LITTLE YORK, Ill. (WMBD) — Honoring ‘America’s Flagman.’
A man dressed up as Abraham Lincoln, joined by the Baker family who lost their son Cpl. Daniel Baker in December of 2018 visited Larry Eckhardt on Tuesday to thank him for honoring fallen servicemen and women.
The Bakers say Eckhardt, known as ‘The Flagman,’ comforted them when they lost Daniel.
“Mr. Eckhardt, I’ve been hearing some good things from Washington, D.C. about you and your activities. I wanted to stop by personally and give you this certificate. It says ‘by order of President Abraham Lincoln, Larry ‘The Flagman’ Eckhardt, for his love and care for those who gave the lastful measure of devotion to to our country and their families. Is hereby named ‘America’s Flagman,'” said Rick Otey, dressed as Abraham Lincoln.
The certificate had the Presidential seal on it.
Larry is well-known for bringing flags to military funerals to honor those who lost their lives in the line of duty.
“We try to travel 14 states w/2400 flags to honor our heroes,” his Facebook page says.
In February, Larry suffered a stroke. Now family members say they are preparing for a funeral.
His family says because Larry was honorably discharged from the Marine Reserves, he does not get many of the burial benefits.
If you’d like to donate towards his services, we have the GoFundMe here.
Community members have been paying Larry visits at his home and posting encouragement on his Facebook page.
If you’d like to send him letters, his address is 323 south Broadway Apt 1s Little York, Illinois 61453.
