September 11th, A Day Of Remembrance

August 23, 2010
Firemen at Ground Zero

Firemen at Ground Zero

On October 25th 2001, George W. Bush signed into law a proposition unanimously passed by congress that would make September 11th a national holiday. This holiday, called “Patriot Day”, is a day of remembrance for the victims of the horrible terrorist attacks which took place on September 11th, 2001. On this day we show defiance and global unity against terrorism around the world.

Patriot Day is a day to remember the victims of the September 11th tragedy.  Not a a single American was left untouched by the tragedy in some way, nearly 10 years later our country and the world is still effected by it. Some positive things were brought about after 9-11. Tighter security measures have been put into place to protect us everyday. American’s had a different outlook on the value of lives, family, friends, neighbors, volunteers and fellow citizens.

American Flag at Half Staff

American Flag at Half Staff

On September 11th we should all display our American flags and fly them at half staff to honor and remember the 2993 people that lost their lives in the terrorist attacks that occurred on that day. This is also a day to remember the heroes that risk and lost their lives in order to save others. They are the true Americans that put their life on the line for someone else. Carrot-Top Industries honors heroes everyday, submit yours to our Virtual Wall of Honor. We also offer a variety of products to memorialize our heroes, products like civil service flags, grave markers, cemetery marking flags, September 11th flags and of course American flags. We would like to see your flag at half staff or any products you used to commemorate Patriot Day. Submit your photos to: wall@carrot-top.com

Remember that on September 11th the President requests that we observe a one minute of silence at 8:46am, the exact time that the first hijacked plane crashed into the World Trade Center. Other countries, our allies against terrorism around the world are also welcome to join with us on this day and fly their flags at half staff.

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The flag of Puerto Rico

August 5, 2010
Puerto Rico Flag

Puerto Rico Flag

The flag of Puerto Rico is one of 5 U.S. territory flags. The first Flag of Puerto Rico originated in 1892, but was not flown until March of 1897 during the Puerto Rican Independence movement. The revolt was against the rules that the Spanish had set in place for Puerto Rico. It was called the attempted coup of Yauco, where the Puerto Ricans attacked the barracks of the Spanish Civil Guard. In 1898 Puerto Rico was able to claim it’s independence from Spanish Rule when it joined the United States.

The original Puerto Rican flag had with 3 red stripes and 2 white stripes. The triangle had a light blue tone to it and a 5 point star in white.  The red stripes represented the blood from the warriors during the revolt. The white stripe represented victory and peace. The white star represented the Island of Puerto Rico. The blue triangle represented the sky and the coastal waters.

Puerto Rico on Independence Day

Puerto Rico on Independence Day

The only flags that were allowed to fly in Puerto Rico were the Spanish flag from 1492 until 1898 and the United States flag from 1898 to 1952. On June 10th 1948, a bill was signed to make displaying the Puerto Rican flag illegal. To display the Puerto Rican flag in public was considered a felony. The bill was known as La Ley de la Mordaza (The Gag law). The only flag that could be flown on the island was the United States flag.

In 1952, the Governor of Puerto Rico adopted the Puerto Rican flag and proclaimed it as the official flag. The triangle was changed to a dark blue. A variation of the Cuban flag, it represents the people of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The flag of Puerto Rico symbolizes Protest, Defiance and Pride among the people of this Island. Puerto Ricans are very proud of their flag, this design is currently used today.

Joseph M Acaba was the first astronaut of Puerto Rican descent to carry several flags into outer space as a symbol of his heritage aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on March 15 2009.

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Posted by customkim

Honoring Edward Joseph Abbott

July 27, 2010

Recently we received a great submission for our Virtual Wall of Honor that we thought we’d share with everyone her on the blog. We’re always proud to pay tribute to our Military friends and family members and no better way to do than to share their story with the world. This is a great read because it explains the sacrifice one of our proud Veterans made to serve this great country and give up a life that could have been to be a truly brave soldier.

From Shannon Abbott-Henige…

Your request for military stories gave me a bitter sweet feeling when first reading it. I am the proud daughter of a WWII veteran of the United States Army. The bitter part is that my father passed away 2 ½ years ago after losing his battle with primary liver cancer. I’d like to share his story because my father is one of those classic examples as to why we call them the “Greatest Generation.” Some years back, I read Tom Brokaw’s book titled this and my father’s story would have fit in well with the others honored in the memoir.

Edward Abbott

Edward Joseph Abbott (1918-2007) was the second born into a family of 10 children. After the years of stories that were told, I’ve come to the conclusion that he was one of the leaders of the neighborhood mayhem that occurred on a regular basis as he grew up in Saginaw, Michigan. He was the oldest of the boys which were all blessed to be athletic. This gave them the ability to outrun their victims on a regular basis, whether it was a neighbor they had stolen apples from or other kids who had fallen victim to a prank. Their athleticism led to 3 of them playing baseball on a team together in Freeland, MI in the Tri-Valley League. My dad was the pitcher and was good enough to begin playing AAA ball in Findlay, OH in the late 1930’s. Headlines in the Republican Courier during the 1939-1941 seasons included “Abbott Chalks No. 5” or “Abbott’s Hurling.”

Edward Abbott

After gaining experience at this level of play my dad had become a phenomenal pitcher and was about to be moved to the majors. He would have been playing for the Detroit Tigers if God hadn’t had another plan for him. In May of 1941 my dad was drafted into the United States Army to serve his country during WWII. Just as most people remember where they were during important historical events, my dad would always tell the story of being on KP duty when Pearl Harbor was bombed. This event led to his being overseas for 3 full years of his 4+ years of service. When he was honorably discharged in August of 1945 he returned home to his family who had grown by 3 more siblings who he’d never met. Those siblings, who he once knew well, did not remember him. It was rare to see my dad emotional when telling any war stories but when recalling the moments of returning home, one thing always choked him up; the memory of his mother standing at the kitchen sink peeling potatoes for potato pancakes and her screams of elation when he threw that knapsack onto the middle of the kitchen floor to get her attention. He had returned home safely and could now get back to his life, so you would think. Now 28 years old and over 4 years away from the game my father’s pitching career in major league baseball was no more. And that was that. I think the older I get the more it bothers me to think about the “what ifs” and the sacrifice that he had been forced to make. But that is the amazing thing about my dad. He was so proud to have served his country along side of the other greats of his generation. He never once complained about his lost opportunity to be another famous player of his time.

We buried my father in December of 2007 with full military honors. Sitting in a safe in our home is one flag and 21 shells passed down to me from my mother.


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Posted by Lexi the Vexillologist

The Betsy Ross Flag and It’s Place in History.

July 22, 2010
Betsy Ross Flag

Artists depiction of Betsy Ross Sewing the First American Flag

At a very young age Betsy Ross, along with her husband John opened their first upholstery business in Philadelphia. Times were tough on the Rosses with the start of the American Revolutionary war, their sewing supplies grew scarce. John Ross, Betsy’s husband was killed in 1776 after joining the Pennsylvania militia. Following his death Betsy joined a group supporting the war effort.

In May of the same year George Washington approached Betsy Ross asking her to sew the first American Flag. They knew each other previously, as they attended the same church. It has even been said that Betsy Ross embroidered some of Washington’s shirts. George Washington had a rough design of how he wanted the first American Flag to look. The stars on his design had 6 points because he felt it would be easier to reproduce. Betsy impressed him by taking a piece of fabric, folding it several times and making a SINGLE cut, producing a perfectly symmetrical 5 point star. She was obviously the woman for the job.

