P a trio tic C e le b ra tio n
Ken Brown, Max Townson, Diane Brown are pictured presenting Townson with a painting of the American
Flag by local artist Pam Willingham.
RAGGED OLD FLAG
Without a doubt the moment that Max
Townson starts reciting the Ragged Old
Flag, silence falls across the crowd and chills can be
felt.
For years at every veteran’s day program I attended,
it was an honor to see him in action. For many
years, the former mayor has recited the poem at
schools, churches and other civic or patriotic events.
Ragged Old Flag is a spoken word tribute to the
U.S. flag originally written and performed by Johnny
Cash. Former Mayor Townson has also rewritten
By Kelly Wheeler
it slightly to include some lyrics by Charlie Daniels.
The story of the ragged old flag begins with a man
walking through a small county courthouse square
and asking an old man on a park bench why there
was a ragged old flag hanging on the old flagpole.
The old man responds that the town is proud of
the ragged old flag, and then proceeds to detail the
difficult, but beautiful, journey of the American flag
from the American Revolution to the present.
Townson served our country in the U.S. Armed
Forces. He is a 4-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
12 | FALL 2020
CULLMAN COUNTY SENIOR MAGAZINE