, is one of the 11 distinguished honorees being recognized during the ceremony. Guthrie dedicated over 20 years of his life to serving in the Navy, eventually retiring in 1996. He said his inspiration stemmed from his father, a World Ware 2 Navy Seabee veteran, and his strong sense of patriotism.
“I wanted to serve the greatest country in the world,” he said. “I wanted to be a sailor. … One of the greatest accomplishments that I am so proud of after all my years in the Navy is to … be called a Battleship Sailor. I served on the battleship USS Missouri.”
The event will feature the solemn lowering of the American flag, followed by a special presentation of the flag to that day’s honoree. According to Tapsbugler.com, a flag retreat is a daily ceremony, usually held at dusk, that all military installations hold as the flag is lowered, signaling the end of the official duty day. The ceremony Guthrie will be honored at will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 15, outside the Missouri Administration Building on the Missouri State Fairgrounds.
Guthrie expressed deep humility when asked what receiving a nomination like this means to him. He acknowledged the many other deserving individuals in Missouri who should also be recognized and described the nomination as “an appreciated pat on the back for a job well done.”
He also emphasized that his commitment to being a great American and supporting veteran communities continues beyond retirement, stating, “I will continue until the day I die.”
Reflecting on his more than two decades of service, Guthrie noted the most significant lesson he had learned was the profound value of respect.