Betsy Ross Flag

Artists depiction of George Washington at The Ross Home

From then on Betsy’s upholstery business did extremely well, she produced many American flags for the United States. To honor her contributions George Washington named that first flag of the United States the Betsy Ross. Even in her time Betsy Ross was an role model for women every where. She died in 1836 at the age of 84, her daughters continued to run her upholstery business.

The American flag has changed many times throughout the history of the United States. A new star is added every time a state joins the Union. The last time the flag was changed was on July 4th, 1960 when Hawaii was added and an American State. This year marked the 50th Anniversary of our current 50 star flag design.

Learn more about other Historical flags.

Betsy Ross’s Instructions for Making a 5 Point Star


Betsy Ross's Star Instructions

Step 1: Start with a 8.5”x10” piece of fabric or paper. (Cut 1” off a 8.5″x11″ piece of paper)

Step 2: Fold the 8.5”x10” piece of in half

Step 3: Fold and unfold in half both ways to form creased center lines.

Step 4. Bring the left corner to the right side to meet the center line.
Be sure to fold from the vertical crease line.

Step 5: Bring that point back to the left till edges coincide, then make the fold.

Step 6: Bring remaining right corner to the left and fold.

Step 7: Then bring remaining left point to the right until edges coincide and fold.

Step 8: Cut on a angle (as shown).  The more of an angle you cut the sharper the points of the star will be.

Step 9: Unfold the small piece to find your perfect star.

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Posted by customkim

North Carolina State Flag

July 7, 2010
North Carolina Mountains

North Carolina Mountains

I spent my entire life in Oklahoma up until a year ago. I recently honored my home state by examining the details of the Oklahoma Flag and explaining its meaning to both myself and the state. By doing this I learned quite a bit about Oklahoma history and state pride. Since I have been in North Carolina I have spent many a weekend exploring the enchanting nature trails and driving through the winding roads. I realized very quickly that North Carolina was a place I could call home, but it was not until October that I fell in love with this unique state.  As many of you know, in the fall North Carolina’s trees undergo a magnificent transformation; the lush green leaves change to a sea of fiery colors ranging from bright yellow to deep red. Now that I have been here for nearly a year it is easier to call North Carolina my home. Since I did an examination of my old home’s flag I would like to take a look at the State Flag of North Carolina, my new home.

North Carolina State Flag

North Carolina State Flag

The North Carolina state flag actually looks nothing like the originally proposed design which was a blue field with a white “V” and encircling stars in the center with the words, “Sirgit astrum, May 20, 1775.”  This design was given to artist William Jarl Browne who created the design that very nearly resembles the current state flag design. A red, vertical bar or “field” on the left with a star in the center and the dates May 20, 1775 (which will be discussed below) and May 20, 1861 (the day North Carolina seceded from the union) encircling it. Then to the right, there are two horizontal stripes making up the “fly” of the flag, the top stripe blue and the bottom stripe white.   The current design has a blue field on the left with a white star in the center surrounded by “N” on the left and “C” on the right. Above the star there is a scroll with the date “May 20th 1775″ and below there is another scroll with the date “April 12th 1776″.  May 20, 1775 was the date of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence; this document closely resembles Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence and was said to be adopted by the county of Mecklenburg as a means of claiming independence from Britain. April 12, 1776 was the date of the Halifax Resolves in which North Carolina approved a vote for independence in the Continental Congress. This was the first official action taken by a state toward independence as a nation.

North Carolina Beaches

North Carolina Beaches

It is important to note that, following the Civil War, North Carolina changed their flag to emphasize unity as a nation rather than unity as a state. Both of the dates currently on the North Carolina flag represent declarations of independence from Britain rather than independence from the Union as was demonstrated on the pre-Civil war North Carolina flag The current flag design also stresses the bold actions taken by North Carolina toward independence from Britain, showing both the state’s courage and commitment to unity.

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Posted by customkim

Oklahoma State Flag

June 22, 2010
Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State

When one thinks of Oklahoma, state pride is not usually the first thing that comes to mind. This is not surprising considering the state catchphrase is “We’re OK!” Not to mention the state is just north of one of the country’s proudest states, Texas. It is difficult to compete with Texas’s overwhelming enthusiasm with a motto like “We’re OK!” So it is not strange that, although I was born and raised in Oklahoma, I did not burst at the seams with state pride during my time there. But then something happened, I graduated from college and my husband was accepted to Duke in Durham, North Carolina. So with our two dogs, two chinchillas, four vehicles full of personal belongings and help from our family, we made the 22 hour trek to our new home on the east coast. It was at this time that I realized how much was unique to Oklahoma, and it was also at this time that I started to feel proud for my state. As I got settled into our new place here among the towering trees and hills, I found myself reminiscing about open plains, rolling thunderheads and lazy sunsets. I even found myself missing strange things like huddling in the centermost room of a house for tornado drills and running outside during severe weather warnings to watch the storm blow in from miles away.  So today, I would like to express my state pride for my former homeland; as homage to this often undervalued state, let us take a look at the state’s most obvious representation, the Oklahoma Flag.

Oklahoma State Flag

Oklahoma State Flag

The current Oklahoma Flag is the result of a contest in 1925 to create a flag that showed the rich cultural diversity within Oklahoma. The winning design was created by Mrs. George Fluke, Jr.   Her Oklahoma Flag design celebrates numerous Native American tribes and seeks to express unity between the significant Native American population and the European settlers.  The background of the flag is a sky blue field, the same background used by Choctaw soldiers in the Civil War. The symbol in the center of the flag is an Osage warrior shield decorated with crosses, the Native American symbol for stars which represents high ideals. A peace pipe and an olive branch cross over the face of the shield; this combination of peaceful representations from the two cultures acts as a symbol of both harmony and distinctiveness.   The Oklahoma state Flag is a remarkable way for Oklahomans to embrace the short yet striking history of their state. It exudes pride in the state’s diversity and represents peace between two formerly clashing cultures. As I make my home in a new and strange place, it is comforting to remember my roots in Oklahoma, and it makes me proud to say, “We’re OK!”

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The Mexico Flag and it’s meaning

June 7, 2010
Mexico Flag

Mexico Flag

If you know anything about me, you know that I LOVE tropical vacations!  The hot weather, beach, ocean and palm trees all come together to equate to the perfect time away.  Just a few months ago, I was lucky enough to spend some time in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.  Spending the week in Mexico of course exposed me to some culture that I was not used to.  I discovered that the Mexican people are very much in-tune with the history of where they came from.  Many of their city names have have been handed down from the times of their independence of Spain, as well as from the days of the ancient civilizations of the Mayans, Aztecs and other ancient Mexican civilizations.

This all brings me around to the current Flag of Mexico.  Just like how the United States Flag has evolved over time with the history of the US, the national Flag of Mexico draws its symbolism from it’s history.  First, I broke down the flag into the parts that it is composed of, the colors (Green, Red and White) and also the emblem in the center (an eagle holding a snake).  Upon investigation, I discovered that the Mexican flag really has gone through a lot of changes over the years, and I could go on for pages breaking it all down.  For now, I’m going to dissect the flag as it is now, and not go into it’s evolution.

