Recently while rummaging through an assortment of my personal military memorabilia I came across a box containing various flags and banners. After three decades of service perhaps it’s not surprising that I’ve collected a rather eclectic assemblage of regimental standards, guidons and national colors. Most of these flags were presented to me at command ceremonies and related events but one stands out among the collection. Its history is somewhat different from the rest. It’s an old, worn and tattered flag that should have been ceremoniously cashiered many years ago. To most observers it’s just an old frayed flag that has obviously endured its share of hardships, but to me it’s a reminder of a superb band of soldiers with which I was once privileged to serve. It now lies carefully folded and tucked away, as it has been for many years, but finding it rekindled memories I had not thought of for quite some time. It is amazing the level of sentiment that can be tied to a flag. This old standard is to me much more than an American flag, it is an emblem of America itself and a symbol of those who fought to keep this Nation free.
As a young lieutenant, I was involved in my first foreign war assigned to a non-descript hilltop base camp overlooking a war torn countryside. This flag flew proudly atop an improvised pole until orders were received to vacate the position and “move out smartly.” It was an uncontested withdrawal. This flag was the last items to be evacuated. It had flown proudly for quite some time but for now it was lowered and cased never to be flown again. While flying over this camp, it had “earned its stripes.”
By all accounts this flag should have been respectfully retired. Its frayed edges and gapping holes were a testament to what it had endured. A fitting end would have been proper but I could not bring myself to do it. I’ve saved this old flag all of these years as a reminder of what a group of young soldiers shared together. History books will not record the site or mention those that served there but to us it was a special place. We did our duty and moved on: we remembered the old saying “last man standing; don’t forget to bring the flag.”
Most Americans share a special reverence for our flag. It is a symbol of our nation. It is the embodiment of all that is good about America. Reverence for our nation’s flag is a phenomenon I’ve often witnessed but never fully understood. I am awed each time I see our flag elicit a patriot fever within a crowd. A color guard passing in review or the sight of our national colors during opening ceremonies at sporting events evokes a unifying spirit not often seen in our society. What is it about our flag that produces such a reverent response? Perhaps it is the recognition that our flag embodies the values, ideals and traditions of our Nation. It is, in a sense, the embodiment of our collective psyche. It unfolds the history of our great Nation and its people. We seem to “rally around the flag” in times of peril or national crisis. The flag is our beacon of hope for the future and our linkage to the past. It is a symbol of what can be achieved by diverse people focused on common goals, ideas and vision. This is not to say that open end candid debate is discouraged. It is this very freedom of speech and expression in honest debate that makes us unique among nations. The great American heritage of freedom is our most precious possession and our most valuable legacy. Our flag is a symbol of unity and in its furls we see ourselves.
Our National Flag, the “Stars and Stripes” as it is fondly called, has endured many changes in its history. George Washington first unfurled our “Grand Union Flag” atop Prospect Hill in Somerville, Massachusetts on January 1, 1776. The British Union Jack was its canton (top left hand corner) with thirteen alternating stripes forming its face. The Union Jack was replaced by the familiar thirteen circular stars after the signing of the Declaration of Independence later that summer, the 4th of July to be exact. (Technically it was on the 2nd of July, the date that the document was ratified, but that’s another story.) Over time, stars denoting new states were added, but the basic design has not changed in the last 233 years. The Continental Congress approved a resolution creating our National Flag on June 14, 1777. We celebrate this date each year as “Flag Day” but it has never been recognized as a National Holiday. Perhaps it should. The American Flag is a symbol of many National Holidays to include Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day and of course, the 4th of July, Independence Day. Why not honor this most revered national icon. In my mind there is nothing more reassuring about our nation’s future than to see small children placing miniature flags on the graves of our fallen heros on these special occasions. It is truly a sight to behold!
I’ve once again put away the old standard that I hold so dear. Perhaps I’ll request that it drape my steel gray coffin when I’m interned at Arlington National Cemetery. Hopefully that day is well down the road but when it arrives it seems fitting that a tattered old flag accompany a worn out old soldier to his final resting place.
My two cents…for what it’s worth.