Flag Day

In the United States Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777.  The United States Army also celebrates the Army Birthday on this date; Congress adopted "the American continental army" after reaching a consensus position in the Committee of the Whole on June 14, 1775.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.

When I visited New York City a year after 9/11, it was very hard not to notice the amount of American flags flying around the city.

These flags were flying around the pit where the Twin Towers had once stood.

This is the memorial that was set up across the street which listed the names of those killed on 9/11.  People left items and lots of flags.

My biggest memories about the American flag are these:

• I attended so many movies at a base theater and before the previews and the movie began, the Star Spangled Banner would play and everyone would stand in silence and cross our hearts or if in uniform the would salute.  It was always a very silent and solemn event and there was never the yelling that takes place at so many venues these days.
• I remember while living in Japan that if you were on base at 4:30 p.m., speakers would come on and play the National Anthem to retire the colors.  People would stop their cars and military personnel would get out and stand at attention.
• I remember every morning in our classrooms at school we always said the Pledge of Allegiance and had a Bible scripture read.

I feel very honored to have grown up and been taught to respect the flag.  I feel very fortunate also to have seen the original flag - The Star Spangled Banner - in the Smithsonian (see Star Spangled Banner Day  posting).  I've also had the opportunity to see the flag that hung at the Pentagon (see The Death of Osama Bin Laden posting)when it was hit on 9/11.  While in Philadelphia, I visited the home of Betsy Ross who sewed our first American flag.

But the time when I appreciate the flag the most, and have stood and wept at the sight, is when flags have been placed on the graves of soldiers who have died during war.  The most poignant time was when Joe and I observed all the flagged graves at the Andersonville cemetery one year.  Seeing all those hundreds of flags was unbelievable when you realize the story behind the cemetery.

I only wish that people would respect the flag they way I was taught to do so.