Mexico Flag Flying on the Beach

Mexico Flag Flying on the Beach

First the three main colors of the Mexican Flag are clearly Green, Red and White.  These three colors have been derived originally from the Flag that was used by the Army of the Three Guarantees.  The Army of the Three Guarantees was composed of soldiers and cavalry of the Mexican people in 1821.  This was a time of revolution for Mexico, as it sought it’s independence from Spain.  The three colors represented these three Guarantees which were religion, independence, and unity.  The religion it defended was Catholicism.  The Independence it defended was from Spain.  The Unity was against it’s enemies.

The second part of the Mexican flag is composed of an eagle holding a snake.  This symbol dates way back to the period of Aztec rule in the 1300′s through the 1500′s AD.  The legend of the Aztec people states that the early Aztec group would one day settle and create it’s city in a swampy land and this land would be recognized by spotting an eagle, eating a serpent atop a cactus.  Apparently, religious leaders of the early Aztecs came across this sighting in the area that is now known as Mexico City.  Mexico City was built in a swampy area as it was originally an island in a lake.  The Aztecs settled here and quickly became an extremely powerful and feared empire in a short period of time of about 200 years.

When looking at the Mexican Flag, and much of the symbolism throughout Mexico, it can be quickly noted that current Mexican culture is truly defined by over 500 years of history.   The Mexican flag has evolved a great deal over the years, the struggles, revolutions and changes in power are fascinating, and reminiscent of the history of the United States.  If you ever have the chance to visit Mexico I highly recommend visiting some of it’s historical sites. We had a Mexcellent time!

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Posted by customkim

Honor Our Fallen Heroes on Memorial Day

May 16, 2010

There’s a lot of hot issues going on in America right now. Whether you’re in a heated debate about Tea Party issues, or you’re angry over the oil spill in Louisiana…lets not forget about the month of May, and what it brings. Memorial Day.

Monday, May 31st is Memorial Day. Each year families remember their loves ones, friends, fathers, sons, daughters, wives and so many more who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. It’s not just about taking a day off from work, or running off to parade. The real meaning behind Memorial Day, is to honor those have fallen in our Military.  Most of all, remember why you’re able to have the freedom to celebrate the holiday, or have the right to go to the parade. However you look at it, your freedom has been protected by the very men and women Memorial Day honors.

Here in North Carolina we’re used to seeing our proud Military members around. With Fort Bragg Army base only an hour away and Camp Lejune Marine Corps base not too much further on our coast, a lot of us here at Carrot-Top Industries have friends and family members who have gone overseas, some of which have not returned. Some of us have been fortunate enough to see the Field of Flags during Glory Days in Fayetteville at the Special Operations Museum which displays 1,500 American flags sponsored to honor brave Military members. The Military is definitely around us, and we’ve always been proud to support them.

Memorial Day has been celebrated all the way back to the late 1800′s and though the traditions have changed here and there, there is still many ways to show your support. Whether it’s flying your American flag, lining your yard with mini American flags, making a Field of Flags for your own business or honoring a gravesite with a grave marker and American flag….just be sure to show your respect. Be sure to fly your American flag at half-staff on Memorial Day and show your respects for the brave men and women of our great Military.

We always try to find ways to show our support, and last year came up with our Virtual Wall of Honor. This exclusive Wall honors our brave heroes who have fallen, are retired and even still active on our Virtual Wall of Honor.  We have even had Military husbands honor their wives and the support they have given when they are overseas. If you’re proud of them…we want to help you honor them. It may still be a small Wall of Honor, but we’re proud of every single person we have been able to honor and will continue to keep doing so and hope you can share your stories with us. Its our way of showing you how proud we are of each and every soldier and say “thank you” for your courage. We’ve even started getting more involved by getting to know our soldiers better through their families by learning about their scholarship funds and beautiful memorials created in their honor. Most recently the stories of SSG Justin Whiting and PFC Andrew Nelson, two young soldiers who lives were ended too soon while serving our country. We’re proud to have great customers who have been proud enough to share their stories with us and become part of our family in a way. It’s made us who we are as a company and we will continue to show our support as we grow over the years.

Remember, There’s no better way to honor, than to remember and be proud. This Memorial Day, let’s all remember why we’re able to celebrate the holiday and honor our fallen heroes……freedom.

Nicki Snyder

Creative Director

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Posted by Lexi the Vexillologist

Support Our Troops This Armed Forces Day

April 12, 2010

On May 20, 1950 President Harry Truman proclaimed the first Armed Forces Day as a way to consolidate a holiday for every branch of the Military. Since then Armed forces day has been celebrated the 3rd Saturday of May. This year it falls on May 15th and we will be celebrating it’s 60th Anniversary.

Armed Forces Parade

Armed Forces Parade

In the United States we generally celebrate armed forces day by having parades, military open houses, receptions and air shows. This is a day to salute those in the military. In times of war or peace, they spend their days and risk their lives devoted to our freedom and safety. Our Military men and women have trained diligently mentally and physically to prepare for any mission that lay ahead. It is important to recognize what the military has done for our country and for you. There are a number of things you can do to support our troops and give back, especially if you have a family member actively serving.

Ways you can honor our troops on Armed Forces Day:

Memorial in Washington DC

Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC

• Use the day to put together a care package to be sent to troops that are serving.

• Create a Military related fundraiser collecting money for veterans in your area.

• Write letters to serving troops or veterans that may not have family of their own.

• Plan a community wide event with a flag ceremony or parade.

• Create a blog sharing inspirational stories about military experiences.

• Submit a military member to a Wall of Honor to remember those serving or those who lost their life.

• Plan a trip to Washington DC or other military memorials

Fly Your American Flag

Fly Your American Flag

• Visit a veteran.

• Write a poem or patritic song.

• Fly a Military Flag or Support our Troops flag.

• MOST IMPORTANTLY:
Fly your American Flag!

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Posted by customkim

You can make a difference this Earth Day!

March 23, 2010

Earth Day Flag

Earth Day is celebrated April 22 and was set in place to encourage people to take care of our environment. It is important to educate people about our earth and the many ways that we can protect it for future generations. The first Earth day in 1970 marked the beginning of the environmental movement. It was so popular that 20 million Americans participated; since then earth day has spread all across our planet and is now a official United Nations holiday. Earth day has encouraged many acts to go in place which protect our environment from senseless harm. Fly the Earth Day Flag this April 22 to spread knowledge about this important holiday.

The internet has played a huge role in the efforts to go green. No longer is large amounts of paper needed to convey information across the world. We are able to educate people all over the planet about global warming and boost recycling efforts everywhere. There are many new ways you can use the internet to reduce the amount of paper being used. Send an email, send a ecard, pay a bill online and shop online instead of requesting a large catalog. We invite you to view our PAPERLESS catalog.

Reduce • Reuse • Recycle

Reduce • Reuse • Recycle

There are many easy ways you can go green everyday of the year. This includes recycling, buying green and conserving energy. As a company we are trying to do our part to help the economy, which is why we are bringing earth friendly products to our customers. Check out our products that help you with your recycling needs. We also offer products that are made of recycled materials. You can honor our great country and still go green with our recycled U.S. Flags. You should use solar-power whenever possible to conserve energy. We offer Solar-Powered Flagpole lights individually or in a set. This Earth Day we encourage you to check out local programs to clean up your community.

You may think that one person can not make a difference but if everyone does their part in their small area of the world together we can make a difference!  Feel free to share your Earth day photos, activities, poems, celebrations and traditions with us, we would love to hear about them.

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Posted by customkim

Similar flags to the American Flag

March 17, 2010

After working with flags for so long, you eventually learn to recognize their designs, shapes and colors by heart. One thing I have noticed, is that there are a few International flags whose designs are very similar to that of the American flag.

