Scouts place flags on graves of veterans at Jewish cemeteries around St. Louis

May 30—A scout leaves this world better than they found it.

So if they found a broken or worn flag at a grave, Boy Scouts of America scoutmaster Stacey Locke explained Sunday morning to a group of scouts at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in University City, they should replace it. Do not walk on the graves, but walk on the aisles between them, she said. And if they spotted stones or rocks atop some gravestones, that means a family member has come to visit — a tradition in Jewish cemeteries.

"Please, anything you see out there out there, leave where it is," she said of the stones. "The exception being obvious trash."

About 50 or so scouts gathered at this cemetery, which garnered national headlines four years ago when a vandal toppled more than 100 headstones.

They're part of a greater effort organized by the Jewish Committee on Scouting to place graves on the headstones of veterans. About 350 scouts total ventured Sunday morning to place flags at about 8,000 graves at eight local Jewish cemeteries. Scouts have organized to place flags at the Jewish cemeteries at least 40 years, said Earl Binder, the chairman of the Jewish Committee on Scouting for the Boy Scouts of Greater St. Louis.

The scouts are given a little slip of paper with directions to salute and recite a tribute at each one. They name the veteran, thank them for their service, and salute again. At first, they might be a bit hesitant about reciting.

"I have discovered in years past that that is the most meaningful thing," said Locke, after sending her scouts down the rows with flags. "They really seem to embrace that."

Because of the coronavirus, they couldn't place graves on flags last year, and they had to limit participation this year. About 600 scouts usually register, and the vast majority are not Jewish.

"Because of the sheer numbers, we're kind of eclipsed by the Jefferson Barracks (National Cemetery) one, but both are scouting events," said Steve Sobelman, an organizer of the event. "People tend not to remember that there are service men and women all over the cemeteries in the St. Louis area."

Unlike the Memorial Day Good Turn event at Jefferson Barracks, where scouts walk down rows of graves placing a flag at each grave, this effort — even though about 1,600 veterans are buried here at Chesed Shel Emeth — requires a bit of hunting.

Carter Steutermann, 13, and Jack Miller, 14, of St. Charles, quietly walked between the rows, scanning them for a round metal Star of David marker that indicates veteran status. The scouts placed the flag into a slot on the marker.

The slot on one particular grave marker was broken, so Jack placed the flag into the ground. He stood and saluted. "Albert Sacks, for your service in the Armed Forces of the United States, we salute you," he said. Sacks died in 1974.

Their mothers, April Steutermann and Casey Miller, watched from a short distance. This was the first year for the boys for this event. "I think it's important," said Steutermann. "His uncle's in the military, he has other family that have been in service, so I think he understands why it's important."

Carter thought it was "pretty cool and amazing" that they get to help. He said the hardest part was trying not to be disrespectful by stepping on the graves.

Eva Best, 11, and Maggie Siders, 12, from St. Charles County, also worked hard to walk in between rows, and hadn't known about the custom of stones on graves. They read the dates of birth on the graves as they walked — 1821, 1844, 1866. They reported they spotted one grave with painted stones on top of it placed in the shape of a heart. "One stone said 'mama' on it," said Maggie.

Matt Bruns of St. Peters came to the event with his son Ben, 11. Bruns and his wife, Ben's mom, are both veterans, and so are his grandparents, great-grandparents, and several family members.

"I'm surprised how little veterans there are," said Ben, meaning it's not like the Jefferson Barracks event he has attended in the past. Here, they placed flags on about 40 graves, and, as scouts do, picked up pieces of trash as they walked.

"The biggest challenge," said Matt Bruns, looking up and down the aisles, "is not wanting to forget one."

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