(The following story by Kristina Jergensen appeared on The North Platte Telegraph website on June 20.)
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — This Memorial Day, a Union Pacific Railroad machinist at North Platte’s Bailey Yard helped provide a special honor for families of U.P. workers now serving in the military.
Bruce Ferguson of Maxwell, a 17-year U.P. employee, helped come up with the idea to fly many U.S. flags at Bailey Yard on the national day of remembrance – one for each family of a U.P. employee called to active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
This was not Ferguson’s first project to support patriotism.
In September 2001, in the aftermath of 9/11, Ferguson spearheaded another U.P. patriotic effort – flying U.S. flags at Bailey Yard to support the United States.
“There was a lot of patriotism going on in the country at that time, so I went and bought a flag and a flag pole,” he said of the first flag flown there. Now, a total of five U.S. flags and two U.P. flags are flown over the eastbound and westbound run-through facilities at Bailey Yard.
Each month, Ferguson replaces the U.S. flags, often out of his own pocket, before they can become tattered. The two U.P. flags are replaced every three months. The used flags are then offered to U.P. employees and retirees system-wide.
When asked about his reasons for posting the flags, he responded, “Why not? This might help workers take some pride in their job and pride in their country.”
“They look nice,” he added, proudly.
This year, Ferguson and other U.P. workers thought about flying flags to honor U.P. workers serving in the military.
“They’re away from home, to keep us free. We thought, why not do something for them?” Ferguson said.
U.P. funded the 124 resulting flags purchased for the event.
Since the beginning of the war, more than 200 U.P. employees have been deployed, with 124 having returned from their tour of duty.
Now, roughly 100 remain on active military leave.
On Memorial Day, Ferguson and other workers flew each of the 124 flags, one at a time, over a period of six hours, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each flag was lifted, flown for one minute and then lowered.
Later, the flags were sent to the families of those honored.
Rich Jensen, general superintendent for the U.P. North Platte Service Unit, which includes Bailey Yard, said he was pleased with the flag-flying project.
“It helps us show our appreciation for those people in harm’s way to protect us at home,” Jensen said.
Ferguson said he hopes people will not be overly impressed by his efforts to support the troops.
“The real story is those guys who are serving,” he said.