Flag of Liberia

Liberia Flag: You can definitely notice a similarity between the American flag and the Liberian flag with it’s red and white stripes as well as a blue corner featuring a star in the canton. Unlike the American flag, the Liberia flag only has 11 stripes, which represent those who signed the Liberian Declaration of Independence. The red and white color of the 11 stripes symbolize courage and moral excellence in Liberia while the white star in the canton stands for the freedom ex-slaves were given in history.

Flag of Malaysia

Malaysia Flag: There’s also a similar look to the American flag with the Malaysia flag. This flag features 14 alternating red and white stripes as well as a blue canton in the upper left corner. The stripes of the Malaysia flag symbolize the equality of the 13 member states that make up the country plus the federal government. This flag doesn’t have a standard 5 point star, but instead features a crescent which represents Islam, the country’s official religion, as well as a 14 point star. The 14 points on the star stand for the unity of the 13 states and federal government or Malaysia.

Flag of Togo

Togo Flag: The flag of Togo features the same stripes and star as the Liberia flag, however the horizontal stripes and hoist end are different colors. The Togo flag features 5 horizontal stripes alternating in green and yellow which are derived from the Pan-African colors of Ethiopa, as well as the red upper left corner displaying a 5-point white star. The Togo flag is still fairly new in the flag world, being adopted only 50 years ago on April 27, 1960.

Flag of Uruguay

Uruguay flag: Taking a different approach but still showing a similar design is the national flag of Uruguay. This flag features nine horizontal stripes in blue and white that represent the nine original departments of Uruguay. Instead of displaying a star in the corner of the Uruguay flag, the Sun of May is shown in bright yellow, which is a national symbol of both Uruguay as well as Argentina. The original Uruguay flag actually displayed 17 blue and white stripes but in 1830, a new law required the number of stripes be reduced to nine.

I’m going to do a little more research and see if I can’t find some smaller International territories that also show a similarity to the American flag, as well as taking a look at our own US State flags right here in America!  I’ll be writing another blog on that soon so check back soon!

Nicki Snyder – Creative Director

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Posted by Lexi the Vexillologist

A proud firefighter, Todd Stanaway

March 16, 2010

Todd Stanaway

As I posted a few weeks ago, our main website has a Virtual Wall of Honor, where we post not only names and information about soldiers and civil service members, but really any information their friends or family members want to say about them. The past few years I’ve read a lot of great stories, not only about Military members, but also our Civil Service members. Our firefighters and Police Officers put their lives on the line every day and deserve some great recognition as well.

Loretta Stanaway was kind enough to share Todd Stanaway’s bio and photo with us on our Virtual Wall of Honor. I hope that you can help recognize his bravery as a firefighter and paramedic and honor our Civil Service Members each day.

Todd R. Stanaway was a firefighter/paramedic for the city of Westland, Michigan.  He had served 13 years, including 9 years on the regional hazardous materials team.  He served as part of the honor guard during the memorial parade in New York City in remembrance of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

He was 36 when he died of duty-related brain cancer.  He left behind a wife and four-year- old daughter as well as siblings, parents, step-parents, in-laws and other family members and a multitude of friends and colleagues.  He was dearly loved and is greatly missed.

He passed away just two months after receiving his promotion to sergeant.  He is shown at the promotion ceremony with his father.

His name is on the Wall of Honor at the Colorado Springs Firefighters Memorial.  He was a devoted husband and father, loving  son and brother and a friend to all.

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Posted by Lexi the Vexillologist

The Anniversary of the 50 Star American Flag

March 8, 2010

50 Star US FlagDid you know July 4, 2010 will mark the 50th year of the 50 Star US flag?

That is right it has been 50 years since the current American flag designed by then high school student Bob Heft first flew as the official flag of the United States of America. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, incidentally the inspiration for Carrot-Top’s own President’s name Dwight Morris, selected the young Heft’s design to be the next American flag. The then new design was unveiled promptly at 12:01am July 4, 1960 at Fort McHenry, site that formed the back drop for Francis Scot Key’s writing of the Star Spangled Banner.

The 50 star US flag has flown over 12 Summer Olympic sites (remember the US boycotted 1980), 11 US Presidents (Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush and Obama) and along side “one giant leap for mankind” on the moon. This flag has also seen the fields of conflict in Vietnam, Granada, Panama, Persian Gulf, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq as well as on the thousands of caskets that draped over men and women’s resting bodies and now lie folded in their honor. The current flag has been able to bear witness to countless celebrity serenades, pledges from American citizens new and old, endless standing ovations and an occasional Military fly by.

Let us celebrate the 50 star American flag everyday for its past, present and future.

Steve A. Cates

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Posted by Lexi the Vexillologist

A Tribute to SSG Justin Whiting

February 23, 2010

Recently a customer purchased a flagpole and American flag from us, but it wasn’t until I saw the photographs and video footage of this flag did I realize what it was truly standing for.

Our main website has a Virtual Wall of Honor, where we post not only names and information about soldiers, but really any information their friends or family members want to say about them. Over the years I’ve managed to get quite a few stories that touched me deeply and made me realize there’s never too much honor you can give a soldier. Unfortunately not a lot of people have gotten to hear these stories, see the faces of our brave soldiers and learn just who we’ve had fighting for our freedom. Now, I’m hoping to share some of these stories about these brave soldiers with you as often as I can so you can recognize the bravery and honor I’ve had a privilege to hear about.

I want to tell you about Justin Ryan Whiting. Justin’s father was kind enough to share not only his sons story, but also photographs that should be honored and seen by those who appreciate everything our Military does.

From Justins father Randy….

Justin working as a medic

Justin was a US Army Green Beret “Special Forces” Medic.  He served three tours in Iraq.  He got out of the Army for about six months but went back in because he missed it and felt he was needed there. Justin grew up on my farm in Hancock, New York.  It was a dairy farm for many years.  I now raise beef cattle – my barn burned in 1991.  Justin was a true outdoorsman.  He loved to hunt, fish and trap as well as work on the farm. The flag was raised on Memorial Day of 2009.  It sits along the rolling hills of  NYS Route 97 overlooking the farm.  We constantly get comments of what a beautiful and inspiring sight it is.  After Justin’s death there was little that could ease my sorrow.  Since I raised this flag the sight of it always makes me feel better.

Here are some photos and a video Randy sent of the American flag memorial on his farm:

Below is part of the eulogy that Justins Team Captain wrote:

….. Justin was a true patriot, evident by his two tours in Iraq and his decision to re-enter the Army to go back to combat with his buddies. Justin’s character embodied the finest and noblest qualities of our great nation that he held so dear, and died defending. Being able to stand beside people like Justin was what made me proud to wear the Green Beret.

Justin had spent the last three months in Iraq working to help build a democracy and to make this country a better place for those who have never known freedom. His efforts in this noble cause ranged from training Iraqi soldiers, to treating sick civilians and leading Iraqi troops during combat operations. …… Justin was killed instantly when his vehicle was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device, which also wounded two other Soldiers in his vehicle. His final moments were spent in laughter and camaraderie, as so many moments with Justin were, and he died surrounded by his friends.

In the time that I knew Justin, he quickly became one of my favorite people. Few Soldiers ever matched Justin’s remarkable work ethic along with his keen intellect and constant desire to excel. With his tremendous personality and charisma, Justin could have succeeded at anything in the world. He chose to be a Soldier; to serve America with dignity and pride, and to apply the simple values of hard work, dedication, and patriotism, to earn the respect and admiration of everyone who knew him. To know Justin was to love him. He was one of the finest young men I have ever known and his prowess as a Soldier and a medic placed him in a class by himself Justin was a tremendously hard worker, a man who met challenges head on, wasn’t afraid to do the right thing no matter what the circumstances, and who loved, above all, being amongst his teammates. He made everybody around him a better person.

The front of the headstone

The back of the headstone

I want to say Thank You  to Justin Whiting, and all of the soldiers who fight and have fought for our freedom.

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Posted by Lexi the Vexillologist

Honoring our Presidents and their places in history.

February 12, 2010

President’s Day is celebrated the 3rd Monday in February and is a federal holiday in the United States. In fact it is the first federal holiday that was ever put into place in the U.S. Also knows as Washington’s Birthday, this holiday was renamed President’s day to honor Abraham Lincoln as well.

George Washington, The First American President

George Washington, The First American President

President’s Day was first established to honor the birthday of George Washington, our first American President. George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 and lived in the State of Virginia. When he was 20 years old he was appointed general in the Virginia militia during the French and Indian war. He had a reputation of being a great leader and was named Commander-in-Chief during the American Revolutionary War. Washington’s role in the war led to the United States victory against the British. After the war he was elected the first president of the United States. In 1776 Washington instructed Betsy Ross to make the first American flag which became a symbol for the United States and it’s independence. George Washington shaped the US government during his 2 terms in office and is known as the Father of our Country.  The United States would not have been the same with out his influence.

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th American President

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th American President

Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809 and served as our 16th president from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln is best known for leading the US through the Civil War and abolishing slavery. Before Lincoln was elected the Southern states had seceded from the Union forming the Confederacy. After Lincoln’s election he formed the emancipation proclamation freeing all slaves. This marked the beginning of the Civil war as the Confederacy was fighting to expand slavery. In 1865 the Union won the civil war, Lincoln then declared all slaves free men and abolished slavery. Afterwards, Lincoln began the reconstruction to reunite the nation. On April 11th Lincoln gave a speech wanting to give voting rights to the newly freed slaves. He was assassinated 4 days later by John Wilkes Booth, a confederate spy. Lincoln is thought to be the greatest of all U.S. Presidents.

Today President’s Day is often a opportunity to recognize our countries military and veterans. Purple Hearts are often given on this day to honor people who sustained injuries while defending our country. Celebrations with patriotic decorations are held in many communities throughout the country. President’s day is celebrated on February 15th this year.

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Posted by customkim

The Evolution of the US Flag

December 8, 2009


13 stars 13 Stars    

An interesting flag factoid: the original US flag is not the Betsy Ross! Although most people believe the 13 circular-star pattern was part of the initial flag, the first official pattern consisted of 13 staggered stars. From 1777 to 1795, the flag was flown to represent the thirteen colonies of the United States including: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire,
Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island.
15 stars 15 Stars     

As other states were admitted to the US, the flag’s star pattern changed on July 4th of the following year. The 15 star flag was introduced in 1795 when Kentucky and Vermont were admitted to the Union. The flag lasted until July of 1818.

21 stars 21 Stars      

Flown from 1819 to 1820, the 21-star flag was created after Illinois was added to the Union.

23 stars 23 Stars   

When Alabama and Maine were admitted to the US in 1819 and 1820 respectively, this 23 star flag was created. It was flown from 1820 until 1822.

24 24 Stars  

This flag flown from 1822 to 1836 after Missouri was admitted to the Union.
25 25 Stars  

When Arkansas was added to the US, this 25 star flag was flown from 1836 to 1837.

26 26 Stars  

Flown for 9 years after Michigan was admitted, this flag was created in 1837.

27 27 Stars  

After Florida was admitted in 1845, this flag was flown for only one year.

28 28 Stars  

Texas was admitted to the union in 1845; by July 4th of the next year, this 28 star flag was created. It was flown from 1846-1847.

29 29 Stars  

In 1846, Iowa became the 29th state to be admitted to the US. The new 29 star flag was flown from 1847 to 1848.
30 30 Stars  

Flown from 1848 to 1851, this flag was created after Wisconsin joined the union on May 29th.

31 31 Stars 

When California joined the US on September 9, 1850, this 31 star flag was created.
32 Stars  

 Flown from 1848 to 1851, this flag was created after Wisconsin joined the union on May 29th.

33 33 Stars  

On February 14, 1859, Oregon joined the Union. Consequentially, a 33-star US flag was fashioned; it was the official US flag until 1861.

34 34 Stars    

Flown as the official flag from 1861 to 1863, the 45-star US flag was crafted after Kansas’ admission to the union.

35 35 Stars    

When West Virginia was admitted to the union in 1863, the 35-star flag was flown from 1863 until 1865.

36 36 Stars  

 After Nevada joined the union in 1864, the 36-star US flag was created and flown from 1865 to 1867.

37 37 Stars   

 On March 1st of 1867, Nebraska was admitted to the Union; the 37-star US flag was fashioned and flown from 1867 until 1877.

38 38 Stars  

 Flown from 1877 until 1890, the 38-star US flag was created after Colorado joined the US.

43 43 Stars  

 After Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Washington were admitted to the Union in 1889 (other than Idaho, which was admitted in 1890), the 43-star flag was created.

44 44 Stars  

 Wyoming joined the Union on July 10 of 1890; as a result, the 44-star flag was created and flown from 1891 to 1896.

45 45 Stars  

 Flown from 1896 until 1908, the 45-star US flag was fashioned after Utah joined the Union.

46 46 Stars   

 Oklahoma was admitted to the US in November of 1907; the 46-star flag was flown from 1908 to 1912.

48 48 Stars  

 After Arizona and New Mexico joined the US in 1912, the 48-star US flag was created. It was flown until 1959.

49 49 Stars   

 Alaska was admitted to the US in January of 1959; the 49-star flag was flown until 1960.

50 Current US Flag (50 Stars)     

 Since 1960, when Hawaii was admitted, this familiar pattern has been the official US flag. But it is important to remember that all of the flags ever used are legal flags; this means any one of them can be flown

Besty Ross Betsy Ross    

 Prior to 1912, the exact colors and placement of the stars was not official; therefore there were variations. The Betsy Ross is one such variation. Here, the stars are arranged in a circle within the canton. This flag was in use by 1777.

Bennington Bennington   

 Associated with the Battle of Bennington, this flag was flown during the American Revolution. The ’76 in the middle of the star field commemorates 1776, the year the Declaration of Independence was signed. Other than having a circular arrangement of stars, the flag differs from the typical US flag is that the stripes alternate starting with white at the top and bottom (they usually start with red).

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Posted by customkim

The Holiday we all need to recognize, Pearl Harbor Day

November 30, 2009

Tis the season to be merry, jolly, and joyous!  It’s the big holiday season.  A time for joy, cheer, good will toward men (and women!), and definitely some serious sales!  I bought the cutest pair of shoes last week at a Black Friday sale… ya, I know, I was supposed to be doing my holiday shopping for everyone else who I want to give gifts, but I thought I’d treat myself to something flashy.  I also think I was in a shoe mood because I was on my feet all morning and afternoon.  I figured that my feet do so much for me all year round, they deserve a little something special for the holidays.

While on my shopping adventure to find big holiday bargains (and of course my cute new shoes), I found the time to be generous and charitable.  I gave some pocket change to the bell ringers, and I also gave a donation to war veterans.  They were a couple of cute older men that reminded me of my grandpa, sitting at a table in the mall, collecting donations for the needy.  I took a few minutes to stay and talk to the men, who were the nicest of nice… I wanted to take them home with me!  Anyway, cuz you all know about my love of our American history, I gabbed with the gentlemen for a while before moving on cuz I thought I might’ve been talking their ears right off.  Before I left them, they reminded me to fly my American Flag at half staff on December 7th in remembrance of Pearl Harbor.  I smiled and said, “yes, sir!”

View from USS Arizona Memorial

Those cute older gents I talked to in the mall were alive in 1941 and remember the December 7th Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  It’s fair to say that most of us today have to read about it in history books, or see TV shows about it on The History Channel.  Regardless of how just much knowledge some people may have about that day, it’s a pretty good guess that most would recognize the Pearl Harbor Memorial if they saw it.  First of all, it’s in Hawaii, so if you ever went to Hawaii for a vacation, you probably, almost certainly, had visited the Memorial site of the USS Arizona, and it’s truly an unforgettable place.  When I was just a little bitty my family went on vacation to Honolulu and visited the site.  And even as young as I was at the time, I knew I was somewhere important.  I can remember the beautiful bridge and viewing areas from my memory, but I had to get a little older before I could comprehend and truly understand the place I had been, that events that unraveled this place where I planted my very little feet, is where the United States’ involvement in World War II began.  Here’s just a couple quick and interesting facts about this important site:

USS Arizona

On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the United States.  The intention of unexpected strike by the Japanese, which came in three waves, was to cripple the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The objectives were to prevent the United States from interfering with Japan’s plan to conquer the Dutch East Indies, and also to strike a blow at American morale. At the end of the fighting, 18 of the 99 ships in the U.S. Pacific fleet were damaged or destroyed, and nearly 3,700 American soldiers and civilians were injured or killed.  The attack on Pearl Harbor is the reference point to the most famous of wartime quotes, as President Roosevelt declared December 7th as “a date which will live in infamy.”

Following more than a year of operations to salvage war ships sunken at Pearl Harbor, it was decided that two ships could not be moved. The USS Arizona and USS Utah sustained too much damage and were left at the bottom of the Harbor.  Desire grew in the mid-1940′s to establish for a Memorial at the site of the The USS Arizona Memorial, but it was not until 1950 that official recognition was reached: Admiral Arthur Radford, Commander in Chief, Pacific, ordered that a flag staff be erected over the sunken battleship. On the ninth anniversary of the attack, a commemorative plaque was placed at the base of the flag staff.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who helped achieve Allied victory in Europe during World War II, approved the creation of the national Memorial in 1958. Its construction was completed in 1961 with private donations and public funds appropriated by Congress and was dedicated in 1962.  In 1980 The National Park Service opened the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center, associated with the Memorial, where guests can read historical information about the attack, and catch a boat to access to the Memorial which sits above the USS Arizona.  The sunken remains of the battleship were declared a National Historic Landmark on 5 May 1989.

Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial

The USS Arizona Memorial consists of a beautiful, stark white bridge in the middle of the Harbor.  The bridge is 184 feet long, and spans the sunken hull of the battleship without touching it.  It’s aesthetically beautiful design is not without meaning: the bridge has two peaks at each end connected by a sag in the center of the structure. The design represents the height of American pride before the war, the sudden depression of a nation after the attack and the rise of American power to new heights after the war.  While I say it’s aesthetically beautiful, some people didn’t always think so.  Some people criticized the bridge’s design when it was built, saying it resembled a “squashed milk carton.”  To those people I say, “pthh!”

Tears of the Arizona

The main part of the USS Arizona Memorial is The Central Assembly Room.  It features seven large open windows on either wall and ceiling, to commemorate the date of the attack. The total number of windows is 21, symbolically representing a 21 gun salute, or 21 Marines standing at eternal parade rest over the tomb of the fallen. To this day, oil can still be seen rising from the wreckage to the surface of the water. The oil seeping is sometimes referred to as “the tears of the Arizona,” or “black tears.” The floor of the Memorial features an opening which overlooks the sunken decks of the USS Arizona.  It is from this opening that visitors come to pay their respects by tossing flowers in honor of the fallen sailors.

USS Arizona Interior

The area below the Memorial is the resting place of 1,102 of 1,177 sailors who served and lost their lives on the USS Arizona during the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor by Japanese imperial forces, and the names of the dead carved in marble on the Memorial’s walls.  More than a million people visit the USS Arizona Memorial each year.  And here ends the lesson.

I will remember this holiday season for a long time, probably forever.  The two wonderful gentlemen I met at the mall last week were as sweet as could be, and they helped me to remember that this time of year is not just a time for rosy cheeks and twinkling lights and holly wreaths, but it’s also about kindness, generosity, reflection and remembrance.  On December 7th, make sure you raise your American Flag to half staff, and take some time to honor the fallen heroes at Pearl Harbor.  And, sometime in your future, you have to make a trip to Honolulu, and the USS Arizona Memorial.  I know I will.  Maybe we’ll see each other there.

Happy Holidays, my lovelies.  I hope you get everything you ever wanted!

Lexi!

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Posted by Lexi the Vexillologist

A little more insight into great Military Medals

November 18, 2009

Following one of my latest write ups on the Medal of Honor, I have decided to do a series on the Medals of Valor awarded to each branch of the US Military. The Medal of Honor is the highest decoration awarded by the US government. For a Marine to receive it, he/she must demonstrate valiant efforts in the time of battle against American enemy forces. There have been 3,467 medals awarded; however, nearly 2,000 of these were given during the Civil War and Indian War. This breaks down to only 1519 medals being awarded in wars since ~1865. There have been 19 double recipients of which 5 received two medals for the same act by different branches of the military.

I found some other Military Medals that I wasn’t as informed about until I started doing some research. These will be ordered from most decorated to being going downward.

The Navy Cross is the “second highest award for valor”* behind the Medal of Honor. It was designed by James Earle Fraser and approved by Congress in 1919 due in part to the United States participation in World War I. Since then, it has been awarded more than 6,300 times. The criteria of the award are:

  • While engaged in action against an enemy of the United States.
  • While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force.
  • While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict in which the United States is not a belligerent party.*

Design: A cross pattée with four laurel leaves in the corners of the cross. The center features a ship while the reverse features crossing anchors with the letters USN (United States Navy). The ribbon is navy blue with a white stripe down the middle.

Silver Star Medal

The Silver Star is the third highest decoration in the US Military for valor. The Silver Star replaced the Citation Star on July 19, 1932** The Citation Star is shown in the very middle of the Silver Star to this day. Congress passed the Silver Star into law on August 7, 1942 for the Navy and December 15, 1942 for the Army. There are no definite records of the Silver Star in existence but it is estimated that between 100,000 and 150,000 Silver Stars have been awarded since inception. Note: Pilots are generally awarded the Silver Star following 5 or more confirmed kills. The criteria to be awarded must involve heroism that goes above and beyond in the following actions:

  • In action against an enemy of the United States.
  • While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force
  • While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party**

Design: The Silver Star is in fact a gold star in appearance. In the middle is a silver star which is encased by laurel wreaths. The back of the star reads: “For Gallantry in Action” and the ribbon features cloth in the order of ultramarine blue, white, ultramarine blue, white, and Old Glory red.

Legion of Merit Medal

The Legion of Merit medal is given for exceptional bravery and conduct for outstanding service and achievement. Congress passed legislation for the Legion of Merit on July 20, 1942*** The main thing that separates the Legion of Merit from the previous Medals is the fact that it can be earned in times of peace and many foreigners have become recipients. The criteria to be awarded:

  • In peacetime, service should be in the nature of a special requirement or of an extremely difficult duty performed in an unprecedented and clearly exceptional manner.
  • The performance must have been such as to merit recognition of key individuals for service rendered in a clearly exceptional manner.
  • For service not related to actual war the term “key individual” applies to a narrower range of positions that in time of war and requires evidence of significant achievement

Design: The design of the medal is different based on the ranking of the recipient. These recipients are ordered from most to least distinguished as:

  • The Chief Commander Degree of the Legion of Merit Medal is, on a wreath of green laurel joined at the bottom by a gold bow-knot (rosette), a domed five-pointed white star bordered crimson, points reversed with v-shaped extremities tipped with a gold ball. In the center, a blue disk encircled by gold clouds, with 13 white stars arranged in the pattern that appears on the United States Coat of Arms. Between each join, within the wreath are crossed arrows pointing outwards. The overall width is 2 15/16 inches (75 mm). The words “United States of America” are engraved in the center of the reverse. A miniature of the decoration in gold on a horizontal gold bar is worn on the service ribbon.
  • The Commander features the same exact design which hangs from a crimson ribbon and is connected by a golden laurel wreath.
  • The Officer design features the same medal design yet is connected to a crimson ribbon via a simple golden hook with a gold replica mounted to the middle of the ribbon.
  • The Legionnaire design is an replica of the officer design without the medal replica on the ribbon.***

Distinguished Flying Cross Medal

The Distinguished Flying Cross can be awarded to any member of the US Armed Forces yet must take place during aerial combat, following November 11, 1918. Before that date, armed forces members could receive the Distinguished Flying Cross when being nominated for Medals listed above in which the nominee did not receive them. The Flying Cross was passed in an act by congress on July 2, 1926 and its first recipient was Charles Lindbergh. Since then, it has been awarded to many famous recipients, including President George H. W. Bush, John McCain, and Clark Gable to name a few. The criteria for the award:

  • Officer or enlisted member of the US Armed Forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by “heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918”.
  • Display of heroism while working as instructors or students at flying schools****

Design: The Cross was designed by Elizabeth Will and Arthur DuBois and features a bronze cross pattée. Laying on top of the cross is 4 propellers and these sit on top of rays between the arms of the cross. It hangs from a ribbon that features a red strip in the middle, mirrored on the sides by a thin stripe of white, wide stripe of blue, thin strip of white, and a thin strip of blue.

Navy and Marine Corps Medal

The Navy And Marine Corps Medal is the second highest medal awarded for non-combat actions. It can be awarded the US Navy and Marine Corps soldiers. The most famous recipient of the award was John F. Kennedy for his actions in World War II. It was passed by Congress on August 7, 1942 during World War II. It is most often given for sea rescues where one’s life is risked. The formal requirements are:

  • Service members who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or Marine Corps, distinguish themselves by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy. Typically, it is awarded for actions involving the risk of one’s own life.”****

Design: The medal is made of a golden octagon design on which an eagle is standing on a warship anchor. Underneath the anchor is a globe and “HEROISM” inscribed.

Bronze Star

The Bronze Star can be awarded to members of any US Military Service for acts of bravery or merit. It was passed with Executive Order on February 4, 1944******. When the Bronze Star is awarded for bravery, it is the fourth-highest combat award of the U.S. Military and the ninth highest military award in both non-combat and combat awards in the order of precedence of U.S. military decorations. The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to those who meet specific requirements:

  • Distinguishing himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving aerial flight.
  • The acts of heroism are of a lesser degree than required for the award of the Silver Star. The acts of merit or acts of valor must be less than that required for the Legion of Merit but must nevertheless have been meritorious and accomplished with distinction.

Design: Designed by Rudolf Freund, the medal features a bronze star with a smaller inscribed bronze star in the middle. The reverse side has the inscription of “Heroic of meritorious achievement” with a space for the name of the recipient of the medal to be engraved. It is hung by a red, white, and blue ribbon.

Air Medal

The Air Medal was established with Executive Order on May 11, 1942 by President Dwight D Eisenhower. It can be awarded for a single heroic act or to a full service of heroism. Requirements:

  • Crew member or non-crew member who are required to participate in aerial flight on a regular and frequent basis.
  • Combat duties require regular and frequent flying in other than a passenger status, or individuals who perform a particularly noteworthy act while performing the function of a crew member but who are not on flying status.**********

Design: A bronze “compass rose” with an inscribed soaring eagle that hangs from a blue and orange ribbon.

I’m going to do more research on few others I have heard about and get those up here shortly. So stay tuned for more information and if you’d like to hear about anything in particular please let me know!

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navy_cross
**http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_star
***http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legion_of_merit
****http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distinguished_Flying_Cross_(United_States)
*****http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navy_and_marine_corps_medal
******http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_star
*******http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Medal

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Posted by Lexi the Vexillologist

Learn about some great Veteran Memorials seen in Saving Private Ryan

November 9, 2009

Have I ever talked about how much I absolutely loooove watching movies? I really don’t think there’s a better way to relax for a couple hours (with your eyes open) than to sit and watch a really good movie. I’ve seen a lot of them, all different kinds, cause I like just about anything. I also think watching a movie can be very therapeutic to a mood we might be having. Movies have lots of ups and downs and twists, maybe some puzzling plot points to make you think a little bit, we laugh and cry, and we revel at the breakthrough advances being made with visual effects. Heck, sometimes the dialogue and plot of a movie don’t need to be any good at all, so long as the special effects and graphics are awesome!

Emotion is a word I use a lot when talking about movies, because all the senses are stimulated when watching a good movie with a good story. And timing is no mistake, usually, when we see movies at the theatre, or on TV. Christmas movies will (normally) be shown around… you guessed it… Christmas, and other holiday movies shown near their respective calendrical tribute. War movies… now there’s a really big genre. Not just movies about wars, but movies about Military branches, or having something to do with US history, military history, or inner workings of armed forces… now that’s a list that can go on for days and days. I saw a couple movies on TV recently, and I realized that seeing them at this time of year was not necessarily a random accident. These military stories are being shown to coincide with Veteran’s Day, which is coming up in just a little over a week (November 11). I’ve only seen a few of these military movies in the last week or so, it’s not like seeing A Christmas Story for 24 straight hours on Christmas or anything, but the few I saw were very influential on me. And, if you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m gonna tell you why… here we go…

thelastcastle

The Laste Caste

The first film I saw about a week ago was The Last Castle with Robert Redford. This isn’t a war movie or anything inspired by a real life event. In actuality it shows a side of the armed forces you don’t often see or think about, as the story takes place in a military prison. Okay, major downer. I know, right… where am I going with this… I was all pumping you up about great war movies and now i’m talking about jail! I’m not gonna rehash the whole plot, but I did want to tell you about a part of the movie that deals with our American Flag. A pretty big part of the movie’s plot involves the flag. Long story short: the warden of the jail has an American Flag in a decorative case, and the flag is stolen by a prisoner (Robert Redford!!!) who’s intention is to fly it upside down in the exercise yard. As you are full aware, I am a stickler for the rules, so I must tell you that you should never do that, because flying our colors upside down has particular meaning, and that is as a signal of distress. It’s in the US Flag Code:

“The flag should never be displayed with the union [blue and white star field] down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”

So, it’s not that doing it would be wrong, because there may be a time that calls for the American Flag to be flown upside down, but it would see viewed as disrespectful and most inappropriate for any other reason. Anyway, because I talk often about history, and many times about our colors, I thought this movie was an interesting one to tell you about. Now, I didn’t give the whole thing away. In fact I hardly told you anything about it. So, if you’re curious, I can confidently endorse this movie as entertaining, and recommend you see it.

SavingPrivateRyan

Saving Private Ryan

Okay, this next movie was very, VERY moving for me. I cried lots and lots, and then I started thinking lots and lots, and I was like, wait a minute, I feel like heard this one before. So… I watched Saving Private Ryan with Tom Hanks and Matt Damon. Tom Hanks, by the way, I also a HUUUUUGE history buff, and he’s responsible for the Band of Brothers miniseries. That’s another war genre story. Not gonna talk about it now, but you should see that, too! The movie is set around the June 6, 1944 Normandy Invasion by Allied Forces during World War II, and there is no mistaking the emotions felt by viewers that this movie intended to summon. The film opens with an old man and his family who are visiting the grave site of a soldier. The cemetery in the film is an actual site and is rather significant to memorials. I’ll tell you more about it in a few minutes. Anyway, from here, the story flashes back to June 6, 1944: Omaha Beach. Gunfire and explosions surround us as Allied Forces are landing on troop carriers from the sea. For the first 20 minutes it looks as if we’re watching actual war documentary footage of a raging, bloody battle that immediately sets the tone and mood for the remainder of the film. As the story develops, we learn that three brothers fighting in WWII have all died within days of each other, and their mother is about to be visited by the Army to receive the news. What’s more, their is a fourth brother, Private James Ryan, who is serving in Normandy, and supposedly MIA. The Army springs in to action and dispatches a company, led by Tom Hanks’ character (Captain Miller) with orders to find Private Ryan (Matt Damon) and deliver him safely. This is a most emotional film, and while it is a work of fiction set against historical events, there are hints of truth to the plot. There were several instances of brothers losing their lives in active duty while in the service of their county. Saving Private Ryan is said to loosely parallel the story of the The Niland Brothers. The Niland’s were four American brothers from Tonawanda, NY (a suburb between Buffalo and Niagara Falls), who all served during WWII. Of the four, two survived the war, but there was time it was believed that only had survived. It was later discovered that a second surviving Niland brother was held captive in a Japanese POW cam in Burma.

uss_sullivans

USS The Sullivans

You may find this immensely ironic, but there is in fact another equally dynamic parallel to Saving Private Ryan. The irony is that it also has ties to the Buffalo, NY region. In Buffalo, at the foot of the Erie Canal Harbor, is a small Naval Park, complete with a museum of ships, military vehicles, and a veterans memorial honoring soldiers from the region. The significance to Saving Private Ryan is one of the sea vessels in the museum; a destroyer class Navy ship named, The Sullivans. The USS The Sullivans was named in honor of the five brothers who lost their lives when their ship, the USS Juneau, was sunk by a Japanese submarine during the Battle of Guadalcanal on 13 November 1942. Unlike Saving Private Ryan, or the real-life story of the Niland brothers, none of the Sullivan brothers survived. This was the greatest military loss by any one American family during WWII. One summer, once upon a time, My family took a vacation up north to see Niagara Falls. We had to pass through Buffalo, NY, and while driving on the highway I could see the ships in the water. I begged my dad to stop the car so we could see the Naval Park. As part of a tour, me and my family walked on-board the USS The Sullivans, and heard the amazing, and tragic, story of the Sullivan brothers.

The Navy had a policy of separating siblings, but this was not strictly enforced. Because the Sullivan’s were not drafted, but instead voluntarily enlisted for service in the Navy, the five brothers from Iowa stipulated that they serve together, and all five were assigned to the USS Juneau. Nine months after their assignment to the USS Juneau, it was sunk by the Japanese during the Battle of Guadalcanal. We learned during our tour that Destroyers are named for naval heroes and leaders, and that the name of this ship, “The Sullivans,” had historically caused confusion cause the Navy doesn’t use the “the” in front of ship names. In this particular instance “the” is part of the ship’s name, signifying more than person. The USS The Sullivans that we toured in the Buffalo Naval Park was put in to service in 1944 toward the end of WWII, and was decommissioned in 1965. However, the name of the ship and the memory of the Sullivan brothers lives on… in 1997 the Navy commissioned a new destroyer, DDG-68, and named her USS The Sullivans. To wrap up the story on the Sullivan brothers, the United States War Department sprung in to action with the future intent to prevent any family from suffering a similar catastrophic loss by enacting the Sole Survivor Policy: a set of regulations designed to protect members of a family if they have already lost family members in military service. While I said “wrap up,” there’s a whole lot more you could know about the Sullivan’s, including a museum wing in Waterloo, Iowa dedicated to the fallen heroes. If you’re interested in this gripping story, just do a Google search! You’ll find all kinds of info.

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View of the Cemetery from Memorial

Earlier, when I was getting in to the plot about Saving Private Ryan, I mentioned a military cemetery. The cemetery in the opening scene of the movie is The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, and it is a WWII cemetery honoring American soldiers who died in while serving in Europe. What’s important about this site is that it was the first American WWII cemetery established on European soil. Remembered at The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial are 9,387 American soldiers, and over 300 unknown. While many are buried here, the bodies of 1,557 Americans who served and lost their lives could not be located. The names of those who could not be returned are inscribed on the walls of a semicircular garden memorial.

I think it is most important that, while we prepare to observe Veterans Day this November 11th, when we take a moment to reflect on all of the men and women, both of whom are here today, and especially those no longer with us. For those who fought for our freedom and way of life, we take a moment to recognize those soldiers who are memorialized abroad, while with us in our hearts and spirits, are not with us on our home soil, the land for which they fought. It is this exact reason I delved in to the “Private Ryan” story, and capped it here with The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. What’s more, while this memorial was the first American cemetery in Europe, it is not the only cemetery and memorial on foreign soil. Take some time to remember these courageous men and women in the coming days. Also, take a moment to reflect on our memorials here at home, both our highly visible national memorials in Washington, D.C., and those on the local level that you may have in your hometown.

Until next time,
Lexi

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Sgt. Robert B. Burger’s American Flag Story

November 5, 2009

Yesterday we received a Virtual Wall of Honor submission for a brave soldier by the name of Robert B. Burger. We thought you would enjoy the story about the American Flag he found flew over Germany as well as the great photographs from part of his history.

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Robert B. Burger Sr. was a Sgt. in the U.S. Army, serving in Europe during WWII. Dad’s company took over a town in Germany. Having no flag to display, Sgt. Bobby Burger found a tattered one in a garbage can, used adhesive tape to bind the ‘stars’ end, and boot straps to secure it to the flagpole rope. The ‘stars’ end of the flag was so tattered that only 42 stars are actually displayed – I still have the flag framed and proudly display it in my office. I enjoy telling the story of how this flag came to ‘fly’ over this small German town. Although he would not talk about the war, he was very proud of his service. My Dad’s only brother was a POW in Japan. Dad died in 1994.

Submitted by his son, Robert B. Burger Jr.

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Posted by Lexi the Vexillologist

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